Rightmove's data confirming that searches for UK homes advertised with air conditioning have more than doubled this summer is not a quirky seasonal footnote — it is an early signal of a structural shift in what British buyers value in a property. During the week England recorded its fifth heatwave of the year, with temperatures hitting 38C in parts of the country, thermal comfort has climbed the priority list alongside perennial concerns such as school catchments and transport links. For a housing market that has spent decades optimising for warmth retention rather than heat rejection, this represents a meaningful inflection point.