Homes Of The Future Research Report IFF

Housetypes research Full report prepared for Allison Homes

September 2023

Contents 01

02

03

04

Background and methodology

Key findings

Participant Personas

Perception s of new builds

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06

07

Exploration of customer priorities

Recommendations

Appendix

01

Background and methodology

Background and objectives Allison Homes are looking to get a better understanding of what prospective buyers look for in a property.

The core objectives of the research are to:

•

Develop a better understanding of what customers want from a new home.

•

Develop solutions that have ‘outside of the box’ thinking to differentiate Allison Homes from competitors.

•

Create recommendations that are ‘grounded in reality’. The research needs to clearly distinguish between ‘must-haves’ and ‘nice to haves’.

Insights from this research will be used to help Allison Homes achieve their goal of delivering 2000 homes a year in the 2026 financial year.

Research approach We conducted six 90-minute in-person focus groups between 18th July and 25th July 2023, engaging 47 participants in total across England.

Participants were all prospective buyers who were: • Planning to purchase a house (with at least 2 bedrooms) in the next three years • Open to the idea of buying a new build property Participants were from three areas aligning to Allison Homes’ areas of operation: Norwich, Nottingham and Exeter.

• We held two focus groups per location, with one group of younger prospective buyers (18-35) one of older prospective buyers (36-65). All participants were adults aged 18+.

Gender Male

Looking to move in with a partner/another adult

Would you be bringing a pet into the property?

Female

Household Income £20,001-£40,000

16 23

10

14

£40,001-£60,000

37

33 23

Yes

No

Yes

12

No £100,001+

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17

£60,001-£100,000 24

Do you have children?

2

Yes

No

Research themes There were five broad themes relating to prospective customers’ needs and preferences for their new home, that Allison Homes wanted to explore in this research.

These included: • The local environment and landscaping • The outside appearance of the new build home • The external spaces on the property • The layout of the house and how you use the space • The specification of the house or which features the houses comes with

A detailed breakdown of research questions for each of these themes is included in the appendix.

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Key findings

Key findings

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Prospective buyers perceive new builds negatively – particularly in terms of space, privacy and quality.

Internal layout is the priority as it’s difficult (and expensive) to change if it doesn’t meet their lifestyle and needs.

Privacy and having good borders to avoid being overlooked are critical when considering garden and external space.

Prospective buyers have concerns about poor quality fixtures and fittings, and having to fix things upon moving in.

They need to be convinced on each of these factors before they will meaningfully consider purchasing a new build.

Specifically, buyers want a large open-plan kitchen diner, spacious entrance hall, natural light and practical storage.

Buyers also want a large, secure garden with space to socialise, off-street parking, and a garage for storage or an additional room.

However, other aspects of the internal spec – energy efficiency, sustainability, and good internet – are assumed included as standard.

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Key findings (cont.)

05 01 While the local environment and landscaping is less important to prospective buyers than the spec of the property itself, they see greenery and green space as important features.

Distance from main roads and travel infrastructure are also desirable.

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07 03

06 02 Outside appearance is the least important aspect of a new home.

Despite this, features such as good quality windows and doors are important.

Properties should not all look the same and their style should tie in with existing buildings in the area.

While customer priorities tended to be functional, many negative perceptions of new builds tend to be subjective – while focusing on delivering on functional needs, it's important not to lose sight of creating a postive impression that challenges negative stereotypes

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Participant personas

Our participants fell into three main groups

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02

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Starting out

Growing families

Forever homes

Starting out • Under 35 • No Children

What they look for in a house Affordability

Small garden for pets

Communal Kitchen Space

• Living with partner • Looking to get onto the property ladder

‘I live with my partner and our dog. We want a big open space, a smallish garden so he can have a run around (the dog). We’d like two bedrooms and some allotment space.’

‘Myself and my partner are looking to buy a house that we can afford. The most important thing for me is the internal layout and how the house is used. I work from home and so I spend a lot of time at home.’

‘I’m looking to buy with my new partner. I want an open-plan house, with a bit of garden space and a big kitchen.’

Growing families • Under 35 • Young family

What they look for in a house Nearby parks

Larger garden

Spacious rooms

• Looking for first family home ‘I live with my partner and my 2-year-old. I want a big open airy space, so we aren’t in each other's hair all the time.’

‘I’m looking to buy with my partner and two children. I need enough space inside and outside of the house for them to play around in.’

‘I’ve got two little girls with my partner and two little dogs. I’d like a big garden for them to play in without them being on top of each other. I quite like modern new builds, nice and neutral.’

