Over a third would also ditch the UK for their favourite foreign country
While the majority of UK homeowners believe they have already found their dream home, 85% of them would house swap in a heartbeat if it meant returning to their childhood home, latest research by lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves has revealed.
A survey commissioned by Benham and Reeves found that 57% believe they have climbed the property ladder to reach what they consider to be their dream home.
However, more than eight in 10 of those surveyed would still give up their current home to return to the house where they spent their childhood years.
The survey of over 1,000 UK homeowners also found that over a third, or 36%, would jump at the chance of a house swap if it meant ditching the UK for their favourite foreign country or holiday destination.
Interestingly, 28% stated that they would swap their current home for a house in the future, while just 15% would be willing to house swap in order to return to a previous period in history. A smaller proportion of homeowners, at 8%, would swap their current home to live in a house, or on the street, from their favourite TV show.
“Our childhood home tends to form our first bricks and mortar memories, and for most, these memories are fond ones of times spent with loved ones,” Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves, commented. “So despite the majority of UK homeowners believing they have found their dream home in the current market, it’s hardly surprising that a high percentage of them would give it up to return to their family home from yesteryear.
“It’s not unheard of for such an occurrence to actually happen, neither is a move abroad particularly out of the ordinary, but the desire to trade in a modern-day home and gamble on a home of the future is perhaps more bizarre.”
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