A new sentiment survey by Knight Frank reveals a shift in housing preferences, with one-fifth of respondents expressing an interest in purchasing a new home. 

This marks an increase from the 13% recorded in the three preceding years.

The agency says eco-efficiency has become a crucial factor with 60% of buyers citing it as their primary reason for choosing a new build. This trend is driven by the desire to reduce winter heating costs and mitigate the effects of increasingly frequent summer heatwaves.

A Knight Frank spokesperson says: “Energy efficient new homes are on the rise, with the number of new homes awarded top EPC A grade hitting a record high in the second quarter of this year. 

“We are now seeing an uptick in demand for these homes, with our survey showing the first notable shift in over three years. This trend has longer to run as more buyers are also taking note of future environmental regulations and planning ahead.”

The survey also found an increase in the proportion of respondents who do not want to install energy improvements themselves. This has increased from a fifth two years ago to nearly 30% today, pointing to the rising convenience of new homes.

Knight Frank claims 25% of respondents cited future environmental regulations as a key consideration in their decision-making process, up from 20% two years ago.

The agency adds that developers are needing to include as many energy efficient features as they can for what it calls “discerning buyers … looking at the long term to their choice of home and are looking to take advantage of these opportunities.”