Forever homes • Over 35 • Family

What they look for in a house 3-5 Bedrooms

Privacy

Large driveway

• Looking for a ‘forever home’ ‘I’m married and have three boys. A driveway is pretty important. When you have three boys and need help carrying the shopping in, it’s nice to get nice and close to the front door. Permit parking is also a pain.’

‘For me, it’s the layout inside that matters. I want good sized bedrooms and I like an open-plan house.’

‘I currently live with my partner, and we are looking to expand our family. We are looking at getting at minimum a 3 bedroom, with a garden that isn’t overlooked, and we want something more open-planed with a kitchen diner.’

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Overall views on new builds

Prospective buyers are looking for privacy and space when thinking about buying a new home There are a variety of reasons for prospective buyers to consider buying a new home, usually underpinned by life stage.

•

Reasons include moving in with a partner, upsizing for a growing family, buying to live alone, or ‘upgrading’ an existing property – for example from a terraced house to semi-detached.

“Where my partner lives at the moment it's a small cottage and we would like to have people over, but his kitchen is very small, and we’re really limited. So, when we’re house hunting at the moment we’re really considering if there’s space to entertain and areas where we could chill and where the kids could chill.”

(Exeter, Older)

Despite the variety in why they are looking to move, there is some consistency in what prospective buyers are looking for: •

Having more space: Having a larger internal layout, additional rooms, and more storage space are all reasons for considering a move. A bigger garden or upsizing from an allotment is also a big factor for most.

•

Privacy: Including not having a garden that is overlooked by neighbours and having space between properties.

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“When I think about the new builds that I’ve spent time in, friends homes and things, I think the main thing for me would be privacy. Outdoor space is important to us but not that feeling of being overlooked.” (Exeter, Older)

Views of new builds as small and ‘overlooked’ are therefore in direct contrast with what buyers want When asked to think about new builds specifically, prospective buyers have strong negative associations – particularly among older people. While some positives are mentioned, these are outweighed by negatives.

This is despite people who would not consider a new build being excluded from the research.

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Negative associations with new builds

Positive associations with new builds

Crammed in Overlooked by neighbours Small, lacking space Soulless, repetitive, dull Expensive and not good value for money Basic Rushed Cheap Risky No parking and narrow roads No local community Small garden Lack of storage

Clean and fresh Convenient to buy Open plan Luxury Modern Accessible location Payment schemes and incentives

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The most important consideration for buying a new build home is the internal layout Participants were asked to rank five categories of factors they might consider when buying a new build home.

These categories are explored in detail in the next section of this report.

Internal layout, 1.39 Average ranking (out of 5)

Most important

Garden and external space, 2.35 Interior specification, 3.18

Local environment and landscaping, 3.66

Least important

Outside appearance, 4.43

NB. Average rankings are based on qualitative research with a small base size of 47 participants and should be treated as indicative.

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The relative importance of these considerations is judged on factors relating to lifestyle as well as the build itself

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How easy or hard it is to change

Having children or pets

Building specifications

Factors that would be harder to change are ranked more important, while those that are easier to change are of less concern.

Prospective buyers have mixed views according to whether they have pets, whether they have children, and how old their children are.

E.g. Internal layout can’t easily be changed and must suit their lifestyle, while outside appearance can be altered later.

Features that must meet certain standards or specifications are felt to be less relevant to decision making than those that are likely to vary more between homes.

E.g. There were particularly mixed views on local environment and landscaping requirements.

“I think internal layout is important because with a new build you’re not going to want to knock through walls straight away. You want it to fit with your life straight away.”

(Nottingham, Younger)

“I live with my wife and children and a big thing for us is having decent outside space.

Having young children, we spend a lot of our time in the summer outdoors.”

(Exeter, Older)

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E.g. A minimum level of energy efficiency is felt to be guaranteed so not a differentiating factor “I wouldn’t buy if the EPC rating was lower than a C. But I understand that most new build properties tend to be around a B” (Exeter, Younger)

Importance is also influenced by whether the buyer sees themselves living in the home short or long-term Not all consider a new build to be somewhere they would want to live longterm, due to the negative associations they have with them.

However, those who are more comfortable with purchasing a new build property as their ‘forever home’ do have higher expectations than those buying with a focus ‘to get on the property ladder’.

“I don’t think everybody views new builds as their forever home, more as a ‘this is my for-now place’.”

(Exeter, Younger)

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04 Detailed views on new builds

This section explores each of the below categories in more detail, in the order listed Most important Average ranking (out of 5)

Internal layout, 1.39

Garden and external space, 2.35 Interior specification, 3.18 Local environment and landscaping, 3.66

Least important

Outside appearance, 4.43

NB. Average rankings are based on qualitative research with a small base size of 47 participants and should be treated as indicative.

