More than a quarter of British adults have confessed to browsing property websites specifically to see inside their neighbours' homes, according to a revealing new survey that confirms the nation's fascination with peeking behind closed doors.
The regional snoopers: Where Britain's nosiest neighbours live
The research conducted by AI-driven property portal Jitty uncovered significant regional variations in property-based curiosity. The North East and South West emerged as the nation's most inquisitive regions, with 36% of residents in both areas admitting to checking out their neighbours' homes online.
These keen property watchers were closely followed by the South East at 35%, while the East of England (31%), Yorkshire and the Humber (30%) and Wales (29%) also showed above-average interest in neighbourly interiors.
At the other end of the spectrum, London and the West Midlands recorded the lowest levels of property curiosity among English regions at 24%, with Northern Ireland proving the least nosey of all at just 19%.
Property browsing becomes national pastime
The poll of 2,000 UK adults, carried out through OnePoll, demonstrates that property browsing has evolved into a major leisure activity rather than just a practical house-hunting exercise.
While a quarter of respondents admitted they browse properties "purely out of nosiness", 27% use property sites to gauge what they might afford in the future, even without immediate moving plans.
This home browsing culture extends beyond simple price checks, with Brits paying closest attention to interior styling (41%), building character (38%) and layout (33%) when viewing listings. The findings suggest people are treating property portals more like interior design inspiration platforms than practical search tools.
The social aspect of property browsing is also significant, with three in ten people regularly sharing property links via WhatsApp and 25% enjoying receiving surprise listings from friends and family.
Frustration with traditional property search
The research highlights growing dissatisfaction with conventional property websites, with over a third of Brits (35%) wishing home searches felt more intuitive. A significant 26% reported routinely viewing properties far outside their intended criteria, indicating that static filters and clunky interfaces aren't meeting modern browsing habits.
Graham Paterson, CEO and co-founder of Jitty, commented: "The fact that so many people are peeking inside their neighbours' homes tells you everything you need to know about how Britain feels about property".
He added: "It fascinates us, it entertains us, and it connects us. But it also shows why traditional search tools don't cut it anymore. People don't think in filters; they think in feelings, styles and lifestyles."
The findings coincide with Jitty's rapid growth, with the platform on track to exceed half a million monthly property searches. Their AI-powered natural-language search now accounts for 75% of user interactions, reflecting a preference for more conversational property discovery.
Backed by REA Group and Gradient Ventures (Google's AI fund), Jitty offers an image-first approach to property browsing that allows users to search naturally and visually, leading what appears to be a new era of smarter property discovery in the UK.
