Moving house like a bereavement for many home-owners

More than two-fifths of home owners have experienced feelings often associated with bereavement after moving to a new property, a survey has found.

Some 43% of those surveyed across the UK said they had experienced a sense of sadness, grief or loss after moving house, while 83% said they felt emotionally attached to their home.

Asked what they valued most about their current home, a third (34%) said the memories, closely followed by the location (21.5%) and the garden (13%).

The physical features of the property were ranked much lower, with only 3.6% saying the decor or unique features of their home, according to the research from conveyancing services provider My Home Move.

Around one in 20 (5%) valued their home's proximity to the countryside the most, while 3% said their neighbours and 1.7% said proximity to work.

The research among 1,000 home owners found people in Scotland were the most likely to feel a sense of nervousness or dread at the thought of putting their home up for sale, while those who were most excited lived in Wales.

Recent housing market reports have suggested a reluctance by home owners to put their property up for sale, with experts suggesting people have been adopting a "wait and see" approach over the General Election and Brexit.

A separate survey of estate agents from My Home Move found three-quarters felt there is not enough housing stock available and 80% agreed there is a lack of family homes being freed up as a result of sellers downsizing.

Doug Crawford, chief executive of My Home Move, said properties "represent much more than bricks and mortar, they are the places where memories are made and as such hold enormous emotional value".