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Internal layout This relates to the floorplan of the property. When discussing this section participants often referred to how they intended to live in and use the property.

Stimulus material for this section included two different types of floor plans (shown on the next slide).

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Internal Layout: Stimulus Material

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Internal layout

Room layout is the most important thing to look for in a floorplan, followed by the amount of space Most important

Close second

Room layout

Amount of space

What buyers want: ✓ Large, open kitchen ✓ Spacious entrance hall (with storage for shoes/clutter) ✓ Window placement and quantity to ensure natural light (less important in bedrooms)

Prospective buyers assume new builds are small and lack storage.

Therefore, they focus on: • Square footage • Bedroom size and shape • Amount of storage

Dealbreakers: • Front door opening onto living room • Small kitchen • Small living room

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The most important rooms to prioritise having more space are: • Kitchen / kitchen diner • Bedrooms • Useable loft space (for storage or as another bedroom)

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Internal layout

Kitchens are the most important room in the house and should be open, communal spaces Open plan kitchens with dining space included (kitchen diner) are strongly preferred.

Buyers want a practical space where they can entertain and socialise.

Kitchen size and layout can be dealbreakers when making purchasing decisions.

Important features of the kitchen include: • • • • • • •

Kitchen island – galley kitchens are strongly rejected Good dining space / breakfast bar Lots of storage cupboards that can be easily reached – “the more cupboards the better” Sufficient usable worktop space including around appliances like toasters and air fryers Integrated appliances including a dishwasher Consistent flooring in open plan (avoiding kitchen and living room having different floors) Separate utility room for washer and dryer

“I think for me the most important thing is a kitchen island because without it you’re just stuck facing a wall. Whereas with an island it’s communal, you can engage and talk. With an island it helps to bring the space together, otherwise you end up with your back to everyone if you’re cooking.” (Exeter, Younger)

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“I like the idea of having a breakfast bar and the space to have tables and chairs, because the kitchen diner is a massive space for entertaining and for family time to take place.” (Norwich, Younger)

Internal layout

Open plan living is generally preferred however some opinions differ when it comes to dining space Prospective buyers see open plan living as an effective use of the available space. Open space is multifunctional, easily customisable and that it allows for communal living.

While there is limited appetite for a separate dining room, there are some who do want separation between the living room space and the kitchen/dining space.

•

This view is mixed among age groups and locations, indicating that it is mostly down to personal preference.

Dining space in the kitchen

“Our dining room table is currently in the living room and it’s a pain and I hate it. I would want it in a separate room.”

(Norwich, Younger) 27

Dining space in the living room

“I like to take the kids away from the temptation of watching tv while we are eating.”

(Norwich, Older) www.iffresearch.com

“When I’m cooking, I don’t want anyone in the kitchen.”

(Nottingham, Older)

“I would sacrifice a dining room to have a slightly larger kitchen and would be happy to eat in the living room.”

(Norwich, Younger)

Internal layout

Bathrooms should be big enough to be practical but are not a priority for taking up extra space There should be at least two bathrooms, but for larger houses ideally three: • • •

One downstairs toilet (essential) One full bathroom upstairs (essential) One ensuite (nice to have)

However, those with families (and dogs) feel a bath is essential.

A window – for many, a windowless bathroom is a dealbreaker Heated towel rail Good storage including under the sink A good airing cupboard “So many new build bathrooms don’t have windows and they just feel like prison cells.”

(Exeter, Older)

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There is a preference for a separate shower and bath.

If having to choose only one, most prefer a standalone shower and consider a bath a ‘nice to have’.

Important features of bathrooms include: • • • •

Q. Is a bath essential?

“I think it would be good to have the option to put storage in, like under sink storage or a wall cabinet. Then enough space in the layout to add your own free standing storage units should you need it.” (Nottingham, Younger) www.iffresearch.com

“I couldn’t care less about a bath.

I don’t like the shower over the bath, I would much rather have a separate shower.” (Norwich, Older)

Internal layout

Expectations for bedrooms are broadly consistent among buyers, including that all should be doubles Bedrooms should all be a similar size as this gives flexibility to swap them around.

• While there is a preference for a larger master bedroom, this is only if it does not significantly impact the size of the other rooms.

• Strong rejection of ‘box rooms’ and single rooms.

• In bigger houses, there is an expectation for a bedroom (which could double as a home office) downstairs.

