It was dubbed ‘the race for space’ with many insisting that city living would become redundant or unpopular following the pandemic as people stayed at home more.
The pandemic has, of course, changed people’s perceptions of their living spaces and has meant that many have put a lot more importance on property and housing as a consequence.
Having said that, many of the commentary around this assumed that the only reason people tend to live in cities is for work, and whilst it’s broadly true that it’s often a factor, it’s by no means the biggest or the most important to those who live in cities.
Cities have indeed been closed down for the best part of a year, however, better transport infrastructure, socialising, business, and convenience are all huge reasons that people tend to live in cities.
It’s also true, to an extent, that many have decided to leave the city and seek more rural locations to live in as work habits have changed, but much of the research into this seems to show that they tend to be older renters and home owners, and they’ve been more than replaced by younger renters who have decided to move in the other direction.
According to research released by Zoopla, and reported by the BBC, “the cost of renting in some of the UK’s big cities fell. In Edinburgh, it dropped by 3.2% and in Manchester it was down by 1%.
In London, the drop was particularly pronounced, but since Easter, it said demand had picked up. There was a two-speed rental market over the last year, according to the Zoopla figures.”
This confirms what many had suspected, in that although there was a brief drop in activity, many are now looking for rented accommodation in cities again.
One thing that certainly seems to be true is that competition is quite fierce, and we know from our own experience, as well as our clients, that in many instances properties are going on the market and being snapped up on the same day.
A good way to avoid disappointment if you’re looking to move is to get in touch with an letting agent early on and let them know what type of property you’re looking for, as that will mean that you’re getting expert advice, as well as giving them the chance to inform you about any properties they know that are coming to market.
It’s also useful to pick an area that you’re keen on and set yourself alerts if you use property websites such as Zoopla or Rightmove.
Most of all, don’t give up. It can be time consuming and disappointing if you miss out, but keep going, keep speaking to good letting agents and keep applying and you’ll get the property you’re looking for.
If it’s the case that you’ve been left disappointed on a few occasions then it may be worth speaking to a letting agent to see how you may be able to improve your applications, but ultimately ensure you don’t stop trying.
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