New research from AA Home Membership shows that the last time they were looking for somewhere to live, 14% of respondents knew whether a property was right for them before they’d even set foot inside.
16% reserved judgement until they’d seen the first room and 60% waited until they’ve had a proper look round before making a decision.
Separate research shows that it takes 29% of respondents less than a month for a house to feel like a home once they’ve moved in. 23% reckon they’ve settled in after one to three months and 13% believe it takes over a year to feel as though they really belong in their new place.
Helen Brooker, head of AA Home Membership, said: “A lot of people will rely on their gut instinct when looking for a new place to live, and do often go with that instead of weighing up the pros and cons of a particular property.
“If you have a hunch that you won’t like living in a particular place it can be a very difficult feeling to shift.”
While most respondents felt as though their current property was their ‘home’, 13% of under 35s said they still thought of their parent’s place as ‘home’. Under 35s are also the age group who take the longest to settle into a new place: six and a half months on average compared to four months for those aged 35-44.
Those living in the north east settle into new homes most quickly – just under four months – while movers in Wales take the longest to feel at home – seven months on average.
