What kind of home do people really want?

If you’re in a four-bedroom, detached Victorian house with a big garden and walk-in wardrobes in a village in the South West of England, then you’re living the dream according to new research by Primelocation.com.

Primelocation.com talked to 3,500 homeowners in Britain, asking them what kind of property they would buy if money was no object. The majority chose a Victorian or Edwardian detached house set in a rural village in South West England with a large garden, multi car garage and lots of closet space.

Only 14 per cent of those surveyed would choose to live in London, while 25 per cent would prefer a rural village and 17 per cent would like to live on the rural coast.

Around 30 per cent chose the South West in terms of general location, and 25 per cent would go for the South East. The North East was the least-preferred location at 1.3 per cent.

Lawrence Hall said: “Typical British reserve and understatement shines through in selecting of their ideal property. Forget sprawling mansions or flash penthouses, the quintessential English country house with enough room for a family is what the majority of Brits view as their dream home. London is home to some of the most expensive prime properties in the world. High-spec townhouses, mansions and apartments attract some of the wealthiest buyers from across the globe. But the bright lights of city-life appear less attractive for the majority of Brits who see their ideal home in a rural idyll 200 miles away.”

Other results included:

* Thirty-nine per cent of Brits would chose a detached property and 23 per cent would prefer a country house as their ideal choice
* Two thirds view a large garden as essential
* Forty-nine per cent would want a multi car garage and 47 per cent say a walk-in wardrobe is a key feature

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• http://profiles.google.com/ruraynor Ruth Raynor

  If all the people who genuinely don’t want to live in London would just move away it would make the city so much lovelier for all of us who actually enjoy living here. Less competition for housing too.

• VicTheBrit

  Unfortunately the tendency to regard buying a house as an money-maker by those fortunate enough to get huge loans during the banking madness and not as a secure base in which to raise a family has put this dream beyond most people.