Peering in the windows of a local estate agent on a weekend away is a risky business: will you be struck down with a terminal case of the London property itch?
If you can’t find something within taste, budget (or both) among the £79 billion of London real estate currently on the market, perhaps there’s little harm in calculating your commute from the local station.
In that spirit we’ve selected fifteen attractive homes for sale within a realistic radius of the capital, from a fisherman’s cottage in the new London-on-Sea to a family home in an East Sussex hotspot that’s on the market for the first time in almost a century.
Church Road, Rotherfield
Inigo
An almost 2,000 square foot beamed Grade II-listed cottage overlooking a historic church, with three bedrooms and a huge loft space. It’s particularly handy for Rotherfield station, with its direct trains into London.
Addington Square, Margate
The Modern House
An airy two-bedroom cottage in a former schoolhouse on the edge of the Old Town, among arty neighbours like Carl Freedman Gallery and The Tracey Emin Foundation. There’s a handy study that could be turned into a third bedroom.
The Modern House, 020 3795 5920
Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire
Station Road, Sawbridgeworth
Mullucks
£400,000
This rare thatched cottage in the village of Sawbridgeworth, near the border with Essex, is a short walk from the local station with its Liverpool Street links. Perks include off-street parking and an established garden.
Church Hill, Leigh-on-Sea
Appointmoor Estates
A two-bedroom weatherboard fisherman’s cottage on charming Church Hill, a short walk from the station for trains into Fenchurch Street. This end plot facilitates a larger-than-most back garden.
Appointmoor Estates, 01702 967991
Benhall Mill Road, Tunbridge Wells
KMJ Property
In a quiet spot on the southern edge of the town, this three-bedroom, two-bathroom Edwardian terrace has a large garden, off-street parking and an attractive kitchen with butler sink.
KMJ Property, 01892 352897
St Albans, Hertfordshire
Abbots Park, St Albans
Frost’s
A four-bedroom modernist townhouse close to the mainline station for speedy trains into St Pancras. There’s a larger-than-most utility room and access to vast communal grounds.
Station Road, Wadhurst
BTF Partnership
This blank-slate semi has been in the same family for almost a century. Highlights include a third bedroom in the eaves, front and rear gardens and a station for Charing Cross trains within walking distance.
West Street, Deal
Wards
This smart Victorian terrace in pretty seaside Deal has three bedrooms across three floors, courtesy of a clever basement conversion. There’s also a large, low-maintenance garden with rear access.
High Street, Godstone
Park & Bailey
On the market for the first time in more than 60 years, this Grade II-listed three-bedroom house has exposed beams and two inglenook fireplaces. It ticks practical boxes too, with a utility room, garage and garden.
Park & Bailey, 01883 779626
Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
Aylesbury End, Beaconsfield
Ashington Page
This appealing three-bedroom home in the town centre has a surprisingly spacious garden and an unusual private alleyway that could be integrated into the house. It’s on the market without a chain.
Ashington Page, 01494 341289
Otham Street, Otham
Your Move
A pretty three-bedroom house at the end of a private road on the rural outskirts of Maidstone, with three receptions, a utility room and a mezzanine study space. The enormous garden borders National Trust woodland.
Coxtie Green Road, Brentwood
Keith Ashton
This three-bedroom end-of-terrace house has a pretty landscaped garden, plus full access to the estate grounds of adjacent Gilstead Hall. There’s plenty of parking and it’s on the market without a chain.
Keith Ashton, 01277 674388
West Street, Faversham
Miles & Barr
This listed house in the historic centre of the town has three bedrooms, a patio garden and a large basement space for storage. It’s within half a mile of Faversham station, where the fastest trains connect with Victoria station.
Miles & Barr, 01795 905391
Star Road, Reading
Parkers
A distinctive three-bedroom house, with an attractive modern kitchen, a new boiler and parking for two cars to the rear. From here it’s around a twenty-minute walk to Reading station for Elizabeth line trains.
Six Bells Lane, Sevenoaks
Humbers
A picture-perfect stone cottage in well-connected Sevenoaks, with two bedrooms, a woodburning stove and Shaker-style cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom. There’s also a generous south-facing rear garden.