When looking for a new home, many movers will have a gut feeling about whether or not they can see themselves living in a particular place.
New research from AA Home Membership shows that the last time they were looking for somewhere to live, one in seven respondents (14%) knew whether a property was right for them before they had even set foot inside.
Sixteen per cent reserved judgment until they had seen the first room and 60% waited until they had a proper look round before making a decision.
Going with an instinctive feeling could be why movers feel so quickly at home in their new pad. Separate research shows that it takes 29% of respondents less than a month for a house to feel like a home once they have moved in.
Twenty-three per cent reckon they have settled in after one to three months and 13% believe it takes over a year to feel as though they really belong in their new place.
Helen Brooker, head of AA Home Membership, said: “A lot of people will rely on their gut instinct when looking for a new place to live, and do often go with that instead of weighing up the pros and cons of a particular property.
“If you have a hunch that you won’t like living in a particular place, it can be a very difficult feeling to shift.”
While most respondents felt as though their current property was their “home”, 13% of under 35s said they still thought of their parents’ place as “home”.
Under 35s are also the age group who take the longest to settle into a new place: six and a half months on average compared to four months for those aged 35-44.