More than two-fifths (44%) of people would not want to buy a home if it was next to an empty property, a survey indicates. The research, commissioned by Purplebricks and carried out by Walr in August, surveyed 2,000 people across the UK.
Neighbourhood impact
A third (34%) of people would reject a house if an empty property was on the same street, while more than a quarter (27%) said they would be put off by an overgrown garden next to a property. Around a fifth (22%) of people believed an empty property could potentially impact their own house price.
Many factors go into the value of a property, including the location, local demand and proximity to amenities, and so individual circumstances will vary.
Government intervention
A Purplebricks spokesperson said: “An abandoned home has a huge impact on a neighbourhood – both for those already living there, and those considering living there.”
Changes unveiled by the Government will enable councils to intervene earlier to prevent properties from falling into serious disrepair by accelerating their return to use. The aim is to help bring 300,000 empty homes across England back into use, reducing the period of time a house must be empty before it can be taken over from two years to six months.
