What is important to you when you buy a home? Location? Size? Or your ability to get online?
If you’re bothered about the speed of your broadband connection then you are not alone. The Government has estimated that 90 per cent of Londoners now consider good home wifi essential for work and entertainment. And, more and more buyers are including the speed of a broadband connection on their checklist when buying a home.
Keep reading to find out why good broadband is important and why a poor signal can impact on the sale price of your property.
Broadband now the fourth utility
Increasing numbers of people consider a good wifi connection as important as good water and electricity supplies with broadband now the fourth utility. However, while new fibre optic broadband is making connection faster and more reliable than ever, many homeowners are still plagued with slow broadband.
The Independent reports that residents in some London apartment blocks have complained of broadband speeds as low as 1.2 megabits per second with long cables between apartment blocks and telephone exchanges often the cause.
The newspaper also reports that London homes worth 1 million or more can have up to 10 per cent of their value wiped off if broadband speeds are too slow for home working, streaming films or controlling domestic lighting and heating remotely. Lack of satellite TV, cable TV and mobile phone connectivity also make properties less attractive to potential buyers and tenants.
Watch out for mobile phone blind spots
If you’re looking at a specific property you can head online to check the local broadband speed. Comparison websites such as Broadband Choices and USwitch give information on broadband services in specific postcodes, as do some property search sites.
It is also worth checking whether you can get a good mobile signal when you view a property. Guy Meacock, of buyers agency Prime Purchase,says high levels of building density can turn neighbouring properties into blind spots for mobile phone use, while many blocks of flats don’t have cable TV because older residents don’t want it.
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