7 things ‘every’ first-time buyer wishes would make a comeback

• From Teasmades to fax machines – the retro items which have a place in home buyers’ hearts (inc. regional breakdown)
• Despite being a generation in love of their smartphones (70% stating they can’t live without it), 89% of aspiring first-time buyers want a garden with their first home
• Super-fast broadband tops the ‘technology must have’ list for soon-to-be first-time buyers

The latest survey* from My Home Move reveals that would-be first time buyers are nostalgic for stereo players, teasmades and VHS recorders, wishing these items, once found in every home across Britain, would make a comeback.

The results, formed part of a survey regarding aspiring first-time buyers and their attitudes towards technology, conducted by the UK’s leading provider of mover conveyancing services. It found that despite 70% of respondents saying they were unable to live without their smartphone, 33% want to see the stereo player, complete with mini disc, cassette and record decks, make a return to living rooms and bedrooms alike. Alongside this, 89% stated they want their first home to have a garden.

Retro returners*

• Stereo/Mini disc player/Record player
• VHS/Video player
• Teasmade
• Fax machine
• Trouser press
• Pager
• Others, including black & white TV, fountain pen and simple cars

Commenting on these findings, Doug Crawford, CEO of My Home Move said,

“It would seem that regardless of how much we have come to rely on our smartphones, simple things in life still matter. Our survey revealed that nearly all aspiring first-time buyers want their first home to have a garden, and when asked which piece of technology they wish would make a comeback, it was the entertainment devices of their youth, alongside the teasmade, fax machine and trouser press, which topped the list.”

57% of aspiring first-time buyers said super-fast broadband is their ‘must have’ piece of technology for their first home; and when asked the same question when budget is no issue, a home with full-connectivity to control heating, lights and appliances (31%) ranked highest among the respondents.

Continuing Doug Crawford said, “Even when money is no obstacle, it would seem that aspiring first-time buyers still want a fairly low-key array of technology in their homes. Our survey reveals they prefer tech which is readily available, shying away from the more experimental options on offer – suggesting that their desire to get on the property ladder overrides any other deciding factor.”

Regionalised findings

While 33% of the nation wanted to see the stereo player make a comeback, this figure rose to over 40% in Scotland and the South West. In London, it was the 1980’s ‘yuppie’ paraphernalia which has been missed the most, as the fax machine, trouser press and pager ranked above the national average. While the teasmade, originally designed in Derby, is favoured most in the East of the country, as 27.4% wish it would make a comeback (almost double the national average at 15.5%).

* Data is available upon request