Changing priorities

We have all been through great change over these past few months and for some of us that has meant reconsidering our lifestyle priorities.

This could be something as simple as planning to spend more time with friends and family in the future or it could mean reconsidering our options when it comes to where and how we work.

For others in might be changes to do with our homes, perhaps planning DIY projects or even something more major, such as remodelling, extension or conversion work.

Interestingly, there are some in this country who have started to mull over the idea of moving home, either to start a new life in a location they consider to be more desirable or to find a home that better meets their needs.

Estate agents have been reporting a surge in interest from city dwellers keen to move out to less populated parts of the country and there has also been a rise in the numbers of people looking for jobs outside London

According to the May 2020 Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Residential Market Survey, as the housing market in England started to get going, the UK headline net balance for new buyer enquiries moved from a record low of -94 per cent in April to -5 per cent in May.

And contributors were also asked for their views on how the pandemic might affect the desirability of certain features of properties over the next two years.

Some 81 per cent said they felt there will be an increase in the desire for properties with gardens or balconies, while 74 per cent predicted an increase in demand towards homes located near green spaces.

Approximately 68 per cent were of the opinion that properties with greater private and less communal space would become more desirable.

This rise in the way many of us are considering our options has also been reflected in the level of inquiries we at Howie Architects have received throughout the lockdown period.

With more time at home, people are not only considering the possibilities their own properties could bring and the solutions we might be able to offer them, but they have also had time to consider moving.

They have browsed the internet looking at properties in different places and carried out online research about new locations.

And, of course, when many of us invest in a new home we do so with ideas on how to improve it and maximise its potential – and that is where we can help.

We have worked on all sorts of properties over the years, from Victorian terraces, with possibilities for kitchen extensions or loft conversions, to 1950s’ bungalows requiring complete remodelling and updating work.

We enjoy the challenge of coming up with exciting plans for clients who are relocating, as well as those seeking to change the way they live in their existing homes.