Why London Commuters Are Choosing Teddington As A Place To Live
Living in central London is notoriously costly. For those not willing to absorb the property prices or the huge cost of renting, the answer lies in commuting from the outskirts. And Teddington, with its pleasant Victorian avenues, riverside views, charming coffee culture, and 35-minute overland train journey into Waterloo, has become one of the places Londoners are choosing to set up home.
Getting More For Your Money
The Financial Times states that Teddington is the cheapest riverside location to live south-west of the city. To determine what you can spend on a house purchase, you could use a mortgage calculator provided by Trussle, for example, as this will consider a number of factors; including how many people will be repaying the mortgage and provide calculations based on type, term, and interest rate.
According to Homes and Property, an average one-bedroom flat would cost £350,167 pounds in 2018 compared with a four-bedroom house costing £1m. In the first half of 2019, the average house price in the town was £725,000.
Avoiding The Inner City Price Stagnation
Teddington enjoys many of the things that attract central Londoners to property in the city but boasts better value in comparison to other favoured out-of-city homesteads like Richmond. It hasn’t suffered the price falls like central London either. One of The Times’ “best places to live in 2019”, the conversion of the town’s film studios (once home to Morecombe and Wise and The Benny Hill Show) into luxury flats has meant one of its much-loved industrial icons has become another draw for buyers and renters wanting character and contemporary sophistication, without the elevated inner-city cost.
Choice
While popular with families, and thus three- and four-bedroom properties, Teddington has diversified its offer over recent years with some of its historic houses knocked down to be turned into modern, luxury flats. For example, £650,000 could get you a riverside flat with two bedrooms in The Wharf development. The building boom during the Victorian and Edwardian eras, in the form of terraces that remain today, means Teddington’s sense of history is still alive. It also means buyers or renters have the luxury of choosing between properties past and present while being able to consider their budget between the costlier riverside locale or the terraced streets off the front.
Convenience
Perhaps Teddington’s biggest allure for London commuters is its 35-minute overland train journey into Waterloo. Even the bus journey is handy (45 minutes to Hammersmith). And by car, you’re just 20 minutes from Heathrow airport too. A blossoming commercial economy, which also includes a top-class media and science hub, has also seen small and medium-sized businesses set up here, capturing both the leafy, countryside appeal with the practicality of having central London a stone’s throw away.
While Teddington offers an attractive place to live by virtue of its picturesque setting and appealing balance of history and contemporary living, London commuters have sensed their money can go further without having to abandon careers in the city.