Kitchen table top of the wish list for homebuyers

Forget what the endless DIY shows tell you about what features will help you sell your house – the key factor for most homebuyers is whether the kitchen has enough space for a decent sized table, according to the latest Legal & General research.

The first in a series of studies looking at ‘The Changing Face of British Homes’, house insurer, Legal & General asked over 4,000 people what would be top of their wish list of priorities when buying a home.

Challenging concerns that watching TV at mealtimes is bad for our diet and could result in piling on the pounds it would appear that people would rather eat sitting at the table, as the Legal & General research points to the kitchen being at the heart of the modern home. Buying a house with a big kitchen, that has room for a kitchen table, tops the 2007 wish list, for around one in seven homebuyers, 15%.

Having a garden was next on the wish list. Dashing the stereotype of older people pottering in the garden, it is young homebuyers (aged 25-34) that are leading demand for the great outdoors, 17% compared with 11% of people aged 55 and over.

Inside the home, space was a key driver. One in ten homebuyers, 9% wanted a big main bedroom with an en suite and a further 9% wanted a house with potential for an extension.

The least attractive features on the homebuyers’ list are a dining room, 1% and an attic with plenty of storage space, 1%. Perhaps surprising, a living room with an open fire was a top draw for only 3% of homebuyers.

The UK’s top 10: What tops the wish list for the dream home:

Rank – Feature - % that mention as most important
1 Big kitchen with room for a kitchen table 15%
2 Large garden 13%
= 3 En suite for the main bedroom 9%
= 3 Room for an extension / development 9%
5 Own drive 8%
6 Downstairs toilet 6%
7 Kitchen with a breakfast bar 4%
=8 A cellar I can convert 3%
=8 Living room with an open fire 3%
=10 Dining room 1%
=10 Attic 1%

Know your home buyer

The needs of the family unit would appear to vary considerably. Only 24% of people surveyed by Legal & General were families with children aged 18 or under living at home who would traditional be viewed as the average ‘2.4 family’. The research highlights how, for different types of ‘family unit’ and lifestyle, priorities are different with regards to the ideal home.

Same-sex couples were, by some distance, the group most likely to want a kitchen with a big table, 26% compared to a national average of 15%.

Gardens aren’t just for children. The people most likely to want a big garden in their dream home were young couples with no children 20%, compared to 16% of those with children and just 5% of retirees. Gardens are also most popular among homebuyers in rural areas (Wales 16%, East Anglia 16% and the West country 15%).

House or hotel? Houses with extension potential were the top choice among multi generation families – working couples with adult children and grandparents living under one roof, 16%.

Retiring treat: Rather than just catering for the needs of young professionals and young families, an en suite bathroom was strongest among retired people, couples whose children have flown the nest and multi-generational families,11%.

Ruth Wilkins, Head of communications at Legal & General’s general insurance business commented: “The look and feel of today’s homes is changing to reflect the changing demographics of different groups of people. What may be important to some is different to others when it comes to buying their home. Legal & General recognise this growing diversity and offers home insurance cover that is geared to the individual choosing the cover that best suits their circumstances with straightforward products so that people are able to get on with their lives.”

Carina Norris, registered nutritionist and author of ‘You Are What You Eat: The meal planner that will change your life’, commented: “After the trend for homebuyers to opt for tiny kitchens, or even ‘capsule kitchens’ with just a microwave and no ‘proper’ oven, it’s really encouraging to see the pendulum swinging back to large kitchens, with plenty of space for the family to eat together. This could mean the return of the good old British family mealtime.”

“Eating together as a family is important, yet so many of us eat our meals separately, and all too often it’s fast food or unhealthy convenience food grabbed in front of the TV. But research shows that families who eat together eat more healthily.”