Fleeing to the country is causing a surge in detached home sales

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Ms Kinnaird said terraces were now increasingly seen as “the first rung on the housing ladder”.

“The relatively poor energy efficiency of many older terraced homes could also be a factor when buyers look at home operating costs as it appears energy costs will remain high,” she said.

She said families tend to choose detached homes as a “forever home”, often after they’ve been replaced by smaller properties.

Tom Bell, head of residential research at estate agents Knight Frank, said the increased demand means the time is right for those already living in detached homes to downsize and capitalize.

An increase in the number of older homeowners retiring during the pandemic has already led to an increase in downsizing, Bell said.

Many retirees live in homes that exceed their needs, but stamp taxes discourage them from moving into smaller homes.

Despite their growing popularity, detached homes are less widely available than other types of property, giving their sellers a potential advantage in the market.

There are 4.21 million detached homes in England and Wales, making up 16% of homes, according to the latest official figures for 2021.

There are 6.93 million graded homes and 6.10 million apartments, which is 26 percent and 23 percent of all homes, respectively.

The average age of a home mover is 39, which is 12 months younger than a year ago, and two years younger than it was in 2013.

Halifax said the decline in lifespan may reflect older homeowners’ decision to extend their homes rather than move.

Kate Ellis, regional agency president at Strutt & Parker, said they’re seeing an increase in downsizing from sellers this year.

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