Huge increase in movers setting their sights on Hertfordshire  

Hertfordshire is one of the most sought after areas of the UK among movers, with a 61 per cent annual increase in searches.  

Google Search saw the biggest increase in interest in 'houses for sale in Buckinghamshire' (73 per cent), followed by Berkshire (72 per cent), West Yorkshire (69 per cent) and Herts.  

Lockdown has also made movers increasingly keen on hot tubs and tennis courts, according to property buyers Good Move.  

They scoured Google data to reveal which criteria had seen the biggest increase in interest compared to 2019, and apartments with balconies came out on top with a 147 per cent spike. 

This was followed by apartments with hot tubs (139 per cent), houses with tennis courts (127 per cent) and houses with swimming pools (109 per cent).  

The more mundane likes of driveways (106 per cent), conservatories (101 per cent) and double garages (77 per cent) were further down the list.  

Good Move say the increased popularity of balconies is due to buyers’ increasing need for outside space due to the pandemic, while enforced time at home may explain the added interest in on site amenities such as tennis courts and hot tubs.  

Good Move director Nima Ghasri said: “This year has positively impacted the UK housing market and completely transformed the way buyers and sellers look at properties.  

“It’s interesting to see that [potential buyers] have been searching for more luxurious features such as swimming pools and tennis courts, no doubt due to the increase of time spent at home, and leisure facilities closing due to the pandemic.  

“It’s also fascinating to see the areas where people are searching for properties the most, with the South East and northern England the two hotspots.”