• In fact, as many potential buyers work from home, there was a desire for all bedrooms to be able to function as an office space if needed.

Consistent with their preferences for built in storage in other rooms, prospective buyers want bedrooms to have built in wardrobes.

“I would sacrifice the size of my master if it meant there wasn’t a box room, and all bedrooms could fit a double bed.” (Exeter, Older) 29

“I want them all the same size which one of the kids goes in the box room? It'll just cause arguments.” (Norwich, Older) www.iffresearch.com

“When I was looking for my new build, I was looking at a 3 bed but the 3 bed was the same square footage as the 2 bed so I went for the 2 bed. Then, me and my daughter both ended up with nice rooms.” (Exeter, Older)

Internal layout

There is agreement that having an additional room away from the general living space is important There were mixed views on what this additional room would be used for. Ideas included: • • • •

Home office (potentially with a sofa bed to double as a guest room) Snug Playroom to give kids their own space Gaming room

A separate utility room is also desirable, particularly for those with kids and pets so dirt can be contained when coming in from outside. However, this is not a dealbreaker for most.

“To have a his and hers living room so we could both watch what we wanted. Or even with kids to have another room they can be and trash with all their toys and then keep the other living room quite nice.”

(Nottingham, Younger)

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“Obviously with covid and working from home for so long I could now not see us living in a house without an office. You don’t really want to convert one of the bedrooms into one so having an additional room downstairs would be pretty useful.” (Nottingham, Younger)

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Garden and external space This relates to the external spaces on and surrounding the property including gardens, driveways and borders.

No stimulus material was used to discuss this topic.

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Garden and external space

Concerns about privacy and being overlooked in new builds make effective borders highly important features Prospective buyers are highly concerned about privacy and being overlooked by neighbours in new build properties.

Having effective borders between properties is therefore considered essential.

Finding the balance between privacy and being ‘boxed in’ or blocking out sunlight is key.

Important features of borders: • • •

•

“There has to be defined space. These houses are called detached but you can only put a folded piece of paper in the space.” (Nottingham, Older)

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Fences are considered standard and acceptable. Consensus is that they should be c. 6ft high.

Some prefer brick walls over fences as they feel more secure, sturdy and private, are low maintenance, and plants can be grown on them.

Some prefer natural borders such as hedges, but it was generally felt that fences were easier to install as standard and then people could choose to put a hedge in if they want one.

There is a preference for space between houses, with semi-detached preferred to terrace housing to ensure privacy between neighbours.

“Walls not too short that you can see over them but not too tall that they block everything out and you feel like you’re in a prison.

Maybe around 6 foot.” (Nottingham Younger)

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Garden and external space

The garden is also an important consideration for prospective buyers, who want a large and sociable space Important features of gardens: • • • •

• •

South-facing and not too shady Patio for entertainment – ideally big enough for min. 6-seater table and a BBQ Big enough for kids and pets to play in, with a secure fence or wall boundary to ensure their safety and security A flat garden – not steep or tiered (perception that many new build gardens are) – to ensure safety for kids when playing and prevent water running into the house in wet weather Mixed views on garden shape, with some preferring variety while others find asymmetrical options unappealing In front gardens, people want a safe place for parcels to be left and for greenery to be low maintenance or maintained by the estate

“There’s nothing worse than all these dead plants that aren’t tended to. You have to have things that last most of the year round.” (Nottingham, Older) 33

“I need a lot of space for them [the children] to play in in the garden” (Norwich, Younger)

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Q. Do prospective buyers prefer the garden to come off the kitchen or living room?

Most prefer the garden to come off the kitchen (or a separate utility room) instead of the living room, although views are mixed.

Connecting the kitchen to a patio and garden space would allow the outside and inside of the house to extend to one larger communal space, which is particularly appealing for summer months.

These rooms also have hard floors which are easier to clean if kids or pets bring dirt in from outside.

Garden and external space

Dedicated off-parking is seen as essential, while reliance on street parking is considered unacceptable There is a strong association between new build estates and a lack of dedicated parking provision, as well as narrow streets that can make street-parking impractical. This makes off-street parking a major priority for prospective buyers.

Street parking is seen to be completely unacceptable both in a practical sense (difficulty finding parking, more expensive car insurance premiums) and an aesthetic sense (looks overcrowded and messy).

Broadly speaking, prospective buyers consider a lack of off-street parking to be a dealbreaker. However, they are willing to sacrifice front garden space for this if needed.

“I will not buy somewhere that doesn’t have two spaces for cars and offstreet parking.” (Norwich, Younger)

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Important features for parking: •

•

•

Dedicated off-street parking is essential, with a double driveway considered the most desirable option.

