London's Zone 5 homes hotspots: thinking of moving? These are the areas you need to know about...

Daniel Lynch
Lizzie Rivera|Sophie Warner14 September 2016

House prices in Zone 5 are rising faster than anywhere else in London for the first time in ten years, according to the latest data from Countrywide.

This is largely due to a surge in demand as homebuyers priced out of more central parts of the capital search for homes in more affordable areas with regeneration and transport improvements.

London's suburbs offer some of the best chances for first-timers to get onto the property ladder, as well as families looking for bigger homes, with gardens, and a more peaceful pace of life within commuting distance of the city centre.

"The extension of the underground northwards and the railway southwards has helped new suburbs spring up," says Fionnuala Earley, research director at Countrywide.

"They were built for Londoners looking to swap the grimy inner city for a cleaner and greener lifestyle a little further out."

The most in-demand Zone 5 boroughs are Bexley in the south-east, Sutton in the south-west and Enfield in the north-east, according to online estate agent eMoov.

"These outer pockets all offer a variety of property, plenty of parks and residential spaces," says eMoov founder Russell Quirk. "High demand will often result in a price hike, so these are the areas to watch where value increase is concerned, particularly over the next year or so."

Take a tour of the Zone 5 areas in the gallery above to find out more...

Lifestyle

Zone 5 takes in a whole host of towns and villages that are popular with families and young professionals.

Croydon in south London, for example, is currently in the middle of a £1 billion regeneration plan with a Westfield-style shopping centre and a trendy Shoreditch-style Boxpark in the works.

In the south-west London borough of Richmond, Whitton offers a mix of a buzzing and relaxed country lifestyle. Home to Premership rugby team Harlequins, match days draw huge crowds to the area with food stalls and pop-up bars.

Barnet in north London also offers the best of both worlds with a pretty common and 30-minute commutes to the City.

Often used as a filming location, nearby Pinner also has a strong sense of community making it perfect for families.


Scroll through the gallery above to find out more...

Schools

Zone 5 offers a range of highly-regarded schools offering state and private education.


Families head to Twickenham, for example, for an abundance of excellent state schools rated "outstanding" by Ofsted inspectors.


Good local state schools are also of the main draws for families thinking of relocating Bexleyheath.
 

Alternatively, some of the country's leading public schools are located in Harrow, while a private performing arts school in Barnet boasts late singer Amy Winehouse as a former pupil.

Scroll through the gallery above to find out more...

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