HOMEOWNERS in Basingstoke and Deane live in their homes on average 10 years and two months, longer than most other places in Hampshire.

New research by the Online Mortgage Advisor has revealed that the borough is one of Hampshire’s top picks when it comes to finding a ‘forever home’.

Of the borough’s property owners, those who live in flats stay for the longest, with an average tenure length of 12 years and four months.

Elsewhere in the county, East Hampshire homeowners are the quickest to sell and move on in Hampshire with an average tenure length of nine years and 10 days, while in Test Valley it is nine years, five months and 27 days.

Paula Higgins, chief executive of HomeOwners Alliance, said: “I think it’s not just the house, it’s definitely the community.

“People will choose to live longer in certain homes because they’re not part of a community and they’ve got ties to it.”

Experienced estate agent Matt Lanninge, of The Property Expert, said: “The area is arguably more important for some. Some people wouldn’t live on a street they didn’t feel safe on, or was too busy, too quiet or simply doesn’t reflect them.”

The data reveals that the majority of long-term homeowners tend to select detached houses.