On the right track for great property prices

WE’VE all suffered that Sunday evening feeling when the reality of the Monday morning commute starts to loom.

Whether you’re faced with a packed train, a busy motorway or the crazy traffic-dodging that comes with cycling to work, the daily commute is both a necessary evil and, at the same time, something that can hold significant influence over property prices.

Over the past decade, the overall number of commutes nationwide have fallen in line with the rise of flexible working, self-employment and technological advancements which make remote working easier.

However, the impact that a strong transport infrastructure has on influencing home movers simply cannot be underestimated – after all, people still need to get to work - at least sometimes!

In the past, a short commuting time was often important.

Nowadays, however, with the requirement to commute on a daily basis lessening, a greater choice of housing stock opens up as people become more amenable to the notion of living further away from their normal workplace.

Here in Stroud we see a real mix of workers.

There continues to be a strong backbone of those who both live and work locally, but this is increasingly combined with greater numbers who chose to live in this wonderful area whilst working further afield in places like Bristol and even London.

Indeed, the number of residents who work in London appears to increase all the time and I believe this is linked to the fact that coming home to Stroud allows people to enjoy the beautiful countryside, vibrant arts and music scene, the fantastic farmers market and, of course, the outstanding level of local schooling.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, here in Gloucestershire the most popular mode of commuting remains driving.

This made up 71 per cent of all household commutes in the last census and, unlike much of the rest of the country, actually appears to be increasing.

No doubt this is in line with commuters who have further to travel.

What this means is that homes either within easy access of train stations; which have their own dedicated parking spaces; or which enjoy proximity to the road network are almost always popular choices with purchasers of working age.

However, nowadays, it’s not just transport connectivity which makes a home attractive - strong broadband connectivity will also be particularly important, especially for workers who want to work from home more often!

So, if you’re in the market for a new home in and around Stroud and want to check out the strength of both the local physical and cyber infrastructures, then why not pop in to your local Andrews’ branch on King Street to speak with our team of local experts who can advise you and, maybe, help make the commute to work just a little easier to bear.

Otherwise, visit andrewsonline.co.uk where plenty of advice on choosing your next home is available.