More and more people are looking for homes in the countryside or with bigger gardens, a recent report from Rightmove shows.

The online property search tool has seen a noticeable rise in people viewing properties in more rural areas or those with larger gardens.

Following the first coronavirus lockdown, many Britons have started to accustom themselves to a life of working remotely, which has resulted in less demand for properties closer to town cities or their offices.

Certainly for young people that work in industries that have long hours such as law and finance, the prospect of living close to the office and taking in the city centre has been popular for many. But now, there is a shift in requirements, certainly for the older generation who have embraced home working.

Although restrictions have been lifted for the time being, many households continue to stay at home to prevent the risk of infection, rather than going to communal offices to work or parks for their downtime.

In the post-covid-19 era, more people will be working from home and only going into their central office on a few days per week, or not at all.

The purpose of a larger garden will be favoured by those only looking to socialise with their immediate family or group of friends – and potentially make space for a garden office, which are a popular trend at the moment.

In light of this trend, John Ellmore, Co-Founder at KnowYourMoney.co.uk explained: “As the country continues opening up after lockdown, potential and existing property investors may be looking to start or expand their portfolio. With several ways to finance property development, investors can focus on what property types and locations will be the best option post-COVID-19.”

“Already we are seeing indications that buyers and tenants are favouring larger properties with gardens located outside the major cities, as lockdown triggered a significant shift in lifestyles and attitudes to work. People have come to recognise that it is possible, and even preferable, to work from home rather than commuting to the office each day, so this shift is likely to be reflected in future property trends.”

From a property market perspective, we might see an increase in supply of one bedroom and two bedroom flats available in City centres and more housing developments in rural areas, but still within an hour or hour-and-a-half commute from major cities.

There has also been a surge in interest for home buyers looking for home gyms, either at home or in their garden, as they make up for lost gym time.