Poor broadband puts house hunters off

Homes with poor broadband connections are less attractive to house hunters than those that enjoy faster speeds, according to new research.

Broadband Choices found that high-speed internet is ranked above off-street parking, a doctor's surgery and a local pub as a desirable factor when choosing somewhere to live.

In a survey of more than 2,000 homebuyers nationwide, one in five said they had checked broadband speeds in the local area before putting in an offer for a property. One in ten even admitted that they had turned their back on a potential new home because it had poor broadband.

And when it comes to actually moving in, setting up an internet connection is seen as a top priority. Indeed, one in five people now arrange for a broadband line to be installed before they sort out their gas supply or their television when arriving at a new property.

Commenting on the findings, Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove, said: "In this digital age, a fast broadband connection is becoming more and more important for home hunters.

"People don't just rely on a good internet connection for browsing the web, but also television entertainment and working from home."