With so much to see and do and some of the best jobs in the country, you might think that no one ever moves out of London, and in a lot of cases this is true. In fact, around 57% of Londoners choose to stay in the city when they buy a new home. But that leaves a pretty significant 43% who do run for the hills, or Essex at least. Chelmsford, Essex and Tonbridge in Kent are some of the most popular spots.

But what’s forcing Londoners to move home at all?

Research from Mega Removals found that issues like parking, arguments with neighbours and a desire to downsize or find cheaper properties are common factors. Noise, pets and children are also a big problem for a lot of people.

What people want to see from their window

Surveys have found that the most popular view is the beach, followed by coastal landscape, and small village views. People are less keen to view other people’s houses, car parks, or industrial sites. City life did come seventh on the list, so busyness is a draw for some people, but it seems that the majority are keen to get as much isolation as possible.

How to sell your home if you do decide to move

According to surveys if you want to sell your home, you’ve got the best chance if you have central heating, and double gazing installed already. This was top of the list for 72% of potential homebuyers. Other things people want include a garden, off-road parking, and good security. Perhaps oddly, few people were concerned about the quality of schools nearby, and size of property was only moderately important with 12% looking for a property for three rooms or more.

Moving home on the cheap

According to a survey from Mega Removals, moving costs are one of the main concerns for homebuyers. And over half of people have had to borrow money from their bank or family and friends when moving home. Issues like unexpected fees or not budgeting enough for removals were common challenges. Many people asked also said that they struggled to find accurate information about potential moving costs so could not budget properly. Hiring professional removals was also quoted as the top thing people would do differently in their next move.

Home improvements

Boilers seem to be the biggest gripe for people in the home. In fact, a broken boiler was reported by many to be the most stressful home repair issue they had faced according to British Gas. At least half of the people asked said they’d lost hot water or heating for at least a day in the past year, and one in five had to take time off work to wait for a boiler repair to happen.

Other top home repairs include plastering, bathroom renovations, and garden upgrades. Bigger projects include extensions and loft conversions, but over 60% of people asked said they had got into debt in order to complete these jobs.

Who’s buying and who’s renting

Renting is now the most popular option for young people, with 73% of 18-35 year olds renting their home. Government research suggests that one in three millennials will never be able to afford to buy a home. This is made worse by the fact that the average cost of rent is now £744 a month (£1521 in central London) making it nearly impossible for many people to save up the 10-10% deposit needed to buy a home.