According to the findings, parking is the most coveted feature of rental homes across England, Wales and Scotland; whilst three-bedroom houses are the most viewed property type on the portal by house hunters.
Parking was consistently ranked as the most frequently searched feature of rental homes across all regions of Great Britain except North East of England, Scotland and Wales where ‘garage’ and ‘furnished’ took the top spots. The search term ‘garage’ was ranked as Brits’ second most searched property term on Zoopla. The findings come at a time when the average motorist in the UK spends nearly four days every year (91 hours) looking for parking spaces according to research by the British Parking Association (BPA).
Rental homes that allow pets are also in high demand across the nation, with the search term ‘pets’ featuring in the top three most searched property features in every region across Great Britain. The search term has grown in popularity in the last year, jumping from fifth place to third in the national rankings and appearing for the first time in the top 10 most searched rental property terms by Londoners. The research follows statistics from Dogs Trust, which revealed that 78% of pet owners have experienced difficulty in finding accommodation which accepts pets.
Annabel Dixon, spokesperson for Zoopla, comments: “Parking and garages were a consistent requirement for tenants across the nation. While this may not be the most exciting feature of a home, our research clearly shows that landlords can make their properties much more attractive by creating or enhancing existing parking. Whether they re-landscape their garden to include a driveway or apply to drop the kerb outside their house, these changes could pay dividends.”
Regional breakdown
On a regional level, London renters have the most luxurious requirements; ‘gym’ and ‘ensuite’ featured in the top 10 most searched lettings terms in the Capital, yet they didn’t appear in the top requirements for renters in any other region across Great Britain. Meanwhile, tenants in Scotland have arguably less demanding requirements, with ‘dishwasher’ making it into the top 10 for the country.
In the North East and South West, home hunters are after countryside dwellings, with ‘rural’ and ‘cottage’ featuring on tenants’ lists of priorities in these regions. Whilst renters in the North West of England clearly enjoy the great outdoors, with ‘garden’ and ‘balcony’ featuring in the top 10 list for tenants.
Zoopla also analysed viewings data to reveal the most viewed property types across the nation. Unsurprisingly, three-bedroom houses are the most frequently viewed properties on Zoopla; this was the case for every region except for the Capital where two-bedroom flats pipped the three-bedroom house to the post.
Annabel Dixon, spokesperson for Zoopla, comments: “From gyms to balconies, right through to dishwashers, it is fascinating to see how the requirements of renters differ across all regions of Great Britain. With Londoners paying a premium in rent, it makes sense that these tenants are focused on high quality amenities and luxury features; whilst renters in more rural locations are looking for properties that make the most of their countryside setting.
Three-bedroom houses have come up trumps in our ranking of the most viewed properties by house hunters. These homes appeal to a wide range of buyers and tenants, including young families who are looking for space to grow as well as downsizers who want a more manageable space that can still accommodate visitors.”
