Why move to Surrey?
From the lifestyle on offer, the ease of commuting, the large properties, the rural setting and the many family friendly regions within the county – when asked why move to Surrey there are a number of good reasons.
Surrey Lifestyle: What to expect living in Surrey
The Surrey lifestyle is one that attracts many to move to the county each year, whether they’re leaving London or perhaps coming from another of the home counties; the way of life available to residents is sought after.
More than just a ‘commuter county’ Surrey is filled with green spaces and has more wooded areas than any other county in the UK; if you’re looking to find a home with ready access to the countryside it’s highly likely that there’s a property in Surrey for you.
Family life in Surrey
Some of the top schools in the UK are located in Surrey making it ever popular with families. Not only are the schooling options across the county second to none but the access to the outdoors on offer in Surrey is more impressive than most of the counties within realistic commuting distance of London.
Towns and villages in Surrey are known for their strong communities; self-contained bubbles of residents who group together organising village fetes, annual shows and so on. There is always the opportunity to make new friends locally, those relocating to Surrey are often attracted by the ability to join a community and make connections with neighbours – this welcoming nature and the continued support found in local communities is one of the reasons so many families choose to stay once they move to Surrey.
Towns in Surrey
Surrey’s larger towns such as Woking, Farnham and Guildford are all popular places to live.
Woking
Woking train station is one of the busiest commuter stations in the region with many residents of both the town and surrounding villages using the station to reach London each day; the fastest service from Woking into London Waterloo takes just under 30 minutes, trains run regularly.
Not only is Woking popular with commuters there are also many impressive companies based in and around the town; the largest employer in Woking is McLaren, which is responsible for McLaren racing including the Formula One team and McLaren automotive.
Farnham
Farnham is a popular market town and home to a number of long-established independent retailers including Elphicks department store, Rangers Furnishing Stores and Pullingers Art Shop.
Farnham is notable for the number of Georgian properties, along with Victorian and Edwardian homes too. Farnham Castle, originally built in the 12th century, sits over the town and is now an established venue for weddings, private hire and meetings.
Guildford
Particularly well known for its exemplary schools, Guildford has long been popular with families moving to Surrey. The top schools in Guildford include Guildford High School, Royal Grammar School and Tormead School.
Guildford has two railway stations, the main station being on the Portsmouth line which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, offering direct services to those stations and to locations such as Reading.
Rural Surrey
Surrey is filled with chocolate-box villages tucked away in the countryside, many off the beaten path. As with many of the most desirable parts of Surrey, several of the villages in Surrey are filled with exclusive homes such as Cobham and Oxshott where grand detached homes set within their own grounds often on private roads, dotted around the fringes of these sought after villages.
Along with Cobham and Oxshott, villages that are frequently included in our clients’ searches and are constantly in high demand due to the idyllic lifestyle on offer include Ripley, Chobham and Cranleigh.
Ripley is known for its strong community, with regular events run on the large village green, a regular, award-winning farmer’s market and coffee shops and several popular, historic pubs whilst being just 40-minutes’ drive from London.
Chobham offers residents a very rural setting with the ability to reach London by car in under an hour and being a very short distance from Woking there’s easy access to London Waterloo too. Chobham has a thriving village high street and several active sports clubs.
Whilst Cranleigh is a large village it has retained its charming character, there is a strong local community with regular events through the year, excellent local schools and immediate access to the Surrey countryside which surrounds the village.
Property in Surrey
Surrey property ranges from historic timber built homes deep in the countryside, to large, modern mansions within the M25. The property in Surrey is varied in age and type, from the bustling commuter towns, the areas within easy reach of the universities, the quiet villages preferred by those who enjoy a peaceful life and the neighbourhoods which are ideal for family life.
For the most part though, wherever you are looking in Surrey, you will have easy access to London, simple routes available to reach several airports, the UK motorway network only a short distance from your home, exemplary schools within commutable distance and an abundance of green space within the vicinity of your home. It is for these reasons, amongst many, that property in Surrey is in such high demand and that prices might seem to be inflated when compared to property in other home counties.
Garrington’s team of Surrey property finders have a wealth of experience assisting clients from finding the perfect home in an area where homes for sale are not advertised and only those ‘in the know’ are privy to opportunities, to helping clients navigate the Surrey property market in order to decide which location will work best to suit their lifestyle and property preferences.
Our Surrey office is one of our busiest, with private clients seeking our assistance to source the very best property to meet their requirements, often discreetly on their behalf. If you’d like to discuss your plans to move to Surrey, share your property requirements and learn more about our property finding services please do contact us.
