The strange reasons people sell their homes – including ghosts and mysterious leaks

Selling a home is a big decision, so the reason for doing so is often very understandable. However, some who have shared their reason for moving home may raise an eyebrow.

While typical reasons include selling up for a bigger home or getting a bit closer to friends and family, others can seem a bit more strange. Less common reasons for moving that have been reported include a fear of ghosts haunting a property and wanting to live a bit closer to a pub.

This is according to online estate agent Strike, which commissioned research into the top 40 reasons that Brits want to sell their homes. They looked at a poll of 2,000 adults looking to sell up in the next six months, reports WalesOnline.

Sam Mitchell, the CEO of Strike, said: “People move for all sorts of reasons. Some are more pressing than others – not getting on with your neighbours can be a real emotional drain, particularly if you’re spending much more time at home currently.

“But some of the other reasons that turned up in our survey were definitely a bit more frivolous. Our results found there’s a level of uncertainty around moving to a new house at the moment – people aren’t sure if prices are going to go down or up for example.

“However, with so many reasons pushing us to move home, and exaggerated by the extra time we’ve spent at home recently, clearly this uncertainty isn’t enough to deter people from selling.”

The study also found that since lockdown measures were introduced, half of prospective movers say their priorities for a home have changed. Four in 10 now want a bigger garden or outdoor space, while three in 10 want to be closer to their friends and family.

With working from home now the new normal, a quarter say not having a home office has become a deal breaker and three in 10 are now looking to move further away to get more for their money. And more than 36 per cent expect house prices in their area to go up as millions across the nation look to buy and demand dials up.

Just a quarter think there is a chance their property value could go down, but 62 per cent do believe buying or selling could be more stressful now due to the pandemic.

40 REASONS BRITS WANT TO SELL THEIR HOMES

1. To have a bigger home
2. Wanting a garden/bigger garden
3. For a change of scene
4. To have a bigger kitchen
5. To have a bigger living room
6. To be closer to friends and family
7. To move into the countryside
8. For more storage space
9. Don’t like the neighbours
10. To have more parking space
11. To be closer to green spaces
12. Generally bored of the area
13. Having a family or more children
14. To have an en-suite, a second bathroom or downstairs toilet
15. To have a south-facing garden
16. For a better commute to work
17. Don’t want to be stuck in a ‘ropey’ neighbourhood
18. The garden doesn’t get enough sunshine throughout the day
19. Moving for schools
20. To be closer to the city
21. Not enough natural light
22. Too far from shop/local amenities
23. Moving in with a partner
24. No longer want to be tied to a mortgage
25. Completed renovating the property
26. An increase in local crime
27. Accessibility issues – needing ramps, too many stairs etc.
28. Got a new job somewhere else
29. To be closer to nice cycle routes
30. Wanting to go travelling
31. For better Wi-Fi
32. Wanting space for a bigger TV
33. Too far from the nearest school
34. Too far away from a pub
35. Children don’t like the current property
36. Putting the bins out is annoying/difficult such as having to go through the house
37. There is glare on the TV screen
38. Cat/dog doesn’t seem to like the current property
39. A mysterious leak we can’t be bothered to fix
40. Think it might be haunted

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