What makes us move?

Moving house is a major upheaval. Most of us do it around 3 or 4 times in our lives, or every 5 to 7 years. Around a million households moved home last year, so what is it that triggers this desire to move on?

1. More space/growing family: There are not many who don't want a bit more space. The decision to upsize can sometimes be provoked by visits to friends' and family's more spacious homes, but the most common reason is a new baby. And it doesn't just end there - as the kids get older, they take up even more space. When you think there were 598,400 births in 2023 in England and Wales (source: ONS) - there are plenty of reasons to move.

2. Being closer to family: Most of us like to be near our families, especially when we start one of our own or our parents need some help as they get older and, as a bonus, it can help to reduce the childcare bill. The truth is that not many of us have wandered far from the family home in the first place - according to a recent survey - typically, we only travel 40 miles between each move and rarely end up more than 70 miles from our place of birth.

3. School catchment area/empty nest for parents: Living in the catchment area of good primary schools is essential and then, when the children get closer to secondary school age, they may have to move again. 15% of parents with children aged four to 18 claim to have moved house for this reason (source: Rightmove), although the real figure may be much higher. And when it's all over and the children leave home, it can be the catalyst for another move, as both the need for space and a home in an expensive catchment area are no longer there.

4. Change of job or remote work: If the perfect job comes up in another town, it may be necessary to move. However, with the rise of remote work since the pandemic, many are now moving for lifestyle reasons rather than job proximity. This shift has led to increased interest in rural and suburban areas, as city-centre proximity becomes less crucial for many workers.

5. Bored/itchy feet: A recent survey discovered that, typically, we get bored of our properties after a period of six years and eight months. The younger you are, the sooner you start to get itchy feet, with 25-34 year olds starting to think about moving on after three years and nine months, whereas those over 55 don't do so for eight years and six months. The survey also found that 65% of all home moves were initiated by females, because they had become dissatisfied by their current homes.

6. Divorce/separation or a new relationship: Divorce is another very common reason for selling a house. The latest figures from the ONS show there were 80,057 divorces in England and Wales in 2022 (the last year for which complete data is available). On the flip side, there were 246,897 marriages, but neither figure takes into account any newly cohabiting or separating couples.

7. Downsizing/release equity: People often downsize in order to cut down on their outgoings or release capital. Because pensions and savings are producing such low returns, the vast majority of retirees are using the equity tied up in their home to help fund their retirement. According to a study, 1.5 million retirees are planning to downsize over the next five years, which would equate to 25% of all house sales.

8. Death: It's not a happy thought, but 598,000 people died in England and Wales in 2023 (source: ONS). Not all of them were homeowners and many would have been survived by their partners, but even so, each year it results in a substantial number of properties being put on the market.

If you are on the move, why not take a look at some of the fabulous properties we have coming up in our next auction at Phillip Arnold Auctions.

Back to News