CAPITAL THINKING
For people working in central London but looking to save money by buying property further out, the good news, says Ruth Bloomfield, is that due to fast rail links commute times can actually be quicker from the outskirts
Most people who work in the capital know that the relative peace and tranquility of Zone 6 is a world away from the hustle and bustle of Zone 1, with some neighbourhoods sitting outside the city’s boundary. Many though are put off from living further out by the perception of long commute times to the centre.
However, a new report shows that connections from the outer zones actually mean it’s quicker to get home to some Zone 6 suburbs from central London than it is to many parts of Zone 2.
Options in Zone 6 include the choice includes positively rural Elstree & Borehamwood, leafy New Barnet and the increasingly affluent commuter hotspot of Surbiton. In Upminster, the top performer in this zone, prices have grown a huge 19.2 per cent year on year, to an average £452,768.
Journeys to Fenchurch Street take 24 minutes. In Surbiton, Reuben Heward-Mills, operations director at Greenfield Estate Agents, says twenty- and thirtysomething City professionals are his main clientele and they buy two-bedroom period conversions or purpose-built flats for about £500,000. For families a fourbedroom house would cost about £700,000.
“Surbiton is more vibrant than you would think,” he says. “There is very much a café culture, there are bistros and wine bars, and there is also green space and some very quiet areas.
“I used to live in Tooting and it is quicker to get into Waterloo from here. The train link is fundamental to Surbiton’s appeal. We have people who would rather live in Surbiton than Kingston because it has a faster train link into work.”
Further in, there are a number of Zone 3 hotspots that also have faster commutes than Zone 2: