Brits spend about four hours a week dreaming about their perfect holiday home, whether it be a stone’s throw from the sea or a quiet cottage in the countryside.
Everyone has a different vision of their perfect house, whether it be a place to stay long term or a holiday home to escape the stress of the nine-to-five.
Increasingly the thought of getting the keys to that dream home is distracting more and more people at work, with a third saying it interferes with their jobs.
Nearly 50 per cent also said they cannot help but have a peek in estate agent’s windows whenever visiting somewhere new.
The most important factor on the wish list was having a sea view, with 63 per cent of people asked saying they dream of looking out and seeing the waves from their window.
In this age of social media and Artificial Intelligence, it should come of no surprise that ‘good Wi-Fi’ was named as the second most important thing for people considering their dream home.
For those who cannot see the sea, being near to it seems to suffice, as 46 per cent of people said they would want to be a short stroll away from the beach.
No one wants nightmare neighbours, and 44 per cent wished for a friendly village nearby their ideal abode.
Four in 10 people said they would like a swimming pool, while 38 per cent said they wouldn’t even consider buying a holiday home without air conditioning.
Despite the allure of a holiday home overseas, it was a country cottage in the UK which was the favoured choice for most Brits, with 53 per cent saying it was their dream home.
The next most popular destinations were all places in the sun, including Spain (22 per cent), Italy (15 per cent), Greece (14 per cent) or the USA (13 per cent).
Despite the dream, 27 per cent don’t think they’ll ever be able to own a home in the UK or abroad.
The future of holiday home ownership report, commissioned by property co-ownership platform, MYNE, looked into the barriers of buying a dream place in the sun.
Unsurprisingly, cost (41 per cent) is the main factor, along with taxes and fees (38 per cent) especially with the threat of 100 per cent property taxes in Spain, maintenance costs (33 per cent) and dealing with local bureaucracy (28 per cent).
Among some of the other factors on the wishlist for the hypothetical home buyers were having a Smart TV (35 per cent), a home cinema (23 per cent) and an outdoor kitchen (16 per cent).
Amazingly, Brits’ hatred of wasps may also influence their decision on a home abroad, with 24 per cent saying they would need a home without the pesky pollinators or mosquitos.
Meanwhile, not looking to learn the lingo, 16 per cent said having British neighbours was a must have when getting a second home abroad.
Nikolaus Thomale, property expert and Founder of MYNE, said: ‘Over the last few years owning a property abroad has become more complex. Especially for British people post-Brexit.
‘However, the world has changed significantly in the last few years with more people craving flexibility in the way they work and live, looking for more sustainable options, and being smarter with their money.
‘So, whilst British people still crave the benefits of a holiday home, the traditional holiday home model doesn’t suit the majority anymore.’
‘In business, the concept of a “shared economy” is nothing new, but its potential in the holiday home space remains largely untapped.
‘Much like shared ownership in the UK, this is an investment into a property, but you share that investment with other people who are also looking for a dream holiday home.
‘Purchasing a portion of a MYNE property can start from as little as £99,000 and ranges depending on the location and features of the property.
‘Say you use this for the average period of six to eight weeks a year, the average customer could save at least £10,000 a year in comparison to renting similar properties of this premium calibre.
‘We’re often asked how we make this work for multiple owners.
‘To put it simply, we thoughtfully select suitable co-owners – including retirees, affluent couples, and families – whose lifestyles present as little disruption to each other as possible, so everyone gets to enjoy the property for at least six weeks.’
