Britain’s property Traitors! Nearly half of homeowners plan move in secret

Britain is playing its own game of property traitors, with almost half of homeowners quietly plotting their next move without bringing the rest of the household to the Round Table, it has been revealed.

Research by Zoopla suggested that 44% of homeowners have taken at least on property-related action without the other adults they live with.

It includes secretly browsing homes for sale to checking what their currently property is worth.

Hiding in plain sight

Some homeowners are even hiding in plain sight.

A total of 38% of all those who have secretly browse properties have done so while watching TV with the people they are keeping it from.

Meanwhile, 11% admit to turning their phone away, waiting until their partner is asleep – at 10% – or even deleting their browsing history, at 9%.

The research also revealed that 8% quickly close a property website or app when somebody enters the room.
Some secret scrolling is without doubt little more than curiosity.

Do you know what your next move could look like, even if you’re not quite ready to bring everyone else to the Round Table…”

However, the research does on to suggest that for those thinking seriously about buying, the private property search starts well before the conversation at home.

Among those who are serious about buying, 72% who think they may buy within the next one to three years have already taken at least on property-related action without telling the people they live with.

Among them, 61% have browsed listings, 36% have researched another area or town and 30% have worked out how much they could afford or borrow.

At the same time, 23% have developed a secret “property crush” on a particular home, while 19% have saved or shortlisted a property.

Where people live also seems to make a difference to how likely they are to keep their property research under wraps.

Biggest Traitors

London is home to Britain’s biggest Property Traitors, with 62% of people in the capital having taken at least one property-related action without telling the other adults they live with.

The West Midlands follows at 54%, closely followed by the North West at 53%.

Richard Donnell, Executive Director of Zoopla, says: “Anyone thinking about buying a home today has more to weigh up, with higher mortgage rates limiting buying power but more homes for sale, giving buyers greater choice and more room to negotiate.

“Doing your homework early is important. That means understanding what you can afford, looking at how far
your budget will stretch in different areas and, for existing homeowners, knowing what your current home is worth and how much equity you have to put towards your next purchase.

“House prices and market conditions vary widely across the country, and even between neighbouring areas,
so buyers shouldn’t rely on the national picture when working out their next move.

“Whether you’re checking what your current home is worth or browsing what’s available in the areas you’re considering, Zoopla is a simple place to start working out what your next move could look like, even if you’re not quite ready to bring everyone else to the Round Table.”

The post Britain’s property Traitors! Nearly half of homeowners plan move in secret appeared first on The Negotiator.

Author: Gemma