UK searches for homes with air conditioning jump 104% as heatwaves intensify

File photo: People cross Westminster Bridge during a heatwave (Picture credit: Reuters) Searches for homes with air conditioning in the UK have more than doubled this summer, as repeated heatwaves prompt buyers to pay greater attention to how well properties can stay cool.Property portal Rightmove recorded a 104% rise in searches for homes with air conditioning between May 1 and July 31, compared with the same period last year, according to The Independent.The increase comes as temperatures across parts of England reached 38C during the UK's fifth heatwave of the summer.Rightmove's consumer research also found that 87% of people consider a property's ability to stay cool important when choosing their next home.While only 12% said they had already installed air conditioning, 61% said they would consider doing so, The Guardian reported."While location, space and affordability remain key priorities, our research suggests that people are paying closer attention to how comfortable a home will be during hotter weather," Rightmove property expert Colleen Babcock said, according to The Guardian."Many households are already making practical changes to keep cool, while others are factoring t...