GLOUCESTERSHIRE homeowners live in six homes, on average, during their lifetime, according to research by housing developer Barratt Homes.

A survey conducted by the property firm revealed that the vast majority of residents in the county were found to be real "home-birds", with around 30 per cent of residents expecting to move home no more than four to five times over their lifetime.

Of the factors that encourage Gloucestershire homeowners to stay in the area, the main reason was found to be affordability (46.9 per cent), followed by good local amenities (46.15 per cent), being close to friends and family (43.85 per cent) and good transport links (40.8 per cent).

Criteria which didn’t rank so critically includes access to local attractions, sports and entertainment (20 per cent) and being close to good schools (25.4 per cent).

Barratt Homes sales director Andrea Pilgrim said: “We can take from the survey that people in Gloucestershire are generally happy with their homes.

“They choose to stay in the area for reasons such as proximity to work and to services while family and friends play a big factor in their decisions.”

She added that families who buy new homes may be even less likely to move, as they are often designed to accommodate people at different stages of their lives.

“New homes are designed with modern living in mind,” she said.

“Buyers like the flexibility of open plan living, the ease of working from home and the build quality and energy benefits of new homes.

"They know that these homes have been well designed with the future in mind and have been built in sought-after locations.”