Bath is popular with buyers because of its sophistication and easy access to beautiful countryside, Exeter for its location close to the moors and coastline and Bournemouth for its beach and contemporary architecture.
Next on the list, compiled by agency Stacks Property Search, is Cheltenham, Truro, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Marlowe, Wells, Brighton and Winchester.
‘Urban property is becoming more and more sought after, and towns and cities that can offer sophistication, culture, great shopping, schooling and facilities, yet remain relatively small and contained with a clear personality are becoming increasingly popular,’ said James Greenwood of Stacks Property Search.
Cheltenham is signalled out for its shopping and desirable suburbs, Truro for being just 30 minutes from some great surfing beaches, Milton Keynes for its lovely old houses within walking distance of the centre, Oxford for its university and culture, Marlowe for being a market town on the River Thames, Wells for being a safe city with a music culture, Brighton as a buzzing and bohemian place to live and Winchester for its quiet riverside walks but just an hour by train from London.
‘What makes these towns and cities so attractive is that they're small enough to be friendly with low crime figures, yet large enough to offer everything that residents want. They're like a hybrid between a market town and London. They don't have sprawling suburbs, so everywhere is fairly accessible on foot and they're surrounded by attractive countryside or seaside,’ explained Greenwood.
‘Urban life on this scale is attractive to numerous types of buyers, including families with older children who don't want to be hidden away in the middle of the country, retirees who want entertainment and company on their doorstep and the younger generation, many of whom find that large city living is too impersonal,’ he added.
According to Nick Wooldridge of Stacks Property Search towns within commuting distance of London can be the first stop for city leavers who think that the culture shock of London to country is too severe. But many who arrive in Marlowe, for example, never move on as they enjoy the lifestyle so much.
‘Buyers are looking for a mini-London, and these towns all meet that brief. There are bucket loads of culture, fantastic shopping, a really buzzing atmosphere, restaurants and bars at all levels of the spectrum, good state and private schools, but everything's virtually on the doorstep,’ said colleague Jo Aldridge.
While, according to Nicola Oddy it is the location of many of these towns that makes them so special. ‘Truro is an amazing city offering everything an urbanite could possibly want; but being equidistant between north and south Cornish coasts, there are 20 places within half an hour to keep a yacht, go surfing, or picnic on the beach. Bournemouth has seven miles of blue flag beach lapping at its toes, Marlowe has the river Thames flowing through it, Cheltenham, Wells and Bath are surrounded by beautiful countryside, while Exeter is on the doorstep of the south Devon coast,’ she pointed out.
The firm’s Gideon Sumption also pointed out that you can buy the best house in Exeter for the price of a large rectory in the countryside nearby. ‘There is more value to be found in the city than in the country,’ he explained.
But this isn't the case across the board. In Bath, for example, he said buyers will have to sacrifice space inside and out for the benefits of urban life, while Oxford house prices are as stratospheric as Battersea's. ‘So research the market carefully before you get too excited about swapping farm shop for designer shop, and the walks in the countryside for the town centre stroll,’ he concluded.
