With the property market looking oh-so-dire and that fact that I’m convinced that a second wave of Coronavirus will hit in November (I’m waiting on those 4 degree temperatures), the last thing you’d think I’m doing is thinking about moving house. But with so much gorgeous decor on my wishlist, and so much time on my hands, I’m finding that I’m spending a copious amount of hours browsing through Rightmove. And I know I’m not the only one.
It’s a habit inherited from my Dad: to browse through properties, starting with the ones well outside my price range (the ones in Topsham, Devon) and slowly moving to apartments and houses which I can actually afford. We’ll then log into a useful Mortgage Calculator and show each other ‘just how affordable’ that would be. Of course, the cost of moving means it’s never cheap, but it’s amazing how affordable owning your own home is, if you have a deposit.
In fact, I know that searches for moving house go up during the Christmas Holidays. With that in mind, is it any surprise that searches for ‘Mortgage Calculator’ are significantly up compared to last year (according to Google Trends)? Additionally, ‘houses for sale near me’ is up 110% compared to last year. Like Christmas, people who are on furlough suddenly have the time and brain space away from work to think about their and their family’s future. I’m also not the only one who has saved money during lockdown. Suddenly, young people in particular are seeing how it is possible to save for a deposit… if you give up your entire social life and only communicate with friends via Zoom!
As someone who bought their own property just two years ago, I’m wondering why I’m so motivated to move again. Why go through all that stress? Well, if you’re in the same boat as me, here are my theories:
1. Break the boredom
Let’s face it, we’ve all become a little bored during lockdown, and what better way to pass the time than to plan our future! As someone who is always looking ahead and at ‘what’s next’, browsing the property sites and imagining my next home was a go-to.
2. Looking to better times
There’s solace in the knowledge that this will all be over soon. Governments are saying we may even get a vaccine as soon as next year. Browsing properties that are too expensive for me now gives me something to look forward to in the future!
3. It’s something to talk about!
Running out of things to discuss with your family over the weekly Zoom call? Me too! Property is a great way to start a conversation. We’ve chatted about houses we would buy in France, or the latest £1m+ property that’s available on the Cornish coast!
Have you been dreaming about your next move through lockdown? Let me know in the comments below!
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