Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Top Ten Commuter Hotspots

If you work in the City but prefer to leave the bright lights of the capital behind as you leave the office, here are 10 of our top places to live outside of London and best of all, they're all within a 60 minute commute by train.

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Home to the Hellfire Caves, dug by hand in the 1700's, High Wycombe has plenty to offer including the National Trust's West Wycombe Park, showcasing 45 acres of landscaped beauty.

Commute time: 33 minutes to Marylebone
Average house price: £396,984


Leigh-on-Sea

With it's famous cockle sheds and excellent fish restaurants, Leigh-on-Sea is a picturesque town. The old town retains it's sense of history as a working fishing village. Hadleigh Country Park is home to 389 acres of marsh, sea wall and grassland and is a haven for birdwatchers.

Commute time: 47 minutes to Fenchurch St
Average house price: £337,757

Sevenoaks
A commuter town since 1862, Sevenoaks is home to 'The Vine', the cricket pitch on which the first-ever nationally reported cricket match was played, as well as numerous golf courses. There are beautiful walks to be taken in the North Downs Way and the Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve.

Commute time: 33 minutes to Charing Cross
Average house price: £598,770

Reading, Berkshire
38 miles west of London, Reading is popular with commuters for a wide variety of reasons, including the high number of Ofsted Rated Outstanding schools. Reading is a commuter hot spot itself due to the large number of big-name firms who operate there, including Microsoft and Ericsson. In addition to being home to one of the biggest summer music festivals, there are also a number of pretty canal-side walks for quieter days!

Commute time: 29 minutes to Paddington
Average house price: £403,288


Berkhamsted

Surrounded by some beautiful countryside, Berkhamsted is a prosperous old market town. With scenic towpath walks along the Grand Union canal and a thickly wooded common, it plays host to a number of local events including a monthly farmers market - a perfect slice of the countryside.

Commute time: 31 minutes into Euston
Average house price: £640,057

Milton Keynes
Housing is arranged in a grid pattern with a mix of everything from starter homes to retirement flats in each segment. The centre:mk offers an extensive shopping experience with big High Street names such as Joules, Cath Kidson and John Lewis all under one (enormous!) roof. There are many sporting opportunities in Milton Keynes including Xscape, home to the UK's biggest indoor real snow ski slopes and Willen Lake which is ideal for watersports.

Commute time: 35 minutes to Euston
Average house price: £274,288



St Albans, Hertfordshire
Deemed as one of the smartest places to live north of the city, St Albans has a mix of Georgian and Edwardian housing, beautifully mixed with 15th-century coaching inns and charming cottages. The Cathedral is a great space for enjoying some serentity after a long week at work.

Commute time: 19 minutes into St Pancras International
Average house price: £555,411

Gravesend, Kent
A maritime town, the economy of Gravesend has always been bound to the River Thames. Although a number of the traditional riverside industries have closed down, the Port of London Authority and Customs and Excise have their headquarters based here. The riverside part of town is rich in history with narrow streets and alleyways and historic fortifications.

Commute time: 52 minutes to Victoria
Average house price: £290,528

Chelmsford
Granted city status in 2012, Chelmsford is home to a large number of commuters largely due to the excellent schools. V Festival, one of the biggest summer music festivals, takes place every August and there's also plenty of shops, bars, cafes and pubs in the city centre. RHS Hyde Hall is a 360 acre estate and includes the Hilltop Garden, historic hedgerows and woodland.

Commute time: 34 minutes to Liverpool St
Average house price: £349,018    


Reigate, Surrey
With history dating back to the Battle of Hastings, Reigate is a market town, nestled at the foot of the North Downs. Home to a range of independent shops, there are also numerous restaurants. Priory Park has 200 acres of woodland and open space and has recently undergone major investment.

Commute time: 42 minutes to Victoria
Average house price: £563,398

*Commute times and season ticket costs as per www.commuterguide.co.uk
**Average house prices from www.zoopla.co.uk

 

Like this post? Read more on this topic here.

Looking to buy?

Looking to buy?

We'd love to help you on your journey home.
Don't miss out on on the latest properties by registering for our property alerts.

Register with us today

Read What Our
Customers Say

I can't speak more highly of the team at Homesearch. When I met Michael to discuss the sale of my home instantly from that meeting, I could tell how knowledgeable they were. From that moment until closing, everything went absolutely flawless. This experience of selling went without a hitch with them giving great tips on preparing my home for viewings. Thank you. I really appreciate all your help during this process. I highly recommend Homesearch to any person who is looking to sell their home or buy a new home.

