One in five home owners have moved or would like to move from their home in order to shorten their commute, be closer to health and safety services, enjoy convenient shopping or otherwise meet their changing lifestyle needs, according to a recent survey by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC.

The findings bolster Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate's assertion that community and lifestyle decisions are critical components of the home buying process.

"While the relation of price to features has become very favorable in many areas throughout the country, ultimately the surrounding community may determine how happy home owners are with their home purchase," said Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC.

Survey respondents indicated that they would place more weight on lifestyle criteria — such as family-friendly neighborhoods and easy accessibility to cultural activities such as museums and music venues — when searching for a home in the future.

Top Lifestyle Priorities

Among the top lifestyle priorities indicated by the respondents when searching for their next home:

Ease of commuting by car	38%
Access to health and safety services	34%
Family-friendly neighborhood	33%
Availability of retail stores	32%
Access to cultural activities	21%
Public transportation access	19%
Nightlife and restaurant access	18%
Golf-friendly area — access to golf courses	6%

In thethe survey, which was conducted on April 20-29, 84% of the respondents indicated they were home owners and 10% indicated that they had planned to buy a home within three years.

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