Coronavirus sparks relocation boom, with Cornwall topping the list
People fed up with being cooped up in lockdown are looking to move out of cities
29th May 2020 11:05
by Stephen Little from interactive investor
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People fed up with being cooped up in lockdown are looking to move out of cities
One in four people are thinking of relocating during the next two years, with Cornwall the most popular destination, research shows.
Cornwall is home to some of the country’s most beautiful beaches, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.
However, the worrying news for Cornish residents is that it has just been named the number one place to relocate to in the UK, according to online mortgage broker Trussle.
It was followed by Devon, the Lake District, Yorkshire and Dorset.
With house hunting becoming a new pastime for people stuck at home during lockdown, many of them have been looking for a better quality of life to accompany their new residence.
Trussle questioned over 2,000 UK adults and found that one in five had been spending time searching for a new property online.
The research revealed that people living in cities, including London, Birmingham, and Manchester, were more likely to want to move.
The most popular reason for wanting to relocate was to have more space, with 27% saying this was because of lockdown making them value this more.
It was followed by being closer to family (19%), farther away from other people (16%) and the opportunity to have a garden (13%).
Being cooped up in lockdown also means more people also want to live by the sea or be closer to woodlands.
Miles Robinson, head of mortgages at Trussle, says: “It comes as no surprise that homeowners and would-be buyers are looking for a different way of life after lockdown. Our research shows that nearly a quarter of adults are hoping to relocate in the next couple of years, and estate agents have seen a big increase in enquiries about out of city locations during the last few weeks.
“Many will be considering a move away from the big cities to get more for their money. The lockdown has resulted in a noticeable shift to the desire for more rural living - especially as remote working becomes the norm for many.”
Top 10 most popular places to relocate to in the UK
1. Cornwall
2. Devon
3. Yorkshire
4. Lake District
5. London
6. Dorset
7. Scotland
8. Peak District
9. Wales
10. Norfolk
This article was originally published in our sister magazine Moneywise, which ceased publication in August 2020.
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