FROM COMPLICATION COMES CLARITY ! Ben Hudson looks at changing requirements in property but urges buyers to get back to basics and make things simple.

 Once upon a time, estate agents noted down a short and straightforward list of buyers’ requirements, such as the ideal number of bedrooms, central heating, large garden, garage and nearness to a good school.

Times have changed.

Requirements had already altered significantly in recent years.

But, post-Covid, the list of demands has become yet longer and even more complicated.

Let’s look at a typical new wish list:Zoom room for homeworkingHomecation facilities for lockdown pleasureIntergenerational living space for offspring or parentsGourmet kitchen for that newfound hobbyGarden oasis for a sun lounger without 50,000 other peopleHeating, lighting, entertainment and security smart technology for one-touch livingSmall city living – for more intimate, less stressful amenitiesHealth and wellness areas for, well, health and wellnessPet-friendly living for the new pet gained during lockdownBut all these new demands make finding an ideal home even more complicated.

So to help you, here is our list of essential post-Covid house hunting questions:Does it tug at the heartstrings?Is it in the right place?Does it face the right way?Is it structurally sound?Is it big enough?Are the doors and windows mainly in the right places?Is it affordable?Are there the funds to put in the Zoom room, intergenerational facilities, gourmet kitchen, garden oasis, smart technology, health and wellness area and space for pets?Answer yes to all of the above, and you’ve probably found yourself the ideal home – it’s that simple.

And when you think about it, a good estate agent helps to show that something fiendishly complicated can be realistically possible.

From complication comes clarity! Share on social media