Where house prices are still rising and easy to commute to London?

Miranda25

I would like to buy a house. The most important criteria for me - to be able to sell it in the future (as I am not planning to stay in the UK forever).

What I can afford right now with my budget:
- One bedroom house in Tunbridge Wells & no garden 
- One bedroom house in Bracknell & no garden
_ One-two bedroom in Reading (depends on condition)
- Two bedroom house in Tunbridge Wells and courtyard garden
- Two bedroom house with garden in Dartford, Medway, Ashford, Folkenstone, Milton Keynes....
- One bedroom houses in some parts of Greater London (but houses not attractive at all and I am reluctant to live there)
- Do nothing and save money for 1 more year. Even after 1 year I would still have the same question: where house prices are rising?

What would you do in my situation please?
Many thanks.

_Penny_Dreadful

Miranda25 said:

I would like to buy a house. The most important criteria for me - to be able to sell it in the future (as I am not planning to stay in the UK forever).

What I can afford right now with my budget:
- One bedroom house in Tunbridge Wells & no garden 
- One bedroom house in Bracknell & no garden
_ One-two bedroom in Reading (depends on condition)
- Two bedroom house in Tunbridge Wells and courtyard garden
- Two bedroom house with garden in Dartford, Medway, Ashford, Folkenstone, Milton Keynes....
- One bedroom houses in some parts of Greater London (but houses not attractive at all and I am reluctant to live there)
- Do nothing and save money for 1 more year. Even after 1 year I would still have the same question: where house prices are rising?

What would you do in my situation please?
Many thanks.

It doesn't matter where house prices are rising now.  What will matter to you in the future is that your not in negative equity.  No one here can predict the future.

You will be living in the property so it is important that you like or at least tolerate where you are living.  That rules out the 1-bedroom houses in Greater London.

When looking at investment properties, and this sort of is an investment for you rather than a forever home, I look for freehold and 2+ bedrooms.  I avoid leasehold as I think there is something bizarre about paying 6 figure sums for a long lease, you don't own the land or the bricks and mortar.  I avoid 1-bedroom properties as those are hit harder than 2- bedroom properties during economic downturns.  That's my tuppence worth.

Sg28

I think the only place you would find rising prices in the current economic climate is areas that are being regenerated or something like a new train station giving easier access to London is being built. 

I think you'll need to be very lucky though.

MultiFuelBurner

I keep seeing Slough mentioned as up and coming and seeing investment but have no local knowledge there just a few fleeting visits long long ago.

You will have to do a lot of research really yourself.

Emmia

Sg28 said:

I think the only place you would find rising prices in the current economic climate is areas that are being regenerated or something like a new train station giving easier access to London is being built. 

I think you'll need to be very lucky though.

Also, you really need to buy before the announcement - prices can start rising from that point.

With the Reading property, proximity to the main station can be a factor - there's a lot of Reading nowhere near the station.

I would always buy something with private outside space. Incidentally where do you currently work, and how do you get there? That's a critical factor in any purchase decision.

jimbog

two bedroomed house in Milton Keynes. East West raillink has been approved between Oxford and Cambridge and the latter is quickly establishing itself as the UK Silicon Valley

Miranda25

I am travelling to London Bridge 1-2 times per week but could be more often (depends on requirements).
Yes I am looking at houses within walking distance to the train station (lets say 1 mile) which narrowing my options even more.
As I always lived in London, ideally I would like the town with all facilities around like shopping, gym, dance classes....
I do a lot of food shopping in Marks & Spencer and Waitrose and would probably struggle if small towns would not have those shops with good variety.
I do not care too much about pubs, restaurants as I am getting a lot of it when I am going on holidays.
Thank you 

TisMeBill

As a resident of Tunbridge Wells, I would suggest Tonbridge as a better option, two stations nearer to London, twice as many trains as the Ashford line goes through there as well. House prices are also a bit lower as historically TW has been regarded as more desirable, but one look around the shopping areas of TW and you will see so many empty premises it seems to be dying a slow death as a town, Tonbridge appears more on the up to me.

Miranda25

TisMeBill said:

As a resident of Tunbridge Wells, I would suggest Tonbridge as a better option, two stations nearer to London, twice as many trains as the Ashford line goes through there as well. House prices are also a bit lower as historically TW has been regarded as more desirable, but one look around the shopping areas of TW and you will see so many empty premises it seems to be dying a slow death as a town, Tonbridge appears more on the up to me.

Thank you. 
I am looking at Sevenoaks/ Tonbridge/ Tunbridge Wells. 
Bromley and Orpington are out of my budget for now.

Miranda25

jimbog said:

two bedroomed house in Milton Keynes. East West raillink has been approved between Oxford and Cambridge and the latter is quickly establishing itself as the UK Silicon Valley

https://www.costar.com/article/1487733993/the-uks-new-silicon-valley-switched-on-or-crossed-wires

Emmia

Miranda25 said:

I am travelling to London Bridge 1-2 times per week but could be more often (depends on requirements).
Yes I am looking at houses within walking distance to the train station (lets say 1 mile) which narrowing my options even more.
As I always lived in London, ideally I would like the town with all facilities around like shopping, gym, dance classes....
I do a lot of food shopping in Marks & Spencer and Waitrose and would probably struggle if small towns would not have those shops with good variety.
I do not care too much about pubs, restaurants as I am getting a lot of it when I am going on holidays.
Thank you 

I'd look at places that are on a direct national rail route to London Bridge (or the national rail station nearest work). You'll save a fair bit of money if your commute doesn't include the tube too. 

Have you looked at places like Reigate or Redhill? Or Merstham? 

Are you willing to trade down the grocery shopping locations - to Tesco, Sainsbury's, Aldi, Lidl etc.? Buying can be a bit of a trade-off; what are the "must have's" and what are the "nice to have"? 

For us, the "must" was private outside space (but it's a large patio, rather than an actual garden) and either a kitchen/diner or a lounge/diner - not a kitchen/lounge/diner where it is all in the same room.

We have a separate (but small) kitchen, two-bed, two-bath (but no ensuite - another compromise), and it's a flat rather than a house... 

The next spot, will have an actual garden, and will be a freehold house - but to achieve that, compromises may be made in terms of location (currently zone 2, a 3 minute walk from the nearest tube), size of kitchen, state of the property...