1 in 3 surveyed Aussies said they moved interstate due to COVID-19

Budget Direct recently asked 1,000 Australians about moving homes and relocating. The survey found that 1 in 5 Aussies (20%) have moved home within the last 12 months.

Budget Direct’s Jonathan Kerr said, “Moving home can be a very stressful time, and there’s no doubt that COVID-19 has exacerbated this.”

“The lengthy lockdowns in Victoria and New South Wales have accelerated people’s decisions to escape Melbourne and Sydney and move interstate. Queensland and Western Australia have become very attractive markets due to their relatively low cases of COVID as well as more affordable housing and a more relaxed lifestyle.”

“With more people being able to work from home, we may see this trend continue well into the future. Regional areas such as the Sunshine Coast and Cairns have seen unprecedented growth and there are no signs of the market slowing down soon.”

Are more people moving interstate to escape COVID lockdowns?

• 1 in 3 Aussies surveyed (33%) who moved in the last 12 months relocated interstate
• Of those who responded they’d moved in the last 12 months, 1 in 3 (36%) said their move was triggered by the COVID 19 pandemic
• This figure was greatest in Victoria with 47.5% citing the pandemic for their move interstate, followed by NSW with 34.4%

How important is home insurance when moving home?

• 2 in 5 (40%) of people surveyed said home insurance should be the first thing people should arrange when they’re moving home
• 1 in 3 (30%) of those surveyed carried their existing home insurance policy to their new home

Too much stuff and stress

• 3 in 4 Aussies (74%) respondents said they have too many belongings when moving
• 4 in 5 Aussies (79%) respondents said moving is a stressful experience

DIY or hire a pro?

• 1 in 2 Aussies surveyed (45%) used both a moving company as well as themselves to move homes
• 1 in 4 Aussies surveyed (24%) have had a negative experience with removalists in the past

For more information, you can check out our Moving home survey & statistics 2021.

Disclaimer: This information is general in nature only and does not constitute personal advice. The survey was conducted by PureProfile on behalf of Budget Direct in June 2021. All figures are from this research unless stated otherwise. The survey was conducted online with a total sample size of 1,000 weighted and representative of all Australian adults (aged 18+). While Budget Direct has endeavoured to ensure the information we’ve relied on is accurate and current, we do not guarantee it and accept no liability for this information.