Nightmare neighbours, change of job and having a baby among top reasons to move home

What was the reason for you moving home?

Lifestyle issues are the biggest drivers for people upping sticks rather than making financial gains from the property market, the research suggests.

The three biggest reasons driving people's decisions to move were found to be changing jobs (17%), disliking their neighbours (12%) and preparing for a family (12%), according to a survey.

While one in 10 (10%) are moving to be closer to family, 7% are doing so to make money on property.

Nearly one in four (24%) people are planning to move in the next two years - either by renting or buying a property.

And 24% of those currently renting and who are planning to move will look to buy their home.

Among women, disagreeable neighbours were found to be the top reason behind their plans to move.

Women were almost twice as likely as men to say they were moving because of their neighbours, at 15% versus 9%.

People aged over 45 years old and living in northern regions were also particularly likely to be motivated to move to get away from their neighbours, the survey of more than 2,100 people across Britain suggested.

David Searle, financial services director at the AA, said: "While the focus is often on house prices, returns and investments, when we look at moving house through the eyes of people who are currently in the process of doing so we see that real life comes first.

"Jobs, family, happiness and even neighbours are at the forefront of people's minds, with making a pretty penny a secondary issue."

Here are the top reasons for people moving home in the next two years, according to AA Financial Services, which carried out the survey:

1. Work (such as a change of job/to be nearer work), 17%

=2. I dislike my current neighbours, 12%

=2. Preparing for a family/having another baby, 12%

4. I need to live in a cheaper area, 11%

5. To be closer to family, 10%

6. I want to move to the country, 9%

=7. I think it's a good time to make money on property, 7%

=7. Downsizing to release some capital/equity, 7%

=9. I want to be closer to local amenities, 6%

=9. Marriage, 6%

11. Divorce/change of relationship, 5%

12. Don't know, 2%

13. Need a "granny annex" or similar, 1%