A new survey of homeowners who have recently moved to the South East reveals that 82% of people who moved to the region from London are happier in life now that they live in the South East/countryside/region/away from the capital.

The Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company (WBRC) has surveyed 256 South East homeowners who moved to the region in the past two years.

The survey reveals that the most common reasons for deciding to move to the South East are to be closer to family and friends (21.7%), to enjoy a better lifestyle (18.6%), and to get more bang for their buck on the housing market (15.4%).

When asked what they enjoyed most about living in the South East, 22.1% say it’s the beautiful countryside that the region boasts.

18.9% say it’s having easy access to London without having to actually live in the city, 18.1% say it’s the abundance of attractive towns and villages found in the region, and 17.7% say they most enjoy having easy access to the coast/beach.

City Leavers
Among those who relocated to the South East having previously lived in a major city, the majority (55.5%) moved from London.

12.5% moved from Birmingham, 5.5% from Manchester, and 4.7% from Cambridge.

Other cities that respondents relocated from include Bradford (3.9%), Southampton (3.1%), Oxford (3.1%), and Liverpool (2.3%).

When asked what they enjoy about living away from the major city they previously called home, the most common answer is having easier access to more green space (21%).

Other common answers include enjoying better and healthier air quality (16.3%), less traffic and congestion (15.5%), feeling safer in day to day life (15.3%), and being part of a local community (13.3%).

Meanwhile, 11.6% say they’re benefitting from a more affordable housing market, and 6.9% say the general cost of living is significantly more affordable.

Ex-Londoners are happier in the South East
When those people who moved to the South East from London are asked whether they are pleased with their decision to relocate, 90% say yes.

When asked if they are actually happier now that they live in the South East, 81.7% say yes.

More broadly, across all people who have recently moved to the South East, 86.7% say they are pleased with their decision to do so and 81.6% say they would recommend moving to the region to a friend or loved one.

James Child, Project Lead at The Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company, says:
“The South East is one of the greatest parts of the UK, attractive to homebuyers for an abundance of reasons, whether it’s the stunning countryside, access to the coast, or easy travel into central London. That’s why more and more people are choosing to get out of London and relocate to Hampshire and Surrey.

“The time has never been better to come down and visit the South East. I would advise anyone who has half a mind to get out of the city to pop down to Hampshire for a visit and find it if it could be the perfect place for you to call home.”