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With house prices booming across the commuter belt, research has shown that the average buyer could now save £250,000 on house prices by moving just one stop along the Northwestern train line.

According to Zoopla, semi-detached homes in Berkhamsted sold for an average of £738,594 in the last 12 months[1] yet moving one stop along the Northwestern line to Leighton Buzzard, the average detached home sold for just £488,738[2].

Despite being only 32 minutes from London Euston, buyers in Leighton Buzzard are saving a staggering nearly £300,000 compared to purchasers in London.

The commuter belt, which includes the home counties and parts of Sussex, has been rising in popularity as workers return to the office, with 92% of companies having some form of mandatory in-office policy[3]. The proportion of people leaving small towns or villages to move to commuter areas rose to 41 per cent in 2023, up from 31 per cent in 2022[4].

Leighton Buzzard has proved particularly popular with buyers thanks to its fast trains into the capital and easy access to the M1 and A5.

Marc Woolfe, Sales and Marketing Director at Barratt David Wilson North Thames, said: “For buyers commuting in and out of the city, frequent train lines have made it feasible for aspiring buyers to look outside of the capital. Reaching Euston, St. Pancras, King’s Cross and Liverpool Street in half an hour, buyers in the Home Counties can often reach central London quicker than their friends in Zones 3 or 4, while enjoying a lower cost of living.

“Aspiring buyers should look along train lines to find affordable homes that offer the best of both country and city living, with the added benefit of a garden and green space on the doorstep, which simply would not be feasible within London postcodes.”

Barratt Homes has just launched its new phase of 3- and 4-bedroom energy efficient homes at Clipstone Park in Leighton Buzzard with prices starting from £384,995. For more information visit www.barratthomes.co.uk or www.dwh.co.uk.

[1] Zoopla Average House prices in Berkhamsted[2] Zoopla Average House prices in Leighton Buzzard[3] Virgin Media O2 Annual Movers Index[4] Hamptons Market Insight Spring 2023, Commuterville

Buyers risk paying double in commuter belt boom