Member Article

In before Christmas… Is there a good time to move house?

Moving into a new home - whether you are buying or renting - can be a stressful endeavour at any time of the year, but if we had a choice, is there a particular quarter in which we would prefer to relocate?

We’ve all heard people say they want to be “in before Christmas”, but is this the only milestone that renters/buyers are setting themselves? New research conducted by Box Shack has found that most people actually prefer to move in the second quarter of the year.

More than 1,000 UK residents took part in the survey, with over 51% stating that, if they were given a choice, they would move house between April and June. The data also suggested that men and women are generally in agreement on this issue, with the only major difference being that 8.5% of men would be happy to move in the fourth quarter of the year, compared with just 4.6% of women.

Few will be surprised that younger members of society are more flexible when it comes to relocating. While 41% of 18 to 24-year-olds preferred to move in the second quarter, people who fell into this age demographic provided a far more even spread across the whole year than those in other categories.

The over-65s are particularly rigid in their views on this subject, with a mere 1.4% saying they would opt for a move between October and December, given the choice. An overwhelming 70.4% would rather up sticks in the second quarter, with a further 21.1% favouring July to September. Clearly, the warmer temperatures and better weather in the summer months are a big draw for older buyers/renters.

There were also big differences on a regional level, with the data showing that Londoners are almost three-times more likely to move in the first quarter of the year than their counterparts in the North of England.

Box Shack owner Craig Donnelly said the research ties in with certain trends that his company has picked up on in recent years.

He commented: “A lot of people have no choice as to when they can and can’t move house. If you find a great deal in October, for example, you obviously can’t afford to hang around until April before making an offer – the opportunity is likely to have passed by then.

“That said, we do find the demand for moving boxes tends to spike in the second quarter of the year, as people are clearly keen to get things done when the weather is more favourable. The survey results certainly reflect this.

“It is interesting, however, to see the differences between each age group, and I was particularly intrigued by the contrasts between people in Wales and Scotland.“

Indeed, while 39.8% of Scottish people said they’d prefer a move in the second quarter, this figure rose significantly to 63% for residents of Wales. By the same token, more than one-third of Scottish people would opt for a moving date in the autumn/winter months (between October and March), whereas a mere 14.8% of Welsh movers said likewise.

“With conditions in the housing market improving, it’s likely that more people will be looking to sell up and move elsewhere in the next year or so, which means it’ll be a busy time for ourselves, removals companies, estate agencies and mortgage providers,” Mr Donnelly concluded.

About Box Shack

Box Shack has been manufacturing and supplying high-quality moving boxes and materials since 1969.

The company offers a wide range of boxes and packaging to ensure all of your belongings are well protected during transit. With an excellent logistical and distribution setup, we help to eliminate the risk of any moving day dramas.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Box Shack .