Strong mobile phone signal is the number one concern of young property buyers, according to research

Ahead of worries of crime levels, transport links and schools, new research reveals reliable mobile phone signal is the number concern for young new home buyers.

Just under half of 18-35 year-olds said having a good mobile signal was their most important concern when considering buying a new home, compared to 26 per cent of those aged over 55.

When considering a property strong signal ranked more highly among young buyers than what the council tax band the property fell into, and hospital access. Consequently, schools ranked as the lowest worry when considering a property.

Nearly half of the 2,076 adults questioned by mobile analytics firm RootMetrics said they would reconsider renting or buying a house if they knew the mobile coverage would be poor, while 87 per cent said unreliable phone service was the biggest irritation.

Furthermore, around 40 per cent admitted they would consider switching networks over poor signal in their current home.

David Cox, Managing Director, Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), said the stress of buying a new home often led to buyers overlooking factors such as parking access, noise levels and phone signal.

“With so many people reliant on their smart phone devices for work, social media and keeping in contact with friends and family, it is no surprise it is the top factor in young people’s wish list,” he said. “Checking your mobile signal should become a routine action in every property you view, as a lack of phone signal could cause you a lot of hassle in the long run once you are living there.”

Users can check their provider’s call performance and data speeds through RootMetric’s free app CoverageMap or through its site’s RootScore Reports, which document each network’s overall performance.