Moving to Epsom as a London commuter

September is set to be an important time for the Surrey commuter town of Epsom which by then is expecting to have been added to the Oyster travel network.

Outside London this may hardly raise an eyebrow, but in the outer zones of the Capital the Oyster card is an important element of the commuting pack. Inclusion within the Oyster network will reduce the cost of travelling from Epsom to London by £300 a year (for peak time travellers) after the town is added to Zone 6 by the train company that operates the local rail franchise.

The move follows an exhaustive local campaign by local and national politicians, and is likely to make Epsom even more popular. It’s already a hotspot for commuters because it takes just 40 to 45 minutes to get into central London by train from the town, depending on whether you’re travelling to Victoria or Waterloo.

Such benefits have already won it several commuting ‘top 20’ listings including, recently, being ranked the second most popular location for London commuters to buy in, according to industry research.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Epsom is its house prices. Despite being only a few miles from Oxshott, with its football and sporting celebrity residents, and being only 15 miles from central London, Epsom offers relatively affordable homes.

The average price is around 5% below Surrey’s average and two-bedroom new-build apartments can still be had for £275,000 in central Epsom, while £250,000 buys similar but older properties in Epsom Downs.

But it’s really family homes that Epsom is most sought after. Epsom is one of those places where anyone with a burgeoning family would say ‘you get a lot more for your money’. And they’d be correct.

For example, three bedroom period properties start at £400,000 while modern but spacious detached four-bedroom houses start at £650,000. As soon as you venture into the £800,000 price bracket some vast properties are on offer but if you want a period property that’s not too far from the station and with a big garden then you’ll probably be making offers over £1m. The top of the local market is around £2m, with a handful breaking into the £3m+ bracket.

If you are considering acquiring a property in Surrey and would like to know more about how Garrington can expertly guide you please get in touch for a no obligation initial discussion.