Allocated parking spaces where a driveway is not an option.

Good provision of visitor parking spaces.

“If I buy a new house, I’d like a big driveway so that everyone [including visitors] can park there.” (Norwich, Older)

Garden and external space

A garage is desirable but more so for storage or as an additional room than for vehicles All want a garage – even those who do not own a car – however the primary motivation is for storage or to use as an additional room such as a home gym or home office. If a house has sufficient built-in storage space then the garage becomes less important – making a garage strongly preferred but not a dealbreaker.

Important features for garages: • • •

• • •

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Garage should be big enough for a vehicle plus shelving for storage.

Garage space for storage is particularly important for families, but less essential for those living on their own.

While a garage is more practical, some feel that good loft storage would be an acceptable alternative.

The garage should be on the property (not down the road) but there are no strong views on it being attached to the house.

No one would sacrifice back garden or internal space for a garage but they would give up front garden space.

Most would consider converting the garage if they had spare cash and the need for an additional room, but it wouldn’t be high on their priorities. They would want to do it up front and choose whether the garage is attached to the house or not. www.iffresearch.com

“I’d pay anything for a garage now I’ve got a kid - there’s just so much stuff it’s a nightmare. Garage would be massive for us.” (Nottingham, Younger)

“I wouldn’t want to sacrifice garden or house in exchange for garage.”

(Exeter, Younger)

Internal Specification This relates to the technical aspects of the property such as the usage of smart technology or how sustainable it is.

No stimulus material was used to discuss this topic.

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Interior specification

Prospective buyers’ concerns about new build quality strongly influence priorities for the internal spec It is important to prospective buyers that new builds have good attention to detail, as well as good quality fixtures and fittings as standard, to alleviate concerns of extra cost and hassle upon moving in.

Assumptions about new builds being cheap or poor quality leads buyers to suspect that they will need to spend money up front to replace things or even hire people to fix things in a property that has been newly built, which they feel they shouldn’t have to do.

Important features for fixtures and fittings: •

• • •

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Choice of options so they can bring in their own sense of style and taste as well as to avoid the cheapest options (which are seen as standard in a new build) – this includes flooring and wall colours.

Practical, built in storage incl. cupboards and wardrobes A lot of power sockets placed in convenient locations Sound insulation to ensure neighbours can’t be heard, especially in semi-detached and terraced properties.

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“You hear horror stories of new builds that are built, and you spend the first few years fixing all the defects and all the stuff that has gone wrong with it.” (Exeter, Younger)

“If it’s a modern property, it should have good sound insulation.” (Norwich, Younger)

Interior specification

Sustainability and energy efficiency are seen as important, and it’s felt they should be standard features in new builds Sustainability and energy efficiency are considered essential for future-proofing new developments, making new builds more appealing to prospective buyers. Sustainable materials and designs should be used as standard and are not seen as things that buyers should have to pay extra for.

However, the importance of prioritising these factors varies according to: •

Expectations for inclusion: Younger people think these factors should be standard and therefore give them limited further thought. In contrast, older people – while also agreeing they should be standard – are less likely to take this for granted and engage with it more proactively.

•

Financial motivation: Younger people who are just trying to get on the property ladder are less interested in sustainable features than those looking for a ‘forever home’ or who are already on the ladder and looking to up or downsize.

Less important

“That kind of stuff [Sustainability] doesn’t bother me, it isn’t a deal breaker.”

(Norwich, Older)

“It’s hard enough buying a new build as a first-time buyer, let alone if you were going to add in all this extra stuff.”

(Exeter, Younger)

Neutral “Regardless of being sustainable, money efficiency and energy efficiency are really big.”

(Nottingham, Older)

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Very important “Sustainability is huge for me. If I was going for a new build house, I’d be looking for a company that was doing sustainable stuff.”

(Norwich, Younger)

“I definitely would pay extra for solar panels.”

(Exeter, Older)

Interior specification

There was interest in a variety of sustainable features including solar panels, heat pumps and EV charging Mentioned most

Mentioned least

Solar panels

Heating

EV charging

Other

Prospective buyers want solar panels included as standard in new builds and feel it’s the developer’s responsibility to install.

However, this is ultimately seen as a nice to have and not a dealbreaker.

Most prospective buyers would not expect to pay extra for this – although some older participants would be willing to.

Underfloor heating is considered nice to have but not a dealbreaker.

Older participants talked more about specific sustainable options for heating including: • Air source and ground source pumps, with the latter seen as smaller and quieter.

• Smart heating, although few saw this as essential.

