Britons intending to sell their homes in the next year are spending more and more money on DIY to make their homes more desirable to prospective buyers, according to the latest figures from Alliance & Leicester's ‘movingimproving’ index.

Whilst the average UK homeowner is intending to spend £1,243 improving their property over the next three months, this increases to £2,155 for those intending to sell their home in the next year. This represents a significant increase year-on-year: in summer 2002, the average homeowner intended to spend £1,119 whilst the average seller intended to spend £1,684.

Average intended DIY spend is also up more than five per cent quarter-on-quarter: in spring 2003, average intended spend was £1,178.

Intended DIY spend is also up 10 per cent for those for those intending to sell their property within a year: in April 2003, this group intended to spend £1,963 in the subsequent three months.

Almost half (49 per cent) of property owners are planning some sort of DIY project over the next three months, with the most common home improvements being decorating (30 per cent), painting (18 per cent), and improving the garden (11 per cent).

Paul Cooper, Head of Mortgages at Alliance & Leicester, said: "With some commentators arguing that it has become more difficult to sell a property, it comes as no surprise that those looking to move are splashing out on home improvements to make their property more desirable."

"The increase in DIY spend amongst all homeowners shows that even those who are staying put are doing their best to make their homes as comfortable as possible. Those who are looking to sell their home should ensure that they spend their money wisely on improvements that will help increase the value or desirability of the property in the future."

Alliance & Leicester's quarterly ‘movingimproving’ index asked a GB representative sample of 4,000 people how much they intend to spend on DIY over the next three months and what projects they are intending to carry out.

Key findings:

• Intended spending on DIY during the next three months is £1,243, up 5.5 per cent since April 2003, when intended spend was £1,178. DIY spend has also risen 11 per cent year-on-year, up from £1,119 in August 2002.
• People intending to move house during the next 12 months are planning to spend an average of £2,155, up from £1,983 in April 2003 and £1,684 a year ago (10 per cent and 28 per cent increases respectively). This clearly indicates that homeowners believe they need to spend more to make their properties desirable to buyers.
• Women continue to slightly outspend men on DIY, intending to spend £1,253 compared to £1,233 by men. However, the highest-spending group are men in their 30s, who intend to fork out an average of £1,608 during the next three months.
• Although married Britons are again intending to spend more than their single counterparts over the next three months (£1,338 vs. £1,090), singletons are closing this gap. Their average intended spend has risen 13 per cent quarter-on-quarter (up from £961 in spring 2003) and 15 per cent year-on-year (up from £948 in summer 2002). Married Britons intend to spend only four per cent more quarter-on-quarter (up from £1,287 in spring 2003) and only 10 per cent more year-on-year (up from £1,211 in summer 2002).

Areas of spending:

• Painting and decorating remain the most popular home improvements, with almost half of those who are embarking on a DIY project planning on spending money on one of them (30 per cent decorating and 18 per cent painting).
• Although 11 per cent of DIYers are planning on spending money improving their garden, this is down from 16 per cent in the spring: obviously many people have realised it's too late in the year to do much about creating something the Royal Horticultural Society would be proud of.
• Other key improvements include a new kitchen (seven per cent) or bathroom (six per cent), an extension or loft conversion (three per cent) and replacement windows (three per cent).

Around the regions:

• People in the East Midlands are planning to spend the most over the coming months, with average intended spend at £1,626, 31 per cent above the national average. Not far behind are the Welsh, with an average intended spend of £1,551.
• As in spring 2003, those in the North (£916) and Scotland (£1,017) plan to spend the least money during the next three months. However, both are spending more quarter-on-quarter, whilst the biggest proportional fall in intended spend is amongst South Westerners, falling from £1,236 to £1,101, a 12 per cent fall.
• Those in the North West are the most likely to be spending money decorating (41 per cent), whilst the Scots are the most likely to be sprucing up their homes with fresh paintwork (25 per cent). The Welsh are the likeliest to be spending money on a new kitchen (11 per cent) or bathroom (10 per cent).