SCHOOLS? HOSPITALS? BROADBAND? NO – YOUNG PROPERTY BUYERS LOOK FOR A DECENT MOBILE SIGNAL FIRST

National property prices are up 10% in the last year, and people dipping back into the market have a whole new set of property-buying priorities. According to a recent survey of more than 2,000 UK residents, commissioned by mobile analytics firm RootMetrics, having reliable mobile phone service at a new property is the #1 consideration – with a median score of 7.5 on a scale of one to 10 (one being the lowest considering, 10 the highest). This is followed by council tax band (6.8) and hospitals (6.4). Schools ranked the lowest on average, with a median score of 4.6.

18-35 year old property hunters have a new list of priorities in the latest housing boom 

 

• Nearly half (45%) of 18-35 year-olds rank mobile as the most important consideration when buying a new property, followed by crime (21%), transport links (18%) and schools (17%)

 

• 69% of all home buyers or renters – and 77% of younger buyers – would consider changing their mobile provider if performance were poor at a new property

 

• Signal strength is by far the biggest issue people have with their mobiles in the home (87%)

 

• RootMetrics offers a free app to test phone signal and mobile internet service along with free maps and reports for house-hunters

 

 

National property prices are up 10% in the last year, and people dipping back into the market have a whole new set of property-buying priorities. According to a recent survey of more than 2,000 UK residents, commissioned by mobile analytics firm RootMetrics, having reliable mobile phone service at a new property is the #1 consideration – with a median score of 7.5 on a scale of one to 10 (one being the lowest considering, 10 the highest). This is followed by council tax band (6.8) and hospitals (6.4). Schools ranked the lowest on average, with a median score of 4.6.

With the advent of the iPhone coinciding with the property slump in 2008, a new smartphone generation has sprung up, leading to a shift in priorities when selecting a home in today’s property boom. Forty-five per cent of 18-35 year-olds say having a good signal at home is now the most important factor when choosing a property, almost twice the rate of people 55 and over (26%).

But the impact of smartphones isn’t limited to the younger end of the market: On average, nearly half of those surveyed (49%) would reconsider buying or renting a home if they knew mobile coverage there was poor. One reason is that over half the respondents (51%) are currently experiencing recurring problems with their mobile phone performance at home. This is leading house-hunters to scrutinise phone performance more closely before buying a new property.

This new generation of mobile-tethered property hunters is looking for one thing more than anything else: reliability in the performance of their network at home – with 87% of people saying undependable service at home is their biggest pet peeve. In fact, 40% of those surveyed confessed they have considered switching mobile providers due to poor performance in their current home.

Bill Moore, CEO and President of RootMetrics, comments: “Our mobile phones have become an essential part of our everyday lives and, when they don’t work, we notice. Our unbiased testing shows consumers how mobile networks perform in real-world situations, and we have a number of resources that can help you make better mobile decisions. You can use our CoverageMap app to test your network’s call performance in real time. In addition, our RootScore Reports – the standard for mobile performance measurement – are available online, and show a network’s reliability, speed, and overall performance.”

David Cox, Managing Director, Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), comments: “When searching for a property, whether it is to buy or rent, house hunters often have a check list of important factors, such as location, number of bedrooms, size of rooms and outdoor space. With the stress and excitement that comes with looking for a new home, many important factors can be left off the check list. Often it can be these forgotten issues which can really deter your enjoyment in the property – such as noise levels, access to parking, and mobile phone signal.

“With so many people reliant on their smart phone devices for work, social media and keeping in contact with friends and family, it is no surprise it is the top factor in young people’s wish list. Checking your mobile signal should become a routine action in every property you view, as a lack of phone signal could cause you a lot of hassle in the long run once you are living there.”