Teasmades among retro items most wanted by aspiring first-time buyers, says poll

Teasmades, cassette players and fax machines are among the top retro items that aspiring first-time buyers would most like to see make a comeback, a survey has found.

But when it comes to technology which people hoping to buy their first property soon would most like to have in their new home, tastes are firmly in the digital age.

Superfast broadband, eco-friendly touches, and apps that control lights and heating are high on wish-lists.

The survey, from conveyancing service My Home Move, found that despite nostalgia towards technology that took pride of place in homes in the 20th century, 70% of those surveyed said they would not get by now without their smartphone.

More than half (57%) said superfast broadband was a must-have for their new home when asked about their technology of choice - making this the most popular answer.

One in six (15%) would like to have inbuilt solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system, and 8% want to be able to control their heating and lighting on and off through an app on their smartphone.

Voice recognition systems such as the Amazon Echo were also a popular choice, as were robotic vacuum cleaners and glass that will turn opaque at the touch of a button to help with privacy.

When asked about the technology they wish would make a comeback, a third (33%) opted for a stereo system, with the ability to play mini discs, cassettes and vinyl records.

One in five (20%) would like to see the return of video tape players, while 16% would like the convenience of a teasmade waking them up with a brew at their bedside.

One in 10 (10%) miss fax machines printing off communications on reams of paper, while 7% feel a sense of nostalgia over the bleep of a pager.

Alongside technology, many aspiring buyers also yearn for some outdoor space, with nearly nine in 10 (89%) saying they wanted their new home to have a garden.

Doug Crawford, chief executive officer of My Home Move, said: "It would seem that regardless of how much we have come to rely on our smartphones, simple things in life still matter.

"Our survey revealed that nearly all aspiring first-time buyers want their first home to have a garden, and when asked which piece of technology they wish would make a comeback, it was the entertainment devices of their youth, alongside the teasmade, fax machine and trouser press, which topped the list."

Some 1,000 people who are renting or living in the home they grew up in and plan to buy their own home in the next five years took part in the survey.

Here are the items of technology people would most like to see have a comeback, followed by the percentages of people who opted for them, according to the survey by My Home Move:

1. Stereo system - includes mini disc player/cassette player/record player, 33%

2. Video cassette player, 20%

3. Teasmade, 16%

4. Fax machine, 10%

5. Trouser press, 8%

6. Pager, 7%

And here are the must-have items of technology people would like to have in their new home, with the percentage of people who opted for them, according to My Home Move:

1. Superfast broadband, 57%

2. Inbuilt solar panels, ground source heat pump and rain water harvesting system, 15%

3. App-controlled appliances allowing home owners to turn lights and heating on and off via their smartphone, 8%

4. A standalone voice recognition system that answers questions and plays music (for example an Amazon Echo), 6%

5. Home cinema and media room, 6%

6. A robotic vacuum cleaner, 5%

7. Glass that turns opaque, offering privacy at the touch of a button, 2%