In Exeter there was awareness of a new build estate with its own energy source which was viewed as a positive solution.

EV charging is considered important for future-proofing new builds and a certain level of provision is expected as standard across new estates without coming at an extra cost for buyers.

While this is ultimately seen as nice to have and not essential, it is more important for those buying a property to live in longterm.

Other sustainability measures that buyers want to see included as standard: • Sustainable building materials • Wildflowers • Bee boxes • Rainwater butts • Composting Again though, none of these were considered dealbreakers when deciding to buy.

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Interior specification

Awareness of EPC ratings is high but considered unlikely to be a problem in a new build Prospective buyers expect new build properties to be more energy efficient than older properties.

Properties should be cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

They believe new builds are unlikely to be rated C or lower – and most likely to be rated B. • Younger people said that ratings of A / B / C are acceptable and that they wouldn’t need an A rating to buy.

• Older people said that ratings of A / B are acceptable – with this slightly higher threshold driven by concerns about bill prices. However, they wouldn’t be willing to pay a premium for A++.

“When I think of a new build, I think of being warm which is a pro. They’re not drafty, they’re insulated – that to me is an absolute plus.”

(Nottingham, Older)

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“Obviously I would notice if it’s like a G but you just want it to be an A, B or C so you don’t have to spend a fortune on heating.” (Nottingham, Younger)

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Interior specification

Good internet is essential but smart technology and home security is not Good broadband internet and/or fibre are considered essential, with some saying it would be a dealbreaker if not included. However, this is expected to be included as standard in a new build and is not something that prospective buyers expect they will struggle to find.

Smart technology is not an essential for potential buyers and is actively undesirable for some. Those who are interested in smart technology would rather install their own after purchasing the property so they can do their own research on which products and suppliers to use.

•

Some people already have it and like it, others don’t see the need or feel it is “an expensive gimmick”.

Physical features are considered more important than smart technology and alarm systems when it comes to new build home security – including secure windows and sturdy locks.

•

Physical features are considered harder to add in later and therefore important to prioritise.

•

There is good appetite for video doorbells but this is for lifestyle reasons (e.g. being able to see parcels) more so than for home security.

“Everything I have discussed today is secondary if the house is poorly made.” (Norwich, Younger)

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“I think with security features its something I’d rather do myself after market and do my own research. Rather than the house coming with things that I have to work out how to use and wouldn’t trust work properly.” (Exeter, Older) www.iffresearch.com

Local environment and landscaping This relates to the wider area around the property, including the streets and potential green spaces.

Stimulus material for this section included photos of different types of local environments and green spaces (shown in this section).

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Local environment and landscaping

Greenery and green spaces are the top priorities for the space around houses in a new build estate Although lower priority than the property itself, greenery and green spaces are considered important to make the estate look more established and thoughtful – rather than being ‘quickly thrown together’.

“I would love to see wildflowers and undulating paths, rather than pockets of pristine lawn that no one will walk through.”

(Exeter, Older)

Important features include: • •

• • •

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Pockets of green and open space should be used to break up rows of houses for aesthetic reasons and to ensure privacy.

Views on whether larger green spaces are also required are mixed, according to personal preference – however walking trails and small wooded areas are broadly considered desirable.

Children’s play areas and parks are important for families, who ideally want these to be within walking distance and near schools.

Buyers was to see street trees and native planting – with plant diversity, natural flora and fauna, and wildflowers all prioritised.

No ‘useless’ green spaces – that is, areas of greenery on roundabouts or alongside pavements that can’t be used by residents to play on or enjoy, and instead end up used for parking or ignored. www.iffresearch.com

“Biodiversity is super important. […] If someone was to design a new communal green space, it would be important to me that it has native flora and trees.”

(Norwich, Younger)

“Parks are one of the few free social spaces for people to gather. Wellmaintained ones can be vital for a local community.” (Norwich, Younger)

Local environment and landscaping

Other important features for the space around houses relate to noise and safety, and travel options Noise and safety

Roads and travel options

Concerns about impact of noise and safety if properties are near main roads • If there are major roads nearby, including motorways and A-roads, then natural and manmade noise buffers should be included by the developer.

Those with children and pets also raise safety concerns about living on a busy road with lots of cars.

Prospective buyers want wide roads that not only help the estate to look more spacious but also allow good traffic flow and the provision of bus services.

Safe places for walking including wide pavements and streetlights are essential, while cycle lanes are desired by some depending on the local terrain (not too hilly) and distance to common destinations (town centre, train stations, etc.).

“I grew up really rural and you’ve given the example of it being off the motorway but the thought of hearing traffic all the time just terrifies me. So, I think you have to be intelligent with it like high hedges as buffers so you can escape the noise.”(Exeter, Younger)

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“I want ones with green open spaces and wide roads that entices you to go outside.”

(Nottingham, Older)

Local environment and landscaping

Prospective buyers like the images shown and would be happy to live in a new build estate with these features Stimulus shown Play Areas

Green Spaces

Street Design “I’d like a dedicated space for my children e.g climbing frames where they can make friends - I agree about biodiversity - I don’t want a park that’s just a cricket pitch for example.”

(Norwich, Younger)

“It's lovely if there's a nice green open space to go out and read a book or go for a walk in, [especially because] there's more people working from home now.” (Nottingham, Older)

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Outside Appearance This relates to exterior design of the property.

Stimulus material for this section included various photographs of different exterior designs (shown in this section).

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Outside appearance

The outside appearance of the home is considered much less important than the internal features Outside appearance is consistently rated the least important aspect of a new build home by prospective buyers.

However, there are some features of the outside appearance that are prioritised, including: • •

Good quality windows and doors – with particularly strong distaste for plastic windows which look ‘cheap’ Accessibility, with some noting that new builds tend to have a step that leads up to the home that makes the property inaccessible for injured, disabled or older people Individuality – while some don’t mind the uniformity of all houses in an estate looking the same, others want to be able to choose a look that they prefer and brings some of their own personality into the look and feel of the home (such as choosing the door style / colour)

•

Doesn’t matter

“As long as the inside of the property is what I want, I would make any number of concessions on the outside appearance.”

(Norwich, Younger)

Outside appearance

“The outside appearance of the house isn’t that important to me. I’m either in the house or looking away from the house.”

(Norwich, Younger)

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“I would pay extra for it to look old, and that it’s been standing there for a while. I want something homely.”

(Nottingham, Older)

Does matter “If you’ve had a long day and just purchased a new house and it does look like a cookie-cutter experience, it doesn’t feel very unique.”

(Nottingham, Younger)

Outside appearance

Buyers don’t want all properties to look the same and prefer styles that tie in with existing buildings in the area •

The Georgian example is preferred as it looks more established, has character, and is less ‘cookie cutter’.

•

Brick is preferred over render and wooden cladding.

•

Even a small amount of variation would be desirable over an estate of identical houses.

“I don’t like uniform looks, where they all look like exactly the same house. I like different shapes, colours and sizes.” (Norwich, Younger)

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Outside appearance

Consider opportunities for the outside appearance to avoid triggering the negative perceptions of new builds Commonly held negative perceptions of new builds can be addressed in part through consideration of external appearance (as well as plotting and area landscaping)

• Perceptions that new builds are 'soulless', dull and homogenous can most readily be addressed through external appearance • Variety of housetypes and external appearance may be able to counter these perceptions Although external appearance is not considered important, it potentially sends a signal about the rest of the home

• External appearance potentially has an important role in instilling the confidence of potential buyers • Homes that look more like people's perceptions of new builds may evoke negative beliefs that are commonly held about new builds e.g. poor quality, higher risk.

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Recommendations

Address prospective buyers’ negative assumptions about new builds in your design and comms Prioritise the space by focusing on the internal layout. Include functional, open plan kitchen diners, even sized bedrooms, extra living space, outside entertaining, and built in storage.

Designing new homes that customers want

Prioritise privacy including good borders, space between houses and plotting considerations. Buyers do not want to feel ‘crammed in’ or ‘overlooked’.

Prioritise quality finishes, fixtures and fittings. This doesn’t have to mean premium – buyers simply want features that are not cheap and will last.

Counter common perceptions of new builds

In both design and communications, as well as clearly meeting 'dealbreaking' functional needs including space and privacy, include a focus on quality and character – countering the perceptions that new builds lack soul, community and identity.

Deliver basics well, not gimmicks

Novel features such as integrated smart technology were not strongly desired and for some a turn-off

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Deliver the ‘must haves’, promote the ‘nice to haves’ where you can, and avoid any ‘dealbreakers’ Must haves • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Large, open kitchen (with diner) Double bedrooms Downstairs toilet Upstairs bathroom with a window Built in storage Natural light Strong property borders for privacy and space between houses Garden with entertaining space Off-street parking – ideally a double driveway Garage EPC rating of A / B Wide roads, wide pavements and streetlights

Nice to haves • • • • •

Separate shower and bath Separate utility room Good provision of visitor parking spaces Sustainability features including solar panels, underfloor heating, EV charging Options for fixtures and fittings to bring in individual preference and style

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Dealbreakers • • • • • •

Front door opening onto living room Small kitchen Small living room No allocated off-street parking Lack of good broadband and/or fibre internet All buildings looking the same

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Appendix

Detailed research question list TOPIC Green spaces Green spaces Play areas Street environment Pedestrian areas/cycle paths Parking facilities Parking facilities Elevations Elevations

Elevations Gardens Garages Neighbours Living boundaries Open plan Room preference Separate living room Dining Bedrooms Bathooms Utility room/laundry Storage

WHAT DO WE WANT TO KNOW? Do you place an additional value on living next to green spaces?

