2020 has been a year like no other. It has changed the way people live, given us new priorities and aims.

The coronavirus pandemic has affected everything, the property market included. Agents are reporting a shift in desires, more outdoor space seems to be much more important now than it has been in the past.

More room overall has gained increase in popularity. This is due to increased numbers working from home, so they need more space to set up a home office or calm area to work from.

Location preferences are also different now. Historically easy access to work was a vital deciding characteristic on where you lived. Nowadays easy access to work isn’t so important due to increased numbers working from home. This trend is reflected in Rightmove’s review of the year which shows a surge in searches for rural and coastal areas.

The Somerset town of Bruton saw the biggest increase in buyers, up 72% year on year. Pitlochry in Scotland saw the second highest annual increase, raising by 50% compared to 2019.

For Britain, the places with the biggest increase in rental searches are Cambridge, Stockport, and Rye up 34%, 31% and 27% respectfully.