Thanks to its low crime, excellent schools, green spaces, friendly community and all-round great quality of life, Richmond has been crowned by property portal Rightmove as London’s happiest place to live for seven years running.
Add the largest Royal Park, beautiful period homes, the views from Richmond Hill and an easy commute by train, Tube or Overground, and you’ll see why the popularity of this south-west London town hasn’t flagged since Edward III built the first in a succession of long-gone palaces in the 14th century.
However, Richmond housing is staggeringly expensive. The most aspirational addresses include Richmond Green’s Victorian and Georgian villas and townhouses and Richmond Hill, where Mick Jagger has owned a house since the early 1990s. There are also bijou cottages, Victorian terraces, Edwardian houses, conversions and some modern blocks.
Buyers will pay a premium for a London lifestyle with a country feel, says Nick Blair of Dexters, with one-bedroom flats selling from £300,000, two-bedroom apartments from £400,000 and five or six-bedroom houses with gardens for upwards of £2million.
What’s new in the area?
Richmond Square, set in a conservation area about five minutes’ walk from the station and shops, consists of 56 apartments and penthouses arranged around a private landscaped courtyard.
This blend of new builds and conversions in restored historic buildings features handcrafted Italian kitchens with Miele and Siemens appliances, marble tiled bathrooms and underfloor heating throughout.
One and two-bedroom homes are currently available, from £595,000 for a spacious upper ground-floor studio with high ceilings, large windows, a Juliet balcony overlooking the courtyard, built-in wardrobes and a luxurious bathroom with a separate bath and shower, via savills.co.uk.
Energy efficiency is high on the agenda at 63 Sandycombe Road, a gated scheme between Richmond and Kew. Eco-credentials include solar PV panels that provide power to the communal areas; heat recovery and mechanical ventilation systems in each flat and smart heating that can be operated by an app.
All the studio, one and two-bedroom homes have contemporary, handleless kitchens with stone worktops; bathrooms fitted with motion sensor LED mirrors and matt black showers and taps. There is individually controlled underfloor heating in every room.
From £399,950 and Help to Buy is on offer. Check it out on with Anthony Roberts.
What potential buyers need to know about Richmond
Average house price: £1,186,308
Average rent: £3,217 pcm.
Council tax (Band D): £2,021.53
Commuting time to Zone 1: From 20 mins to Waterloo.
Annual Travelcard (Zone 4): £2,208
Amenities: Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Whole Foods Market, upmarket boutiques, independents, chains, artisan markets; great pubs The Roebuck, The Cricketers and The Orange Tree (with its own theatre); Richmond Theatre; two cinemas.
Open space: 2,500-acre Richmond Park; Petersham Meadows; Richmond Green; Thames towpath.
Schools: GCSE and A-level grades well above average; Ofsted rates all local state schools outstanding or good; big range of independents.
Crime: Far lower than average, apart from vehicle offences.
Who lives there? High-earning families.
Schools, crime and house price data supplied by Zoopla.
What’s available on the property ladder?
£475,000
Situated on the top floor of a low-rise development, this one-bedroom apartment has a garage and roof terrace, plus potential to extend into the loft.
Find out more with Dexters.
£1.1 million
This extended two-bedroom, two-bathroom cottage with a courtyard garden and converted loft space is in The Alberts, a peaceful enclave tucked behind Richmond town centre.
Find out more with Anthony Roberts.
£4.8 million
A five-bedroom, three-bathroom period villa overlooking Richmond Green, this elegant home includes a large kitchen/breakfast room, along with three reception rooms.
Find out more with Featherstone Leigh.
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Source: Read Full Article
