NerdWallet launches Map My Commute – an interactive tool for the hybrid home buyer

Leading financial price comparison website NerdWallet has unveiled Map My Commute – a new interactive tool for the home buyer who is willing to lengthen their commute to land their dream property.

What inspired the development of this interactive tool?

Due to the rise in remote and hybrid working, many Britons are spending fewer days commuting to and from the office. Because of this reduced travel time, many are considering the benefits of living further afield. A recent study* by NerdWallet revealed that nine in 10 hybrid workers (92%) would now be willing to commute further in order to buy or rent their desired property, or live in their preferred location.

The same study revealed that over a quarter (29%) of these workers would be willing to travel up to 45 minutes longer if it meant living in their ideal home or location. Given that the average pre-pandemic commute totalled 59 minutes to and from work**, this could increase to 2 hours 29 minutes for this portion of home buyers.

How does Map My Commute help home buyers?

Map My Commute helps potential movers discover all the locations within their preferred commute time and/or property budget.

Users start by entering their work postcode or the railway station nearest to their workplace. They then choose their desired commute time and whether they are looking to buy or rent. To complete their search, users select their budget and desired property type.

Based on this information, Map My Commute creates a bespoke map for each user showing every location where they could afford to buy or rent. This opens up new possibilities for those willing to broaden their property search if they work on a hybrid basis.

“The world of work has changed dramatically over the past 18 months or so since the start of the pandemic. Britons are now more accepting of a longer commute to secure the right property or location. We saw this as an opportunity to create a new interactive tool for the more flexible house hunter,” said Richard Eagling, Senior Personal Finance Expert at NerdWallet.

“Map My Commute is different from other property search tools. It allows users to find areas where the price of property matches their budget and desired commute time. Rather than just displaying the areas where property is available right now, Map My Commute shows users all the places they could potentially live. This opens up new options for home buyers as they conduct their property search and make plans for the future.”

Could flexible working arrangements help you secure your dream property?

Unearth potential home buying locations with Map My Commute. Click here to start exploring: https://www.nerdwallet.com/uk/map-my-commute