Brits spend just 96 minutes viewing a property before making an offer

British homeowners spent longer choosing their last annual holiday than they did viewing their current home, according to new research from Abbey Mortgages. The average amount of time spent choosing a holiday is 139 minutes, compared with just 96 minutes spent viewing a property before putting in an offer.

But rushing into such an important purchase can lead to problems for new homeowners, with almost half (49 per cent) of all movers experiencing some sort of setback after their most recent home purchase.

Indeed 21 per cent of homeowners felt that – upon closer inspection – the décor inside their home suffered from poor workmanship, 14 per cent experienced problems with their neighbours and four per cent said that the exterior of their home also needed attention. A further seven per cent of movers couldn’t even enjoy a decent shower due to poor water pressure and six per cent struggled to park their car.

Try before you buy

Wiser after the event, 12.3 million people wish they had done something different the last time they moved home:

Over 1.7 million people (four per cent of movers) wish they had been able to move in to their property for a trial weekend before committing to buying it

4.4 million (10 per cent) wish they’d visited their property more times before moving in

2.7 million (six per cent) wish they’d spent more time in the neighbourhood before committing to a move

2.4 million (six per cent) wish they’d paid for a more detailed survey

2.2 million (five per cent) wish they’d spoken to their new neighbours before moving in

2.1 million (five per cent) wish they had checked their local amenities or schools

1.4 million (three per cent) wish they’d checked the parking situation and prices

1.3 million (three per cent) wish they’d researched their new journey to work

Nici Audhlam-Gardiner, Head of Mortgages at Abbey, said: “It really is crucial that home-buyers do as much research as possible before making an offer on a new property. Moving is stressful enough, without having to worry about nasty surprises when you arrive at your new home. At least with Abbey’s new no upfront cost mortgage, being stung by legal and valuation fees isn’t something you’ll have to worry about.

“Abbey’s new deal covers all upfront costs including legal fees and for the typical UK homeowner is worth over £2,000. What’s more, Abbey have done the leg work in finding reputable and reliable solicitors, and because of our bargaining power we have negotiated our customers a better deal than they would have been able to get themselves.”

Regional variations

Those living in Yorkshire experienced the most ‘moving regrets’, with 59 per cent reporting a nasty surprise after they moved into their new property and 42 per cent wishing they had done something differently during the moving process. Those living in the South East of England have experienced the most problems with their neighbours, with 21 per cent encountering noisy or nasty residents.