Loretta Barrett, Seller

I started with two very well known real estates, but I hated it. I was simply another number to them and I didn't feel they were honest and transparent. With HomeSearch I felt comfortable that they were on my side and they were always available to help. The process is hard enough, so having a team who supports you can make such a difference. Highly recommend.

Arian Barvarz, Seller

The reason we chose Homesearch to sell our property was that we liked the straightforward, no-nonsense approach of both Anna and Michael. They gave an honest appraisal of our property and a clear idea of what we could expect to sell it for. In fact, the offer we accepted exceeded our expectations. The sale took longer than we would have liked, due to delays caused by the buyers' solicitor, but Michael was tenacious and must have worn his phone out keeping everyone informed of progress.

Nicola Watson, Seller

Homesearch are hands down the best agent I have ever worked with ! The team helped me in an extremely complex sale. Without the knowledge and experience of the whole team, my sale would not have completed. I dont normally write reviews, only when they are truly deserved. An exceptional team! Very kind and personable, reliable & trustworthy.

Leslie John, Seller

My experience with Homesearch is that they are professional, friendly and go above and beyond to ensure that something stressful like selling a house runs as smoothly and stress free as possible. They work hard to get the results and have kept me updated throughout the process. I honestly could not recommend them enough, they are easily the best company I’ve dealt with in the buying/selling houses field. And to top it all off, they always answer the phone in the most pleasant tone and always provide service with a smile.

Chanelle Hunte, Seller

Homesearch are PROFESSIONALS. I sold my property through Homesearch and I have not dealt with a more competent agency. Every single person  dealt with knew exactly what they were talking about and I can tell that they all have knowledge in the industry and were not just picked up from the street. From the get go I was impressed and I will certainly do business with them again.

Paul Hobbs, Seller

Many thanks Homesearch for locating professional corporate tenants for my property. I am very happy with your property management service as you always ensure that the tenants give the property back in good order at check out. Five Stars!

Maria Foran, Landlord

I have been absolutely delighted with the exceptional service I have received from Homesearch. They have removed all the stress & hassle of renting my property and dealt with all manner of situations I would have struggled with in such a professional & courteous manner. They give valuable unbiased advice with such a wealth of experience. Nothing is ever too much trouble for the staff, who are always friendly & helpful. Homesearch let and managed my property and I am very happy with their property management services, they are very knowledgeable.

Paula Carter, Landlord

Homesearch always do what they say they will do. They are efficient and raise any issues early and provide options to resolve them. Homesearch is very  easy to get hold of and talk to, no matter where I am in the world! My property is well looked after, regarding tradesmen, replacement of items swiftly etc. with the minimum of fuss.

David Connells, Landlord

From our first viewing right through to the present, Home Search were brilliant. They helped make the whole process quick and stress free and even now we are in and settled, they are still happy to assist us with any queries we may have. We couldn't recommend them highly enough.

Julie Maney

Home Search helped us move into our new flat smoothly and Tim was always happy to provide help to put our nerves at ease. Arranging a viewing was easy and Home Search were happy to open after hours for us to sign the paperwork. They were very helpful and often would offer to help! Having moved in we received a lovely card and they have always been swift in communicating with Usif we have any questions. Would recommend it.

Will Houghton

Michael and his team were simply amazing!! They helped us to find the perfect house, offering a nice and attentive service from the beginning through to the end. Thank you so much!! 5 stars service. Highly recommended!!!

Giordana Sicali

Very helpful and friendly staff. Tim, Michael and the team Made the whole renting experience easier.

Amol Sinare

I had a very difficult situation as I did not have a guarantor and my dad was earning enough but was not a homeowner. It took a about 3 weeks but Michael sorted it all out in the end and my dad became my guarantor. I got a lovely home and all the staff were very helpful including Paris, Zainab and Tim. Thank you all very much! Would recommend them to anyone

Misti Chakraborty

On behalf of myself, Noa & Niamh, we would like to start off by saying a massive thank you for the amazing service Home Search Ltd provided us with, especially highlighting the work of Clorissa. Within a week we were able to sign, seal and move into the property that we looked at, all down to Clorissa's prompt and effective work ethic, which allowed us a smooth transition from one property to another, without her, this move would not of been possible to have happened within the time stamp that it did. We are very grateful for the work that was done by Home Search Ltd, highly recommend.

Lewis Francis
How Much is Your Property Worth?

Expert Valuation

We always come armed with evidence and statistics of why we are pricing your property a certain way. We know the importance of getting the initial price of your property right, first time. With our extensive experience we will also explain current market conditions as we want to get our sellers the best price.

What's more, get a free gift with your free expert valuation with one of our experienced Valuer's.

Book a Valuation