New research reveals what we think makes the perfect home

The new study amongst UK homeowners also revealed the perfect home would be a detached, four-bedroomed, three-bathroom property worth £592,000.

The perfect property also boasts two reception rooms, two children’s playrooms, a study, a walk-in wardrobe, a conservatory, a garden with a patio, and countryside views.

The research found that our expectations for our ‘forever home’ have become more ambitious in recent years, with prospective buyers hoping for an additional two rooms in their future home compared to five years ago.

In addition, people now expect to buy their ‘forever home’ at a younger age. The research shows that the average Brit expects to own their ideal property by the age of 49. The average age in 2017 was 53.

This is surprising given that property sizes are shrinking, and prices are rising. In fact, Brits now expect their dream home to cost £134,022, or 29 percent more than this time five years ago.

The ongoing cost of living crisis is adding to this challenge, with 66 percent of Brits concerned that rising costs could impact their ability to ever afford their ‘forever home’.

Despite this, the research, which was conducted by Origin, the UK’s leading provider of doors and windows, demonstrates that people are more determined to own their ideal property than ever before.

Ben Brocklesby, director at Origin, said: “We’ve been tracking the changing priorities of homeowners for 20 years. However, the past five years have seen the most rapid and significant change in the way people view and use their homes for decades.

“The pandemic made us all re-evaluate our lifestyles and, for many, this has led to a firmer focus on our home lives.”

Almost half of Brits are actively saving for their forever home, compared to just 33 percent in 2017. To help achieve this, many are working longer hours, taking fewer holidays, and going out less.

The study also shows how recent events, including the ongoing cost of living crisis, have impacted our priorities for our properties. For example, while Brits still want their future homes to include modern features like bi-folding doors and large windows, buyers are now prioritising good energy efficiency over other luxuries, such as a summerhouse.

The pandemic has led to a significant change in perspective buyers’ demands. The majority of Brits think that outside space is more important in a home now than it was pre-pandemic, while 72 percent say that natural light at home is more vital than ever.

The shift towards working from home has also impacted our preferences when it comes to the location of our properties. On average, Brits imagine their forever home to be 20 miles from work – twice as far as in 2017.

Plus, homeowners are happy to be further from local amenities than ever before. According to the research, the ideal property is now two miles away from the nearest pub, post office, park, and doctor’s surgery and almost seven miles from the nearest town.

However, this does mean that it’s more important than ever that our homes are near good transport links. Car travel is still valued highest with 61 percent of people wanting to be close to an A-road.

This is followed by a local train station and bus station.