Data has revealed the top 10 reasons people want to move house in the North East.

A quarter of people in the North East want to move because they are looking for a bigger home, according to a UK-wide poll of 2,000 people by online estate agent, Strike.

People seem to want a bigger home after spending a lot more time inside due to the lockdown over the past few months.

Around one in four (23 per cent) said they wanted to move to be closer to friends and family, and a similar amount (22 per cent) said they are looking to move because they don’t like their neighbours.

Bigger kitchens, living rooms and gardens also proved to be popular reasons as to why people wanted to move home, with 18 per cent of people in the North East wanting a change in scenery.

The study also found, since lockdown measures were introduced, half of prospective movers in the North East say their priorities for a home have changed.

Here’s a full list of the top 10 reasons why people in the North East want to sell their homes:

  • Want a bigger home
  • Want to move closer to friends and family
  • Don’t like their neighbours
  • Want a bigger kitchen
  • Want a bigger living room
  • Want a garden/bigger garden
  • Want a change of scene
  • Want a south-facing garden
  • Moving for schools
  • Want more storage space

Sam Mitchell, Strike’s CEO, said: “Property demand in the UK is back and interest from buyers has returned to pre-coronavirus levels far quicker than expected. We’re currently seeing at least a 25 per cent increase in demand from buyers now versus before lockdown began.

“Meanwhile, the backlog of sellers who need to move has never been greater. Brexit uncertainty stunted plans for many long before Covid-19 and now patience is wearing thin.

“This has only been exaggerated by the fact we’ve all been locked inside our homes and our priorities for what we want in a home have changed.

“Our job is to guide buyers and sellers and ensure their move is as efficient as possible now that they can finally proceed. Virtual tools and tech services have become commonplace and it’s about time our industry embraced that to deliver a better and quicker service for those looking to move.”

Research from Strike shows that 62 per cent of home sellers would be willing to decrease their asking price as a result of the pandemic in order to sell their home, though just 45 per cent say they have had buyers ask for a reduction in sale price in recent weeks.