An independent survey of aspiring Leicestershire home owners has revealed that, when it comes to owning a property, their wants and needs are actually very refreshing and quite conservative. In what is now our buy-it, spend-it and worry-about-it later culture, the survey, developed by Jelson Homes, asked 500, 18-34 year olds to think about their first new home and what, ideally, would be their must-haves.

With items such as power showers, coffee makers and the latest smart TVs all commonplace in UK homes today, it seems that young prospective property owners want to go right back to basics. Whether it’s the lure of the great outdoors or the opportunity to soak up the sun during the warmer months of the year, a good-sized garden is towards the top of their new home wish-list, with 71 per cent saying they would like outdoor space in order to be able to entertain al fresco during the summer months.

The phrase location, location, location still has its place with 84 per cent of respondents who agreed that instead of living out in the sticks, they would rather live close to a town or city for socialising and easy and stress-free commuting. Parents, however, have really lost out in the survey findings as living close to parents came at the bottom of the list with just 12 per cent of respondents agreeing that they would want to live close to their elders and in-laws.

Jackie Woodward, sales manager for Jelson Homes, comments: “We’re thinking a lot more about our homeowners of the future because they are the lifeblood of the industry and it’s so important for them to recognise that investing in property from as young an age as possible is better value for money than renting.

“It’s satisfying to know that our survey respondents are being realistic about what they want and, quite feasibly, could achieve if they are able to save for that all-important deposit.

“And naturally, once their foot is on the first rung of the ladder, the more luxurious items could come in time.” 

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