Kirstie and Phil find out the latest goings on in the world of property, with some must-have news for first time buyers, the eco home lowdown and an essential guide to buying in Luton and the Home Counties.
In this week's Location, Location, Location, Phil and Kirstie met the lovely Zena and helped her to find herself a fantastic future house. But what else is on offer in and around Luton? Kirstie's sister Sofie Allsopp set off to find out.
Convenient transport links are what the north-west quarter of the home counties are all about. With three railway stations serving Luton alone, in 30 minutes you can be standing in London St Pancreas International. And with both the M1 and M25 easily accessible, this is prime commuter belt for the London overspill. But for some reason Luton itself has been left on platform undesirable. Why? Let's look at what it's up against.
The home county towns of St Albans, Dunstable and Harpenden may be just a few miles from Luton but they're a whole world apart. On the one hand this area offers gracious yet costly country living. Outside of London, St Albans is one of the most expensive places to buy a home in the UK, with an average house price that's more than 70 per cent higher than the national average. They might as well put up a sign saying 'first time buyers: don't bother'. The average house price in St Albans is a whopping £358,099.
The bumpy alternative, Luton, offers urban bustle and bargain basement living. It’s certainly not the place to buy serious high end property. Since 2002 only one home has sold for over a million in Luton. 62 have sold in nearby St Albans.
One obvious reason why Luton lags behind its country cousins is its comparative lack of semi-rural loveliness.
So, is it all doom and gloom? Certainly not! Luton is one of the cheapest places to buy within a 30 mile radius of London. And that is one very good reason to check out what really is on offer. At £183,435, the average house price in Luton is almost six thousand below the national figure making it a serious option for buyers priced out of the capital or the surrounding home counties.
But it's also worth noting that this old hat-making industrial town is undergoing massive regeneration. And developers who previously never set foot outside London are buying up land in huge quantities, another sign of Luton's changing status.
The final reason for loving Luton is right on its doorstep. It ain't quiet and it’s not particularly pretty but London Luton Airport might be one of the biggest plusses for the area. If you are willing to suspend your carbon footprint worries for a moment, a home in Luton means you could be sunning yourself in Nice, Malaga or Palma de Majorca in under three hours - an attractive proposition to the growing army of budget jet setters.
This commuter town is definitely on the up and its affordability makes it the perfect first step for anyone who wants to get their foot on the property ladder.
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