People living in the suburbs are most likely to say their current property is their dream home, at 34 per cent, compared to just four per cent of those who live in the countryside, according to new research.
As part of Legal & General’s Home Sweet Home survey, the insurer questioned Brits on their views of their current home and dreams for the future. Just 15 per cent of Brits currently live in their dream home. Of those who do, a detached home in the suburbs is by far the most popular, with 34 per cent plumping for suburbia.
However, among those who are still searching for their dream home, the focus is firmly on country living, with 28 per cent citing the countryside as the perfect place to live. One in four said their dream home would be by the sea, compared to just 11 per cent who would expect to find home happiness in suburbia. When it comes to the type of property people are looking for, once again, country charm has been ditched in favour of detached. One year ago, 20 per cent of Brits said a country character home was their top choice. This year, just nine per cent wish for a cottage while 41 per cent desire a detached.
Almost three quarters of Brits, 73 per cent, will stay in the UK to find their ideal property. For those who plan to settle further afield, Australia is the top choice (20 per cent), followed by New Zealand (13 per cent). This is a shift from last year when most Brits had their sights set on the USA (17 per cent), and Spain (15 per cent).
Almost one in four, (23 per cent) of people do not expect to ever find a property to match their dreams. However, when asked how happy they are with their current home, the average Brit scored their property seven out of 10.
Ruth Wilkins, head of communications at Legal & General’s general insurance business, commented, “There is a really interesting disconnect between where people say they want to live, and where people who are in their dream homes actually live. Whether people are lucky enough to be living in their perfect property or not, our home is usually our most precious possession.”