Reliable mobile signal first priority for young home buyers

Reliable mobile phone signal is the number one priority for young home buyers, ahead of worries about crime levels, transport links and schools, according to new research.

Just under half of 18-35 year-olds said having a good mobile signal was their most important consideration when considering whether to buy a new home, compared to 26 per cent of those aged 55 and over.

Strong signal ranked more highly among young buyers than the council tax band the property fell into, and hospital access. Consequently, schools ranked as the lowest concern when considering a property.

Nearly half of the 2,076 adults questioned by mobile analytics firm RootMetrics said they would reconsider renting or buying a house if they knew the mobile coverage would be poor, while 87 per cent said unreliable phone service was their biggest home pet peeve.

Around 40 per cent admitted they'd considered switching networks over poor signal in their current home.

David Cox, Managing Director, Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), said the stress of buying a new home often led to buyers overlooking factors such as parking access, noise levels and phone signal.

“With so many people reliant on their smart phone devices for work, social media and keeping in contact with friends and family, it is no surprise it is the top factor in young people’s wish list," he said. "Checking your mobile signal should become a routine action in every property you view, as a lack of phone signal could cause you a lot of hassle in the long run once you are living there.”

Users can check their provider's call performance and data speeds through RootMetric's free app CoverageMap or through its site's RootScore Reports, which document each network's overall performance.