In the wake of the pandemic, working from home has left many people feeling like their house is becoming an office. The hectic summer holidays and everyday pressures of city life see many UK homeowners ready to fulfill their dream of owning a holiday home. Here at Fine & Country, we’ve come up with the most important factors to bear in mind before you walk off into the sunset:

Research 

The research stage covers your foundations, as you’ll probably have an endless list of things to keep in mind. How will you set your budget? Are there any local amenities? How much will it cost to travel there and back? Thorough research online is advised but you should also consider visiting the property and surrounding location before putting an offer in, or at least request a virtual tour if you are unable to travel.

Location  

During the first stages of house hunting, location is arguably the most important choice – do you want a villa overlooking the sea? Or perhaps a townhouse in the city centre?  Once you’ve established exactly what you’re looking for, you can start comparing properties. Your ideal location depends on you and your family’s needs. For example, if you don’t like the idea of leaving any beloved furry friends behind, a cottage in the countryside is the perfect getaway for dog owners.

Lifestyle 

Before commencing the search for your dream holiday home, take into consideration every factor of your current lifestyle and how your holiday home will need to accommodate them. Think about which features you really need – if you’re only going to be there a couple of times a year, you may not need state-of-the-art finishes and facilities. But if you’re a more frequent vacationer, you’ll probably want to make some upgrades for all your creature comforts.

Research and understand the local market 

Each area will have its own property market and climate for you to research. Unfortunately, there may be some limitations for high-demand holiday locations. If you are looking for a holiday home in the UK, areas such as St Ives in Cornwall have placed bans on second homes due to housing becoming unaffordable for local people. It is wise to seek out areas less densely populated to allow yourself more choice and less competition.  

Your budget 

An advantage of buying a holiday home is that you can tailor your holiday budget for the coming years. Once you have made the purchase, that’s your holidays and breaks sorted for many years. There are a variety of holiday homes on the market to meet your needs, so have a think about your budget first. You may need to consider Wi-Fi and broadband packages, insurance, and energy bills within the scope of your budget.

Ease of access 

Accessibility is key, depending on how often you would like to make use of your holiday home and your long-term goals for the property. You may be searching for a regular weekend getaway or a more distant place to stay for longer periods, either way, it is good to ensure you have a decent amount of access to your home, and travel is never out of the realms of possibility. Accessibility becomes increasingly important if the home needs renovation or immediate attention.  

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