Blog

Rental Hotspots

Monday, February 19, 2018

Increasingly, tenants priced out of central London are moving in search of lower monthly rent, a quick, easy and inexpensive commute and improved lifestyle. All of these can be found across The Frost Partnership network area, along with excellent schooling options, picturesque open countryside, vibrant towns and villages with a real sense of community. If you’re looking to rent or invest in a rental property, take a look at the range of lettings properties available on frostweb and put these rental hotspots on your list.

For those seeking better value than central London, the Staines-upon-Thames area delivers relative affordability whether buying or renting property. Rental demand is strong from tenants, keeping “Buy to Let” on the agenda for investors. Although not guaranteed, the potential for capital growth is there too; key to success for most landlords. Staines-upon-Thames is a vibrant riverside town offering residents a lifestyle to match. Proximity to London and Heathrow, relatively low rents and an increasing number of start-up businesses attracted to the M4 corridor have put Staines in the spotlight as THE place to be. A town centre transformation in recent years and superb transport links by road, rail and air all add up to a highly attractive proposition as an area to invest in or to rent a property.

Amersham and Chesham both offer value for money in an area with excellent schooling and commuting options. Chesham’s growing popularity as a place to live and limited expansion of housing stock due to its Green Belt location maintain a high demand for rental properties. Families come to Chesham for its educational opportunities and an outdoor lifestyle, while commuters enjoy a quick and easy journey into London.

Amersham’s popularity as a place to live has grown over the years with huge demand associated with both mainline and London Underground stations, grammar schools for both boys and girls, as well as a thriving, continually improving modern town centre. A prime residential town in the commuter belt, in 2016 Amersham was listed in the top 100 Best Places to live in Britain according to a Sunday Times study using parameters such as crime rate, house prices and school reports. The places were selected for offering the best quality of life to the widest number of people and features such as community spirit, local shops and attractive outdoor spaces so it’s easy to see why rental properties in Amersham are in such demand.

Slough has had a massive boost to rental demand with the prospect of Crossrail cutting commuting times to London’s main employment centres. By 2020, the Western Rail Access will also connect Slough to Heathrow airport in just 6 minutes. Over £45m investment has been made through The Heart of Slough development and plans for a further redevelopment scheme on the former Thames Valley University site will include 1400 new homes as well as retail/leisure and office space. There’s a lot more to Slough than first meets the eye and with the opportunities that Crossrail will bring, the town’s future looks bright. At 19.6%, Slough property price rises saw some of the highest increases in the UK in 2016, with potentially more to come for investors.

Langley lies east of Slough, Berkshire, just off J5 of the M4. Excellent transport facilities include mainline trains to London Paddington (25 minutes) whilst bus routes connect with Slough and Heathrow Airport. Easy access to the motorway network via the M4 and M25 and proximity to the new Crossrail route have led to a positive impact on property prices for Langley. A range of excellent schools attract families to the area along with an outdoor lifestyle. Sailing, windsurfing and watersports are all available locally at Queen Mary Reservoir and there are waterside walks along the Grand Union Canal. Award winning Langley Park and Black Park offer acres of scenic open space for walking and outdoor pursuits.

Just west of Slough, Burnham’s road and rail links are excellent, with mainline stations at Burnham and Taplow, connecting to Paddington, Slough and Reading. The advent of Crossrail has already raised property prices in the area and is set to make this pretty village a commuter heaven with journey times to Paddington and Canary Wharf of 32 and 49 minutes respectively. Buyers looking for sound investments may find Burnham expensive, but a relatively safe prospect. Housing stock is varied with old timber-framed cottages alongside boxy, neo Georgian houses and contemporary eco-homes and if Burnham can maintain its village atmosphere, it could well offer tenants the best of both worlds.

For more information about rental prospects and letting properties across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Middlesex please contact your local Frost office.