Will you consider moving home due to the effects of Covid 19 (e.g. due to a change in work travel)?

[yorkie]

Following the poll for remote working preferences and with many media outlets stating people are likely to continue to work from home more than they did before, I am wondering if anyone is actually thinking of moving home as a result?

For example if you previously had to work 5 days in the office, you may choose to live somewhere less than (say) an hour away.

But if you are only required to work for perhaps 2 days a week in the office, you may choose somewhere double the distance, on the basis that you are still commuting for less time, you may even be able to spend the time on your commute more productively, and you may find better value property in a location further away.

If you only had to work two days a week, it wouldn't be unreasonable to live in York and work in London, but it would be madness to do that if you had to go in 5 days a week.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Cue a barrage of South Easterners moving to the likes of Stoke, York and Taunton

These are three places I can think of where the time to London is around 90-110 minutes on the fastest trains and no more than 2 hours on average. Other towns and cities exist

 

[Bantamzen]

We've been thinking about a move for a while, albeit only to be a bit closer to the centre of Baildon. Nothing to do with the virus, everything to do with hills!

 

[DelayRepay]

So I am originally from Yorkshire. I moved 'darn sarf' when I got a job ten years ago that absolutely had to be based in London. I then moved again when I got a job that absolutely had to be based in my current location. I made the decision to move because both times they were good jobs with attractive salaries.

I like working in the office, but, if we end up with a '2 days per week' set up, I will firstly question why I need to be there for 2 days but am not allowed to be there for five (downsizing the office is on the cards!). My ideal would be to move back to Yorkshire to be closer to family and friends. If the compromise was that I had to drive to the office a couple of times a month, I'd be fine with that. I'd probably even be happy to fund an overnight stay in a Travel Lodge if I had to (assuming Travel Lodge still exist of course!)

It is strange because we recruited someone just before this kicked off. One applicant was rejected because she didn't live in the right location (she works in another department at another of our UK sites). The person who got the job started just after lockdown, and has never set foot in our office apart from when they came to be interviewed in January.

 

[westv]

I'm already living 190 miles from work with rented lodgings Monday to Friday in London although haven't needed to use it since mid March.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Cue a barrage of South Easterners moving to the likes of Stoke, York and Taunton

These are three places I can think of where the time to London is around 90-110 minutes on the fastest trains and no more than 2 hours on average. Other towns and cities exist

I think Stoke is safe for now!

 

[VauxhallandI]

Another factor is cost of train over time.

Eg I could move out to Bishops Stortford and be in Liverpool St in the same time as Cheshunt however the cost of that season ticket is huge. However only travelling a couple of days a week changes the maths.

 

[DelayRepay]

Of course, if HS2 ever makes it to Yorkshire that could also provide options...

 

[adc82140]

Interesting question. In a related way, will people be moving because 12 weeks of lockdown has made them realise they hate their house/neighbours/lack of outdoor space/neighbourhood etc.

 

[Mag_seven]

Cue a barrage of South Easterners moving to the likes of Stoke, York and Taunton

These are three places I can think of where the time to London is around 90-110 minutes on the fastest trains and no more than 2 hours on average. Other towns and cities exist

We need to get out of this "everything important needs to be in London and the SE" mindset. If people who currently live and work in the SE want to move further north as a result of COVID 19 meaning they can work from home more often, then I'd rather see it as due to a relocation of their currently London/SE based jobs moving north rather than "well we can still work in London but can live in a town that's a fast train ride away".

 

[route101]

Interesting question. In a related way, will people be moving because 12 weeks of lockdown has made them realise they hate their house/neighbours/lack of outdoor space/neighbourhood etc.

I have noticed the lack of privacy , when the nieghbours are in the garden , they can see me in the kitchen!

 

[Peter Sarf]

NO. But only because I hope to continue working near enough to my current home. I ought to add that my current job will never be possible by working from home.

But I did originally move to Croydon to make commuting to London easier. So, if I still worked in central London, then I would be more inclined to move from Strood now if I had not then. But then again I would very likely chuck the job in and get a job a lot closer to what was home then. Have no idea if there are any jobs in Medway nowadays though.

Saying all of the above I would like to change jobs so I only have to walk to work - say 20 minutes. I would happily give up my currently unnecessarily stressful job for something a little less well paid. Only reason for not changing jobs currently is because I believe I currently have some job security.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Following the poll for remote working preferences and with many media outlets stating people are likely to continue to work from home more than they did before, I am wondering if anyone is actually thinking of moving home as a result?

For example if you previously had to work 5 days in the office, you may choose to live somewhere less than (say) an hour away.

But if you are only required to work for perhaps 2 days a week in the office, you may choose somewhere double the distance, on the basis that you are still commuting for less time, you may even be able to spend the time on your commute more productively, and you may find better value property in a location further away.

If you only had to work two days a week, it wouldn't be unreasonable to live in York and work in London, but it would be madness to do that if you had to go in 5 days a week.

About thirty years ago I started dreaming of being allowed to do the same hours at work BUT spread over fewer, longer days. That was to avoid the grind of commuting.

I'm already living 190 miles from work with rented lodgings Monday to Friday in London although haven't needed to use it since mid March.

When I travel to Cardiff by coach I encounter many such people. They are not in fantastically well paid jobs and live close together for four nights a week in London. They overnight coach to London on Monday morning and Friday evening coach back to Cardiff. I wonder how COVID-19 has affected their job, desire to live close together and/or commute up/down the M4 in a sweaty coach.

Interesting question. In a related way, will people be moving because 12 weeks of lockdown has made them realise they hate their house/neighbours/lack of outdoor space/neighbourhood etc.

