Choose logged-off living for property discounts
Viewber explores the link between broadband and property bargains, with the statistics all pointing to substantial savings for those willing to compromise on connectivity.
Super fast fibre broadband? Check. Strong wifi signal? Check. Epic download speeds? Check. These aspects all feature highly on today’s ‘must-have’ list, especially as more of us start – or continue – to work from home. But what if your moving aspirations are not motivated by connectivity?
It appears not everyone desires a highly digitalized way of life. The Spectator used its May 2021 issue to discuss the growing ‘cottagecore’ movement – a trend described as ‘a reaction against capitalism and our increasing time spent in front of a screen’, as mentioned in this Architectural Digest article.
‘Cottagecore’ is actually a trend lite and while it’s billed as ‘anti-modernity’, the bucolic lifestyle is, ironically, well documented across social media (simply search #cottagecore). Cottagecore is more of a superficial shift that sees people swap minimalist decor for over-the-top chintz and bake home-made sourdough bread, rather than actually adopting a totally rural way of life.
Now there is logged off living to bridge the gap – a relatively new concept that falls somewhere between the cottagecore style and true off grid living. And for home movers opting for this approach, a compromise on digital connectivity can lead to property discounts.
Internet access and wifi dependability have become pivotal when making property decisions but there can also be a premium price tag, as a recent survey showed. Broadbandchoices found 62% of homeowners would pay more for a house in an area with a dependable and quick internet connection, with 35% of respondents willing to increase their offer by up to £10,000 if a superfast broadband connection was guaranteed.
When you consider the findings of a 2020 study by TalkTalk, which found almost 75% of Brits said they would discount a house if it didn’t have a strong, reliable internet connection, it’s easy to see how property prices can rise in line with download speeds!
Home buyers able to concede on connectivity can avoid paying a property premium with a clever choice of location. GetAgent used data on internet users from the Office for National Statistics, picking out the areas where the highest percentage of the population hadn’t used the internet either in the last three months or at all.
They then looked at the top 20 most disconnected spots in the UK where house prices were lowest. Gwent was crowned the best ‘logged off’ location with the best chance of an affordable property. The figures showed 14% of the Gwent population had either never used the internet or failed to log on in the last three months, twinned with an average house price of £108,049,
Other good value disconnected locations included East & North Ayrshire and County Durham – places where internet usage is low, as are average house prices (under £113,000). Even Luton made the top 20, with 22.2% of the population living without internet either indefinitely or for at least three months and an average house price of £242,370.
Thankfully the property discounts in logged off areas are nationwide, as survey results published late in 2020 revealed. Satellite operator Eutelsat found UK homes with ‘poor broadband’ connectivity can end up selling for £38,902 less than their market value, with potential buyers wanting a 16% discount for compromised connectivity.
Whether you’re embarking on a digital detox, want to hark back to pre-internet days or simply want to bag a property bargain, logged-off living may be for you… and there’s always hope that fibre optic broadband and 5G is just around the corner.
If you need someone to scope out a logged off home before you make a commitment to visit, talk to us. We can send a local Viewber to take photographs, film a video inside the property and send an unbiased report.
