Urban locations outside of London in demand

A list of the most sought after urban locations to live in outside of the capital has recently been compiled. Town and city dwelling is gaining in popularity in England, with more people looking for urban accommodation than in recent years.

Hotspots

According to the data from Stacks Property Search, Bath, Exeter and Bournemouth top the list for the most desirable areas outside of London. It is no surprise that Bath, with it’s rich history, culture and simple access to countryside, tops the list. Exeter too has fantastic access to the moors, alongside its proximity on the coast, while Bournemouth also sits on the seaside, but can also boast stunning architecture and Premier League football from next season.

Other desirable locations include Cheltenham, Oxford, Brighton and Winchester.

James Greenword of Stacks Property Search believes that, ‘urban property is becoming more and more sought after, and towns and cities that can offer sophistication, culture, great shopping, schooling and facilities, yet remain relatively small and contained with a clear personality are becoming increasingly popular.’[1]

Greenwood believes that, ‘what makes these towns and cities so attractive is that they’re small enough to be friendly with low crime figures, yet large enough to offer everything that residents want.’ He continued by describing them as, ‘a hybrid between a market town and London,’ saying that they don’t have, ‘sprawling suburbs, so everywhere is fairly accessible on foot and they’re surrounded by attractive countryside or seaside.’[2]

Urban perks

‘Urban life on this scale is attractive to numerous types of buyers, including families with older children who don’t want to be hidden away in the middle of the country, retirees who want entertainment and company on their doorstep and the younger generation, many of whom find that large city living is too impersonal,’ said Greenwood.

Urban locations outside of London in demand

Nick Wooldridge, also of Stacks Property Search, believes a number of people leave London to move into towns with good transport links to the capital, as the comedown of city life to country dwelling would be too much. However, Wooldridge suggests that a number of these city leavers enjoy the lifestyle of these other urban locations too much and as a result, never move on.

Wooldridge’s colleague Jo Aldridge believes that, ‘buyers are looking for a mini-London and these towns all meet that brief. There are bucket loads of culture, fantastic shopping, a really buzzing atmosphere, restaurants and bars at all levels of the spectrum, good state and private schools.’ [3]

However, another firm spokesman, Gideon Sumption, pointed out that sacrifices may have to be made by tenants looking for an urban deal. He said that in Bath, tenants will have to sacrifice space both in and out of their property to reap the benefits of urban culture, alongside warning that property prices in Oxford are as expensive as in Battersea. 

Addressing tenants, Mr Sumption said:, ‘ research the market carefully before you get too excited about swapping farm shop for designer shop and the walks in the countryside for the town centre stroll.’ [4]

[1-4] http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/uk-buyers-towns-cities-2015051310498.html