I am fairly OK where I live. But then I have been going to work every day (unfortunately). Main reasons for moving would be pollution, proximity of job and retirement. But if I could work from home then I might move further away prematurely.

 

[yorksrob]

Not me. My location was and is ideal for an half hour commute into Leeds - but it's also ideally suited for trips further afield for other purposes.

 

[Domh245]

I'm moving, but only because my tenancy (and time, for now at least) in Nottingham is finishing!

 

[westv]

When I travel to Cardiff by coach I encounter many such people. They are not in fantastically well paid jobs and live close together for four nights a week in London. They overnight coach to London on Monday morning and Friday evening coach back to Cardiff. I wonder how COVID-19 has affected their job, desire to live close together and/or commute up/down the M4 in a sweaty coach.

Overnight coach? God no!

 

[VauxhallandI]

Interesting question. In a related way, will people be moving because 12 weeks of lockdown has made them realise they hate their house/neighbours/lack of outdoor space/neighbourhood etc.

Extenuated all of the above for us

 

[Peter Sarf]

Overnight coach? God no!

Well they must have been desperate. I remember in conversations where I said I preferred to live in Cardiff the reply was often - well don't expect to get a job in Cardiff .

 

[VauxhallandI]

We need to get out of this "everything important needs to be in London and the SE" mindset. If people who currently live and work in the SE want to move further north as a result of COVID 19 meaning they can work from home more often, then I'd rather see it as due to a relocation of their currently London/SE based jobs moving north rather than "well we can still work in London but can live in a town that's a fast train ride away".

I think for many the stage of moving to satellite offices has been skipped by this all in test. Many will jhave st move to the at home option with a toe hold in London.

 

[londiscape]

Interesting question. In a related way, will people be moving because 12 weeks of lockdown has made them realise they hate their house/neighbours/lack of outdoor space/neighbourhood etc.

Will be getting someplace else before the end of the year hopefully. Having a cramped shoebox in London is fine if one spends all day out, or away, and all you use it for is somewhere to sleep and store your stuff, but the last three months have led to the realisation that just isn't sustainable.

Time to get out of the city and find somewhere with more space.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Will be getting someplace else before the end of the year hopefully. Having a cramped shoebox in London is fine if one spends all day out, or away, and all you use it for is somewhere to sleep and store your stuff, but the last three months have led to the realisation that just isn't sustainable.

Time to get out of the city and find somewhere with more space.

I sympathise. But you wont like it if you are then travelling daily like a sardine !.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Will be getting someplace else before the end of the year hopefully. Having a cramped shoebox in London is fine if one spends all day out, or away, and all you use it for is somewhere to sleep and store your stuff, but the last three months have led to the realisation that just isn't sustainable.

Time to get out of the city and find somewhere with more space.

I think this decision normally happens with age anyway so this may have just accelerated it for you.

Welcome to the cost/quality of accommodation v journey time v cost of travel triangle of fun

 

[Jayden99]

I've certainly come to realise that I actually despise my tiny studio flat with no outside space, so I'm planning on using my break clause in my tenancy at the end of this month, and moving further out of London for more space. When the lockdown was at the most strict level, I really struggled with being stuck in the one room

 

[Cowley]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what will happen with house prices this next couple of years?
If it carries on being difficult to get a mortgage for a lot of people the housing market could stagnate significantly and for people wanting to move there might be some good deals available if they’ve got some money put away.

 

[londiscape]

I sympathise. But you wont like it if you are then travelling daily like a sardine !.

Haha yes very true! However since I became self employed a lot of my business has evolved to clients outside London, so I don't have to do a regular daily commute. And if I do I can travel off peak and use hotels or pub B&Bs if it spans many days. I no longer do 9 to 5 and am very glad of it.

I do have a great deal of sympathy for those who still have to do the 9 to 5 in London, though. That seems like a classic no win choice - shoebox in the City but a reasonable commute, or move out and get sardined every morning and pay through the nose for the privilege.

 

[londiscape]

I think this decision normally happens with age anyway so this may have just accelerated it for you.

Welcome to the cost/quality of accommodation v journey time v cost of travel triangle of fun

Yeah I'm almost forty now, the glamour of London has worn off completely, if it weren't for some personal circumstances I'd have gone years ago.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Yeah I'm almost forty now, the glamour of London has worn off completely, if it weren't for some personal circumstances I'd have gone years ago.

Many are doing "the London experience" for a few years after graduation but fewer are staying. This trend will increase. Inner London's population may slowly decrease but that of Outer London and the South East will remain high.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Many are doing "the London experience" for a few years after graduation but fewer are staying. This trend will increase. Inner London's population may slowly decrease but that of Outer London and the South East will remain high.

I suspect this is true - many are saying Milton Keynes is likely to see somewhat of a boom, as many wouldn't do the roughly 2 hours door to door it is to commute to the City or places like that every day, but would happily do it twice a week.

Pre HS2 I suspect the number of people who would do Manchester to London and back twice a week (even ignoring the outrageous Anytime fares) is relatively low I suspect (that'd in most cases give you a door to door of 2.5 to 3 hours unless you live right next to one of the stations served by Avanti) but HS2 will change that. I would, but I'm a railway enthusiast posting on a railway forum - most people are not and do not!

 

[VauxhallandI]

For me it’s all about the final destination in relation to the mainline terminus. It’s the tube journey at the end that is the killer not only in time but in comfort.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what will happen with house prices this next couple of years?
If it carries on being difficult to get a mortgage for a lot of people the housing market could stagnate significantly and for people wanting to move there might be some good deals available if they’ve got some money put away.

It’s certainly in my mind to do it sooner rather than later when it becomes more of a thing and I lose my property value differential