They say that time is money, and the further from London you move the longer your commute but the more bang for your buck you can expect to enjoy.
Buyers able to tolerate a round trip of up to three hours per day will be rewarded with housing and transport costs which together add up to a fraction of cost of living in London’s Zone 2.
A new study by Savills, looking at the best-value locations to be found within a 90 minute commute of the capital, found that living costs are often less than half the price of London.
And although a three-hour daily round trip might be a step too far for many, it could work brilliantly for hybrid workers who don’t need to be at their desks daily.
The study identified under-the-radar Long Buckby, in Northamptonshire, and historic, photogenic Crowborough, East Sussex, as the best-value options out of more than 350 possible commuter locations, once average house prices and train fares had been factored in.
Long Buckby, Northamptonshire
Average price of a three-bedroom house: £293,207
Saving compared to Zone 2: 67.5 per cent
Local knowledge: this good-sized village is set on the Grand Junction Canal amidst open countryside mid-way between Northampton and Coventry, and a couple of miles from Althorp House, childhood home of Princess Diana.
Its wealth was once built on wool and weaving, but today its good transport links make it a perfect spot for commuters to base themselves.
Good transport links make Long Buckly a hit with London commuters and hybrid workers
Wikipedia
The village has most day-to-day needs, including a trio of pubs, and a choice of restaurants and takeaways, and plenty of sports clubs to join. There is plenty of open space to explore, including Cotton End Park, created by local volunteers, and featuring zip wires and an assault course, picnic tables, wildflower meadow, and a resident sheep flock.
Ian Jackson, a director of Good Choice Property Sales, says urban buyers like Long Buckby because whilst it is a country village they aren’t cut off from the outside world. “It is not one of these rural villages which doesn’t have any amenities,” he says.
Another benefit is that the train station is right in the heart of the village, so no need to pay for parking or navigate rush hour traffic. “It is walkable wherever you live,” says Jackson.
Schools: The village infant and junior schools hold “good” Ofsted reports. Older pupils must bus it to Northampton or Daventry where most – but not all – schools are also considered “good” by the school’s watchdog and Wootton Park School is “outstanding”.
Trains: From 70 minutes to Euston.
Average price of a three bedroom house: £377,709
Saving compared to Zone 2: 60 per cent.
Local knowledge: if it is gorgeous countryside you want then Crowborough is the place to find it. The birthplace of Winnie-the-Pooh (author AA Milne lived in a nearby village and used the local area as his inspiration), Crowborough is in the heart of the High Weald, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, up the road from the 6,500 acres of Ashdown Forest, and less than 30 minutes to the beach at Eastbourne.
This market town has plenty of shops, a good mix of small independents and chains. For eating and drinking there are plenty of cafes, as well as traditional pubs like The White Hart, where actress Cate Blanchett, who owns a manor house locally, has been spotted, plus a monthly farmers’ market.
If you are a joiner then Crowborough has plenty of community events to get involved in, including a summer fair, September carnival, and free fireworks display in November.
You’d have to pay around £5 million for a magnificent country pile like Blanchett’s but there are plenty of more relatable-priced homes on offer in Crowborough, including brand new homes and Edwardian villas. And, because of its slightly chugger train service Deborah Hancock, senior associate agent at Hamptons, estimates that prices in Crowborough are 10 to 20 per cent lower than in Tunbridge Wells, some nine miles away. “For socialising and going out younger people do tend to come to Tunbridge Wells, but you do get a lot more for your money in Crowborough,” she says.
“There are a lot of young families moving to Crowborough because of the cost, and there is also a lot of new development going on, which I think is really going to reinvigorate it.”
Schools: A choice of “good” primary schools plus the “outstanding” Beacon Academy for older pupils. Although Kent’s grammar schools are tantalisingly close, places tend to be reserved for children who live in the county although exceptions may be made for children who do outstandingly well in the 11-plus.
Trains: From 69 minutes to London Bridge. Alternatively drive or cycle the three miles to Eridge Station for a slightly faster service to Charing Cross.