With potential savings of up to £15,000 available, it should come as no surprise that this change created an immediate surge in activity, with potential buyers seeking to make the most of the savings on offer. 

Traffic to Rightmove jumped by 22% during the first 30 minutes of the announcement being made, demonstrating the efficacy of the announcement in providing a boost to the property market. With recent volumes of sales agreed increasing to levels seen in early March, the momentum which has been built following the easing of lockdown restrictions on the market should continue thanks to this impetus. 

Savings by region can be seen in the table below;

Whether you’re staying put or moving home, crime will always remain a key concern for the majority of us and with 84% of respondents to the Broadband Choices poll listing crime as a crucial factor this still rings true. Knowing that your home and possessions are in an area with low crime rates is obviously very attractive, with low crime rates correlating to strong house prices and the converse also true.

Getting to and from work, as well as freely being able to see friends and family, is of course extremely important when deciding where we would like to live. Amongst correspondents, nearly three-quarters mentioned transport links as one of their decision points for a location to live within. Living within close proximity to a tube station, for example, can add £42,000 to the price of a home, according to research from Nationwide.

Unsurprisingly in these modern times, a strong internet connection which will allow broadband and television streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime stands at third in the list of buyer priorities when searching for a new home. With 69% of people mentioning a strong internet connection in the poll, many of whom stating that they would pay over-the-odds for a property with guaranteed superfast broadband connection, it would seem that for home-sellers updating your broadband could actually help in the process of finding a buyer.

For those with families, schools are an extremely important consideration; with catchment areas and the competition around catchments for the best schools being an important factor for both families, and those planning on families in the long term. Just over half of correspondents listed schools as a deliberation in their home buying decision, with recent studies showing that homes in catchments for schools with Ofsted ratings of 1 can cost almost £40,000 more than those with Ofsted rating 2.

As well as transport links ranking highly in the list of priorities for buyers, local shops and amenities also place highly with just over a third of people stating that living close to shops and amenities is a significant factor in their property search.

1. Create Specific Areas

An effective way to transform your outdoor space is to create specific areas within your available area. Creating a seating area with screens, a bedding area with planters and adding hanging baskets further down your garden will create real depth as well as encouraging the use of these spaces. If you have less space available, think about using furniture which can be also be used as storage as well as items which can be folded away or stacked.

2. Lighting

Investing in lighting for your outdoor area will not only make it more attractive when the evenings set in, it will also encourage you to embrace the outdoors even when it is a little darker. Solar lighting is an affordable, effective and fuss-free way to add some ambience to your garden, patio, balcony or outdoor space – solar nets are particularly effective as the lights can be weaved through a trellis or on a fence.

3. Pots and Planters

If your outdoor space is a small patio or balcony area then using pots and planters is a great way to add some fresh flowers and foliage, making your space much more inviting. If your property is rented, then pots and planters are also really useful as you can take them with you when you move to a new property and you do not need to dig up a garden which could cause potential disputes. If you have more space available, add some hanging baskets to create different levels of interest across your garden.

4. Accessories

Although investing in soft furnishings and accessories can be a more pricey way to refresh your outdoor space, because the items are intended for outdoor use they tend to last longer and so can be a worthwhile investment. Bright pops of colour can be added to any size of space with cushions, beanbags, throws and adding candles to table areas will take your outdoor space to the next level.

5. Planting

Very few things will bring the outdoors to life as much as fresh plants and flowers – over the span of summer they also work out to being fairly inexpensive. Lavender is a particularly good option due to its hard-wearing nature and the gentle scent that is emitted. You can also purchase bedding packs of plants from most supermarkets and DIY stores, making them easy to find and inexpensive.