You can’t have missed the fact that there is a huge trend towards people moving house this year to their perfect new home. And a lot of experts are putting that down to people having reassessed their lives during the pandemic. A better work-life balance is now the top of the list when it comes to people’s priorities.

Map Artwork depicting location of their new home

And it does seem that the property market agrees, with people moving away from big inner cities to smaller villages, the coast, and picturesque beauty spots.

Bombus lunchtimes in the Kent countryside
At Bombus we're lucky enough to already be in the Kent countryside - and make the most of it at lunchtimes on sunny days!

Where are people buying their new home?

The South West has seen the biggest increase in property prices, but other villages outside of the bigger cities have also seen a huge swell in interest.

Map of Padstow - the location for a lot of people moving to a new home in 2021

According to property site BOOMIN, who crunched the numbers and ran the data so we didn’t have to, the biggest up and coming hot spots in the property market in 2021/22  are:

The Top 20 Most Up and Coming Property Locations in the UK

Gower, Glamorgan

Wigan, Greater Manchester

Manchester Central, Greater Manchester

Monmouth, Monmouthshire

Ogmore-by-Sea, Glamorgan

Aberavon, Port Talbot

Rochdale, Greater Manchester

Leigh, Greater Manchester

Stourbridge, Worcestershire

Torfaen, Monmouthshire

Stretford, Greater Manchester

Ludlow, Shropshire

Wythenshawe, Cheshire

Pudsey, West Yorkshire

Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland

Oldham, Greater Manchester

Burton, East Staffordshire

Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire

Heywood, Greater Manchester

Headingley, North West Leeds

What are the main reasons people have moved during the pandemic?

With the pandemic keeping us at home more than ever, people are learning about what the really need from their environment. Whether it’s a bigger garden, or car free access to shops an amenities, or the ability to isolate away from other people. All of this has meant that people are choosing to make the change that they may have been putting off up until now.

Working from home

One of the biggest changes in our society over the past eighteen months, and how the pandemic has affected the way we live, is the huge increase in home-working. Employees and employers have both recognised the benefits of having their employees stay home.

Over 75% of home workers have reported a huge increase in productivity working from home, and have logged more hours as a result of not having to commute. Take in to consideration that big companies will be able to reduce their expenditure on large office complexes, and the boost to the environment with less cars on the road during the morning rush hour, and it seems that certainly a proportion of home working is here to stay.

This alone has contributed massively to the property boom, with families looking for properties with a separate office and better broadband reception.

A map desk tidy - a great gift for someone working from home

Property moving company Britannia sum it up well in their article here:

2021 Housing Trends: What Are People Looking for in a New Home? - Britannia Movers International (britannia-movers.co.uk)

What is the best gift to give someone who has just moved?

When it comes to friends and family moving house, it’s always nice to send them something to wish them warmth, happiness, and luck in their new home.

Personalised Unique New Home Gifts

At Bombus, we can make the perfect gift to give. Using our huge collection of maps, we can produce a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork that can show the location of their new home…

A land registry foiled print of their new home

Or if they’ve left friends and family to move away…how about a map of their old home, to remind them to come back and visit whenever they can!?

Remember when? Maps of their old homes.

Traditional New Home Gifts

But if you’re looking for something more traditional, and want to send them a bottle of wine to toast their new life? You cannot go wrong with a bottle of Brenley Wine, produced right on the farm here at Bombus. We’ve tasted it, and we love it. But you have to be quick, stocks are limited!

Brenley Wine

Flowers are always a lovely option to brighten up a new home that may be full a little chaotic for a while. But if you can, send a vase too. It might be a while before they can unearth their favourite vase or jug from the mountain of boxes.

These flowers from The Great British Florist are grown here in the UK, and are always seasonal. With a 100% Happiness Guarantee your gift will definitely brighten up someone’s day after a big move.

A bouquet from Great British Flowers - a great new home gift

Sustainable New Home Gifts

The pandemic may have created a property boom, but it’s also opened our eyes to how much we as humans are impacting our environment. Throw-away culture is something relegated to the last decade and we are all looking to buy sustainable and eco friendly goods.

If you’re looking for a New Home Gift that says you care about planet earth, then anything to help them reduce their plastic waste is a great place to start. Check out these gorgeous bees wax wraps from Good to Bee:

Bees Wax wraps

We all love a candle, but did you know that some candles can be really unhealthy for you and the environment? Choose your luxury scented candles wisely, like our Vegan, Soy based candles made in Kent. Not only are you supported local British business, but they burn for a long time without releasing harmful toxins into the air like traditional candles.

New Home Candle

New Home Artwork

It can be a little daunting choosing artwork for someone else. Especially as a New Home Gift when you’re not sure what their style will be.

So what are the predicted wall décor trends for home décor in 2021/22?

Take a maximalist approach to decorating

Gallery Wall example

Minimilism is so 1998. The current interior trends are seeing us fill our homes with beautiful pieces. Antique mirrors, unusual art pieces, and souvenirs from our travels. It’s all about preserving memories and emotion, embracing distant shores, and creating a space filled with joy. So don’t be shy. Fill up their home with a little piece of you.

Help them furnish their new home with love, and choose a personalised and unique piece for their new forever home.