London has a world-renowned transportation network connecting towns and villages across the south of England with the capital. This includes a huge number of routes on both rail and road. This infrastructure is important because it allows people to live throughout Greater London and even outside the city while still being able to make their way into the centre for work and leisure purposes.

Commuting has increased in popularity for decades as people look for bigger homes, more greenery and open spaces, and locations where their money can go further. This has been a major reason for the growth across Greater London. The trend is still continuing, particularly with prices in central locations reaching such huge levels.

A distinct trend has been noticed in commuting over the last few years. When people buy homes outside of central London boroughs, there is a tendency for them to look at towns rather than rural villages. Town life is attractive for a number of reasons including the fact that it generally provides better access to shops, leisure and other essential amenities. The most attractive towns can offer open spaces and be a short distance from countryside so they can provide the perfect middle ground between rural and urban.

The savings people can make from commuting are also a significant attraction. According to Savills estate agents, average house prices fall within a half an hour’s journey from the centre of London. Land Registry support this with their data showing potential sharp falls on journeys between 60 and 69 minutes. This could result in average savings of £3,048 per minute of the trip.

The competition for properties in popular commuter towns in and around Greater London is further evidence of the habits and attitudes of buyers. Investors looking to find properties with great potential can take advantage of the high demand in these areas and adjust their focus from central areas where prices are higher. They can earn bigger rewards by looking to provide rental properties or buy, improve and re-sell dilapidated homes in these towns. If you would like advice on this or any other property-related matter, please contact our Merton property management specialists for further information.