The Neighbourhood
Surrey lies to the South West of England and is home to the most race courses of any home county. The county also has 141 golf courses and, apart from Inner London, it has the highest property values in the country.
The county is
The different parts of Surrey all have varying property prices as well as different schools and play home to different businesses but there is no doubt that most parts of the county are becoming increasingly popular for people not wanting to live right in the city.
The Trends
In the last 10 years, the property prices in Surrey have risen by 31% and have become fourteen times higher than the average salary.
The growth in the value of properties in the area began to level out in 2017, though, after the post Brexit drop in the property market. However, there are some commercial properties in Surrey that still reach well into the millions.
Property Spotlight: Mayfield Lavender
Mayfield Lavender is an organic lavender farm on the Surrey Downs. The fields of lavender are open to the public to visit during the summer months and the lavender is harvested to make lavender oil.
This area was historically home to lavender farms and the industry had thrived in the 18th and 19th centuries. The 25 acres of farmland is where the Victorian site was originally situated.
Visitors flock to the lavender fields from June to September when the flowers are in bloom with its easy access to London. The farm is also reachable by public transport, which has also influenced the popularity of the farm as an attraction in Surrey.
Due to the proximity of the city, there are quite a few farms in Surrey that take advantage of a second income through attracting tourists and visitors from the city
The area has also seen a trend of ‘hobby farmers’ buying agricultural land in the area. These are farmers who have disposable income enough to buy farmland in Surrey in order to live the farming life rather than choosing to farm as a sole career and source of income.
Area Spotlight: Surrey Hills
The Surrey Hills are an Area of Outstanding Beauty and are a part of the South East of England’s countryside and cover a quarter of the county. The area is 422 km sq and it’s the highest summit is 294m.
The hills are a popular site for walking, running and cycling due to their accessibility and beauty. The vast expanse of the hills also means that there is a wide variety of countryside including chalky downs, rich grasslands and woodlands.
The Surrey Hills Area of Natural Beauty was created in 1958 and, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of this event, there was a renewed focus on the hills as a destination for visitors.
Is this area for you?
The fact that Surrey is so close to London means that there are many people who consider the move out of the city to the countryside an attractive proposition as there is the option to commute.
A move to Surrey from London is not necessarily going to be an option that saves you money, though. The property prices in some areas of Surrey are high and the added cost of train fare into the city can mount up to more monthly costs than some of the South West suburbs of London.
What you will get, however, is larger pieces of land which means bigger gardens and there are options in Surrey that will be a much better ‘value for money’ option than places in the Greater London county.
There is no doubt, however, that the county is one of the most picturesque in England and there are several villages in Surrey that have made the Country Life list of Best Places to Live.
Commuter life is certainly not the only reason that people are moving to Surrey. There are plenty of business opportunities that are available within the county and, especially if your business requires more land, this could be a great option for you.
The links with London allow your business access to the city but you will also be able to take advantage of the residents of the county who, increasingly, have good amounts of disposable income.
If more space and less manic city life
