As we gradually emerge from the coronavirus lockdown it is good to see the property market picking up.

Bigger homes, with garden and office

Over recent weeks we have noticed many of our clients have changed their priorities when looking for a new property. Among these is finding a home with a garden.

This echoes with a Rightmove survey of 4,000 home-movers published in early June, which shows more than a third of buyers (39%) have changed what they are looking for.

Rightmove reports that searches by buyers for homes with gardens were up 42% in May compared to the same time last year.

Living close to parks and green spaces also came out as a high priority along with many wanting to live in a pet-friendly home.

Jon Coles who co-heads the Residential Property team at Phillips Solicitors incorporating Brain Chase Coles, said: “Given that we have all been cooped up in our homes for many weeks during the lockdown, it’s not surprising that the most popular response to the survey showed that people wished to have a bigger garden when they move.”

Jon also notes that 36% of buyers said they are looking for a better workspace, which is the same percentage of people wanting access to parking or a garage.

“During the lockdown many will have found that they were more than able to work remotely from home, adapting a spare bedroom or other space into an office. Looking forward, I can foresee that having space for a home office will be a more significant priority for many people,” said Jon.

He has also seen in recent weeks a marked increase in the number of enquires Phillips has had from people looking to move out of London and buy a home in the Basingstoke area. No doubt the good transport connections Basingstoke enjoys, its parks and green spaces are important attractions along with the area being a more affordable place to buy for the first time, or to trade up and get more for their money.

If you are selling your home, there is no need to worry if you do not have a large house or garden. Even if you only have a small patch of grass or access to a communal garden, ensure this is featured in your property listing. Likewise, if you are fortunate to live near a park or open space, as many of us do in Basingstoke, make sure you let prospective buyers know this.

Here at Phillips our conveyancing lawyers are working hard to make sure risks are minimalised, contracts are kept to and your transaction is as seamless as possible during this difficult time.

We have taken steps to continue to strive to provide a highly personalised service to you and are able to use various video platforms such as Zoom, Skype and FaceTime, so we can get in touch with you and other parties involved in the sale, regardless of location.

To find out more about how we can help you please contact Jon Coles or Zoë Baxter who together head our Residential Property team.

Call Jon on 01256 845852 or email [email protected]

Call Zoë on 01256 854623 or email [email protected]

Alternatively click here to go to our contact page.

During these difficult times our Town Gate office in Basingstoke is temporarily closed to visitors unless by prior appointment when meeting in person is essential. However, Phillips remains fully open for business and can discuss Residential Property issues or any other legal matters by telephone and video conference.