Men vs women in homebuyer must-haves

BUYING your first home certainly stirs up the emotions. We know that because YOU tell us as much and the climax is that special day when we hand over the keys to a new Bromford house or apartment.

It's described by many of you as a "dream come true" − the start of an exciting new chapter in your lives as you settle into an affordable shared ownership home that you can truly call your own.

This heady stir of emotions is confirmed by the findings of a new survey that also highlights some of the differences between men and women when it comes to homehunting.

Opinions are strong when it comes to this life-changing decision and two-thirds of couples surveyed by www.purplebricks.com admit that their differences when looking for a new home can lead to tension − even arguments.

Top of the list for women is the number of bedrooms (53% of those questioned) with good local schools rating as the next most important factor (35%). Men, on the other hand, say being close to local rail and motorway links is the most important factor when buying a home.

The findings come as no surprise for Bromford Homes Head of Sales Alan Bradley. "Buying a home − especially your first home − is an exciting, slightly scary and occasionally frustrating process and we find that moving-in day is often a time for laughter and even a few tears," says shared ownership expert Alan.

"For many of our buyers, it's almost like falling in love again − falling in love with the look and feel of a property or the layout, features and fittings in, say, a stylish new kitchen − the room that many people feel is the heart of a home.

"On a more practical level, of course, it's about a number of different factors with affordability somewhere near the top of the list for most people. Other key factors are certainly the number of bedrooms you need, finding a home that's near to a school you're happy with or being fairly near to a railway station or motorway junction so that you have a do-able journey to work and back.

"It's interesting that these survey findings highlights different priorities for men and women in a relationship. Of course, at the end of the day, it's a joint decision for any couple, any differences can be talked through and it's important to make sure that you've ticked all the important boxes on your must-haves list before you go ahead with a decision to buy."

Alan encourages would-be homebuyers to tap into the expertise of Bromford's specialist shared ownership sales team and to make full use of all our website sections such as the local area information, which includes basic facts about local schools, as well as carry out their own research.

To find out more about shared ownership and developments near YOU, call 0845 60 10 878 or register your interest online. You can also keep in touch by following on Twitter or Facebook.