Twyford beats 1,400 places to top the ‘best place to live’ ranking
TWYFORD has emerged as the best place to live in an annual report.
The Berkshire village beat more than 1,400 cites, towns and villages across England and Wales in the annual league table, compiled by Britain’s largest independent property buying agents Garrington Property Finders.
Locations were ranked according to five main criteria – natural beauty and flood risk, wellbeing, heritage, schools and employment plus value for money.
Twyford scored highly in three of the categories.
Its pristine, pollution-free air and low crime rate propelled it to 15th place in the wellbeing category, while its fast train links to central London via the Elizabeth Line, coupled with the quality of its schools, high broadband speeds and proximity to high-paying jobs lifted it to 30th place in the schools, employment and connectivity category.
At £767,500 for a typical family home, property prices in the village are well above the national average, but they fell by 3% in 2023 and are competitive by Berkshire standards – propelling it to 26th place in the value for money category.
Adam Shaw, director of Twyford’s Grapevine Estate Agent, wasn’t surprised at Twyford’s top spot in this ranking report.
He told Wokingham Today: “As an agent and as a local resident, I feel Twyford has gone fairly under the radar for some time.
“Twyford is a small village. The mainline railway station is a huge draw to the area, and combined with the recent addition of crossrail that demand keeps increasing.”
He added that the Twyford property market has always remained robust.
“Even during the recession when surrounding areas struggled, Twyford continued to be a solid market in comparison.
Asked about the motivations for people buying property in Twyford, Adam said: “We hear the same points mentioned by buyers time and time again.
“The mainline railway station and the excellent schooling in the area are probably the two biggest draws.
Jonathan Hopper, CEO of buying agents Garrington Property Finders, said: “Last year’s reset of prices redrew large swathes of the property map, with many highly desirable areas becoming better value as prices fell.
“It’s early days, but 2024 so far has seen the cost of borrowing – which led many would-be buyers to hold off in 2023 – start to come down.
“Suddenly the market finds itself at an inflection point, with house prices stabilising just as mortgages become more affordable.
“This combination is already translating into a surge in interest from buyers who’ve decided to restart their previously paused moving plans.”
Epsom in Surrey was ranked in second place, while St Albans in Hertfordshire was third.
Garrington’s interactive league table is available online. It’s free to use and an invaluable tool, both for those planning a move in 2024, and the merely curious.