Should there be one big green space or several small spaces?

What type of play areas? Size, scope, materials?

How important to you is the type of street that your house is plotted on? Should the street have landscaping, visitor parking, street trees, boundary walls, front gates?

Are set walking routes and cycle paths important?

How many car parking spaces are expected?

Would you expect an EV point to be included within the purchase of the property?

Do you prefer modern or traditional style homes?

How important are external design features? Would you pay more for additional design features (show various photo stimuli showing different elevational treatments) Do you place more value on the external apperance of your property or the internal arrangement of spaces? We're trying to understand whether to spend more money on external spec features or internal spec features e.g. porch canopy, eaves detail, brickwork detail etc or higher spec architraving, bannister, ironmongary. Will need to show visual aids here How important is size/landscaping in the front and rear garden. How much soft and hard landscaping is expected and would they be willing to pay extra for?

Would they be interested in an optional extra garden design service/package How important are garages? What are they used for? Would you convert it to a work from home space? Would you pay extra at point of purchase for a garden office?

Do you want to be close to them? Far from them? Should garden's offer privacy or should they be more open and neighbourly?

Would you prefer a hedge between gardens or a solid fence? Living fences/walls? We have photos of ivy fences, hedges, living walls etc How important are ecological features?

How important is open plan living? What kind of open plan?

What is the most important room in the house? Why? Is this required?

How are people eating? Around a kitchen island/breakfast bar? In front of the TV? Kitchen table? Or in a separate dining room?

How important is the master, how big should it be. Would you compromise one of the other bedroom sizes for the master to be bigger. Or do all the other rooms need to be the same size?

Importance of having a bath? Should this be an upgrade or is it expected as standard? How many bathrooms/ensuites is enough? Jack and Jill doors?

How important is having a seperate utlility room? How do you want /prefer to do laundry?

How much storage? What's important?

Detailed research question list (cont.)

TOPIC Kitchen Three storey living Porches Tiling Jack and jill bathrooms Snugs/office Bathroom appliances

Kitchen appliances Security Connectivity Media and tech Internal doors Fixtures and fittings EPC Ratings

Green energy Sustainability Sustainability Skylights and glazing Ecology

WHAT DO WE WANT TO KNOW? How important is the layout? Where should things be located e.g. sink. Where should it be located in the house, front or back? Should it open onto the garden? Would you prefer your living room or your kitchen to open onto the garden?

Is this desirable? How do people use it?

Are these important? Why? How much tiling is expected as standard?

Do these appeal? Why What would you use a spare room for? What should we label it? Should it be upstairs or downstairs What's the most important thing in a bathroom? The shower? Bath? Taps? Storage?

What specification is absolutely mandatory / game changing. E.g. Fridge Freezer. What spec oven and hob is expected as standard. Traditional extractor vursus integrated - in-hob extractor etc CCTV, Ring Alarms v Standard alarm systems etc What's important?

What is expected as standard How important is other smart technology e.g.Digital showers, ring doorbells, smart energy meters, Nest etc Would you pay extra or expect it as standard?

How important are internal doors? Solid wood? Or painted engineed/laminate is OK? How important general other features e.g. door handles, skirting architraving Have you heard of it? What does it mean? How important is it to you? Is it something you look at when searching for property?

How important are green energy solutions e.g. solar panels, air source heat pumps. Would you expect them as standard or as upgrades etc Would you pay extra on the property if you knew it would more on your energy bills in the long term? Is there still a stigma against solar panels? Do they change the aesthetics How important is it that sustainable building materials have been used in the home? We want to know if social conscience is a factor when purchasing a property How important are other sustainable products in the home e.g. recycling bins, water buts How important is glazing? What about skylights? Do they make a difference?

Features like bat boxes/bees etc. Would you remove or leave? Positive feature?

Thank you Research team: Hilary Burkitt, Research Director Hollie Jones, Senior Research Manager Louis Horsley, Senior Research Manager Will Douch, Research Executive