Home searches near train stations jump amid return to offices
After more than a year of working from home offices, bedrooms, and kitchen tables, the gradual return to offices has begun.
Searches for homes near Chelmsford Station double
Chelmsford station, where the average price of buying a home is £400,626, is top of list. Searches for homes near this Essex hub have seen a 107% increase from June to August this year, as more people gradually returned to their morning commute, at least for part of the week.
Sittingbourne Station, an hour’s train commute from London, saw a rise of 47% in buyer searches, while Crewe, just under an hour from Birmingham, saw a jump of 32%.
Meanwhile, two of the stations in the top 10, Liverpool Lime Street and Southampton Central, are in central city locations, suggesting a desire from some to live closer to work.
Top 10 stations by buyer search increase (outside London)
| Station | Jump in buyer searches: Jun-Aug 2021 |
|---|---|
| 1. Chelmsford station | +107% |
| 2. Liverpool Lime Street Station | +59% |
| 3. Sittingbourne Station | +47% |
| 4. Crewe Station | +32% |
| 5. Hassocks Station | +32% |
| 6. MediaCityUK Tram Stop | +32% |
| 7. Southampton Central Station | +30% |
| 8. Chesterfield Station | +30% |
| 9. Folkestone West Station | +27% |
| 10. Kettering Station | +26% |
Our property expert Tim Bannister says: “Although some stations such as Chelmsford are always popular, the notable increase from June to August suggests the growing importance of the morning commute for those who don’t work locally.
“While the demand to relocate or search for more space has by no means gone away, the numbers suggest that this will need to be balanced with easy transport access on office days, which has understandably been lower on the agenda for many over the last eighteen months.”
Most searched for stations (outside London)
| Station |
|---|
| 1. Chelmsford Station |
| 2. Reading Station |
| 3. St. Albans Station |
| 4. Tunbridge Wells Station |
| 5. Brighton Station |
| 6. Milton Keynes Central Station |
| 7. Guildford Station |
| 8. Surbiton Station |
| 9. Romford Station |
| 10. Didsbury Village Station |
New stations open in London
Meanwhile, the opening of Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station on 20th September has provided more commuter choice in the capital. Searches for Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station soared by 206% on the opening day, compared to the previous Monday.
READ MORE: What can £300,000 buy across Britain?
The header image for this article is provided courtesy of Period Homes, Ingatestone
