With
so much to see and do and some of the best jobs in the country, you
might think that no one ever moves out of London, and in a lot of
cases this is true. In fact, around 57% of Londoners choose to stay
in the city when they buy a new home. But that leaves a pretty
significant 43% who do run for the hills, or Essex at least.
Chelmsford, Essex and Tonbridge in Kent are some of the most popular
spots.

But
what's forcing Londoners to move home at all?

Research
from Mega Removals found that issues like parking, arguments with
neighbours and a desire to downsize or find cheaper properties are
common factors. Noise, pets and children are also a big problem for a
lot of people.

What
people want to see from their window

Surveys
have found that the most popular view is the beach, followed by
coastal landscape, and small village views. People are less keen to
view other people's houses, car parks, or industrial sites. City life
did come seventh on the list, so busyness is a draw for some people,
but it seems that the majority are keen to get as much isolation as
possible.

How to
sell your home if you do decide to move

According
to surveys if
you want to sell your home,
you've got the best chance if you have central heating, and double
gazing installed already. This was top of the list for 72% of
potential homebuyers. Other things people want include a garden,
off-road parking, and good security. Perhaps oddly, few people were
concerned about the quality of schools nearby, and size of property
was only moderately important with 12% looking for a property for
three rooms or more.

Moving
home on the cheap

According
to a survey from Mega Removals, moving costs are one of the main
concerns for homebuyers. And over half of people have had to borrow
money from their bank or family and friends when moving home. Issues
like unexpected fees or not
budgeting enough for removals
were common challenges. Many people asked also said that they
struggled to find accurate information about potential moving costs
so could not budget properly. Hiring professional removals was also
quoted as the top thing people would do differently in their next
move.

Home
improvements

Boilers
seem to be the biggest gripe for people in the home. In fact, a
broken boiler was reported by many to be the most stressful home
repair issue they had faced according to British Gas. At least half
of the people asked said they'd lost hot water or heating for at
least a day in the past year, and one in five had to take time off
work to wait for a boiler repair to happen.

Other
top home repairs include plastering, bathroom renovations, and garden
upgrades. Bigger projects include extensions and loft conversions,
but over 60% of people asked said they had got into debt in order to
complete these jobs.

Who's
buying and who's renting

Renting
is now the most popular option for young people, with 73% of 18-35
year olds renting their home. Government research suggests that one
in three millennials will never be able to afford to buy a home. This
is made worse by the fact that the average cost of rent is now £744
a month (£1521 in central London) making it nearly impossible for
many people to save up the 10-10% deposit needed to buy a home.