Principality Building Society polled 2,000 first-time buyers in England and Wales on their habits when moving in. Nearly three quarters (70%) would prioritise setting up a WiFi connection or plugging in their TV over having a sofa to sit on while watching it (40%).
The survey also showed that just over a quarter (26%) of first-time buyers would turn to online how-to guides or books for DIY tips, compared to other sources of information such as mum and dad. However, once they’ve moved in and put their feet up, 23% of first-time buyers admit it could take them a year or more to tackle any DIY in their new place.
Nearly 30% of new homeowners would go straight to an expert if something malfunctioned in their house, seeking professional help from the likes of plumbers or electricians, but over half (56%) would be happy to strip wallpaper themselves in their new home.
Principality published the light-hearted poll as it launched First Time Trier, an online toolkit for first-time buyers.
Principality’s customer director Julie-Ann Haines said: “As a nation, we’re are so interested in getting online and that can often be the first thing on our minds when we’re working, travelling or even when we’ve just moved into a new home, picking technology over getting the house actually feeling like our own.
“And once we’re hooked up to the web, online tutorials are changing the way we do our houses up, with first-time buyers turning to digital guides over their DIY dads.”
