Moving home isn’t necessarily about swapping one set of four walls and a roof for another – often it provides an opportunity for a new lifestyle.
This isn’t only down to the property itself: the surrounding area can play an equally important part, from the quality of the local schools and the types of shops on the local high street to whether there is an active local community. This is especially true for those moving somewhere completely new.
With the pandemic causing people to reassess whether their current home provides what they need, and with the ability to work from home more frequently, many are casting their net further afield, perhaps looking for somewhere with more space or a bigger garden.
But trading up from a city-centre apartment, say, to a family home in the suburbs can be daunting.
The answer could be to 'try before you buy'. There is a growing trend to rent in an area before committing to it and purchasing a home. Indeed, a recent survey of our agents in the commuter belt found that 64 per cent had seen an increase in try-before-you-buy applicants.
For an idea of what is available, here is our selection of some of the best commuter homes currently on the market.
.jpg "Oatlands Court, St. Marys Road, Weybridge, Surrey")
.jpg)
.jpg)
(1).jpg)