A fascinating piece of research has come our way which will have you oohing and ahhing in recognition if you're yet to swap city for country – and have you mentally totting up how many boxes you tick if you have already made the move.
The source is a survey of 2,000 people carried out on behalf of Origin, who asked participants what they considered the must-haves in their ideal 'forever home'.
Some of the answers were the sort of thing you'd expect – lots of natural light, four bedrooms, detached, and in a pretty country location with picturesque views.
But other things were a little more surprising – though none the less desirable for all that. Having four friendly neighbours with whom you're on first name terms, for example, was on the list; so too was a garden of 1,000 sq ft, a fairly small plot but we'd suppose that manageability is as important as space to many buyers.
The perfect distance from work averaged out at 10.5 miles. That sounds about right to us: close enough to be an easy commute without being so close that you feel its presence even when safely back home.
There was also a dream price point: £458,000. Good luck finding all the things below at that price tag – although even if you have to pay more, you'll have time to save. People believed that they'd be 53 before they finally found their perfect place.
Ben Brocklesby, Director at Origin, said: “We wanted to find out more about the concept of the forever home and whether it still existed... Interestingly, more than three quarters of people still believe in the concept.” Given that Ben's company sells bi-folding doors and other similar home upgrades, he was also delighted to point out that quite a number of the factors mentions are things "which can be incorporated into any home, without the need to move."
The dream 'forever home'...
- Is worth £458,000.
- Is 10.5 miles from work and has transport links.
- Has four friendly neighbours - who we are on first name terms with.
- Is filled with natural light – something 99% of respondents insisted upon.
Inside that perfect home are these rooms...
- Playroom x1
- Reception rooms x 2, one of which will have bi-folding doors out onto the garden
- En-suites x 2
- Bathrooms x 2, preferably with power shower
- Bedrooms x 4
- A large kitchen/breakfast room with separate utility room
Outside the house you'll want...
- Front AND back gardens
- Driveway and double garage for off-street parking
- Patio
- Flowerbeds
- Summer house and/or a conservatory
- Somewhere to hang the washing out
- Gates at the front
- Veg patch
- Open fields
- Garden of 1,000sqft
- View of the sea, mountains, rolling hills or a field of cows
And as for location? This is how far away you'll want to be from local amenities:
- Post office - 1 mile away
- Doctors - 1 mile away
- Newsagent / off licence/ corner shop - 1 mile away
- Pub – 1.5 miles away
- Chemist 1.5 miles away
- School - 2 miles away
- Dentist - 2 miles away
- Restaurant - 2 miles away
- Supermarket - 2 miles away
- Petrol station - 2 miles away
- Park - 2 miles away
- Playground - 2 miles away
- Farm shop - 2 miles away
- Library – 2.5 miles away
- Vet – 2.5 miles away
- Leisure centre - 3 miles away
- Clothes shop - 3 miles away
- Cinema - 3 miles away
The best country pubs in England
Are any of our favourite pubs local to you?
From Drunken Ducks to Unruly Pigs: British pubs with quirky animal names
The British love animals, and we love pubs. What could be better than a combination of the two?
50 things Britain gave the world, from apologies to zoos
Throughout the centuries, Britain has led the world in all that is civilised, from culture to condiments and fast horses
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country LifeAn Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
-
The legacy od Dad's ArmyKate Green takes a look at Dad’s Army, the iconic BBC sitcom written by David Croft and Jimmy Perry.
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country Life
An Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mouldA new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham EstateWith 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back homeAt first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificenceWomersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigreeThe Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central LondonFelmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
