With the New Year comes an increase in Google searches for new build homes. In fact, you can go back to the days immediately after Christmas, leading to the New Year, to see more and more people searching for new homes on Google. In this article, we share the trends and discuss why and what prompts people to search for new homes at this time of year.
Searches for new build homes
We used Google Trends to analyse how popular the search term ‘new build homes’ has been over the last 30 days. Peak popularity for this search term was reached on Boxing Day 26th December, the 28th of December, 1st January and again on the 5th January. The search term reached significant popularity (on or above the 75% mark) on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th January.
There’s a clear increase in the use of this search term towards the end of December and start of January. Meanwhile the figures for the same search term averaged well below 75% both at the start of and during mid-December.
Searches for new homes
We also analysed the data for the search term ‘new homes’ as it tends to be a more popular choice of words, although searchers are still specifically looking for new build homes.
This search term reinforces further the popularity of new homes searches in the days after Christmas and into the New Year. More specifically, this search term hit a peak through the consecutive days of 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th December. And it has retained significant interest (around 75%) on the 26th and 31st December, as well as the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th of January.
What causes this spike in new home searches?
There are a number of factors as to why more new home searches are done at this time of year. Firstly, over the Christmas period, most of us spend more time in our homes. This gives us more opportunity to realise some of the negatives of the property or the area we live in. From the drips, the cracks, the lack of internal space or car parking, to how difficult it is to keep warm.
And with most people having more time off work over the festive period, there’s more downtime for personal web browsing. So, as well as looking for bargains in the online sales or taking a look at summer holiday options, people are also using their free time to search for new homes.
The chaos that is Christmas
Christmas is a time for spending with friends and family, but doing just this can make people think twice about the property they are living in. For those who had people come to stay over Christmas, be it just for a meal, or overnight, the struggle for space might have been an issue. New build homes are much more modern in their design, putting spaces like open plan kitchen/diner living spaces at the heart of the home. This is ideal for entertaining and for when extra guests come to visit.
Or for those who have children, there might have been a struggle to find room in their current property for all the new bulky toys and gifts received. People might be keen to find a new property that offers more storage options, or with bedrooms rooms that come with built-in wardrobes, as many new build homes do.
The stress of the issues
There were new challenges for homeowners over this Christmas and New Year. While freezing cold temperatures weren’t a problem, storms and an incredible amount of rain were. This poses just as many problems for anyone living in an older property. From damage to older roof tiles, leaking gutters, even localised flooding. With the milder temperatures, there wasn’t too much pressure for heating the home. However, homeowners are always aware that a cold snap will be inevitable in the first few months of the year, and this can be very costly for households already struggling with their bills.
Why new build homes are a much more attractive proposition is not only that they are brand new, so fewer leaks and slipping roof tiles. They are also better insulated, and cheaper to keep warm when the temperatures do plummet.
Households might well be looking to balance the cost between renovations and repairs versus selling up and swapping for a new build home, at this time of year. Hence more people got researching new build homes online!
Time for a fresh start
In the same way people make resolutions, or aim to make some kind of lifestyle change, this is the time of the year where we might also reflect on the area or property that we live in. Is it too small? Is it proving to be too expensive to run? Is community spirit lacking in the area? Are there better options out there?
Or perhaps younger, first-time buyers are now ready with their deposits saved up to make the move to buy.
It’s no wonder people take to browsing the internet for new build homes at this time of year. With more free time, Christmas over with, and a new year on the horizon, it’s the right time for a new start and perhaps a dream brand new home.
Is 2024 the year you look to buy a new build home? If it is, then you should use our comprehensive search tool to find the right home, in the right area for you. We list new build homes for sale from a range of housebuilders, large and small, all across the country. Start your search here.
Or maybe you are a housebuilder with properties to sell and want to make sure they are being seen by serious buyers. By listing your homes with us on our portal, we can help you reach a wider audience and gain qualitative interest in your properties. Contact us to discuss the next steps.
