Part three of our ‘Britain’s Best Commuter Towns’ series focuses on properties for sale in Chatham. This series focuses on the less obvious commuter hotspots, which tend to have higher house prices. Choose your location carefully and you can enjoy all the benefits of the commuter belt and pay less.
Located in north Kent, Chatham is one of the county’s Medway towns and lies on the A2. Once a naval hub (you won’t have to go far to find an anchor or a cannon monument), Chatham is currently undergoing regeneration and is on track to becoming one of Kent’s new property hotspots.
Here, we take a look at properties for sale in Chatham, identify the area’s amenities and travel links.
What’s so Great about Chatham?
Whilst nearby commuter towns such as Twyford have become eye-wateringly expensive (the average house price here is a £407,000), Chatham offers a much more affordable alternative. The average price for Chatham properties for sale is currently £150,000. The commute is practically painless, at 45 minutes.
Chatham properties for sale are a good bet if you want an affordable alternative to some of Kent’s more traditionally popular towns and villages. The naval industry died in the 1980s and Chatham experienced a decline, but a number of regeneration projects are breathing new life into the formerly tired town.
The old ship yard has been spruced up and turned into a tourist attraction. The Fishing Village – one of the most ambitious housing projects outside London – will provide homes for 2,000 people and a 300-berth marina. Meanwhile, the Universities at Medway scheme is to boost the number of students to 6,000. The town centre is undergoing a facelift, along with the once glorious riverside. Transport, arts, water sports and shopping facilities are all improving.
Chatham properties for sale are ideal for those who want to buy in an area on the up which combines modern town living with countryside and coast.
Housing Stock and Property Prices
The housing stock is largely made up of 1930s and 1960s semi-detached family homes. You’ll find a few Victorian terraces and Georgian town houses too, along with an increasing number of new builds. Bargain hunters should check out the spacious ex-local authority properties for sale in Chatham.
Chatham properties for sale start at around £85,000. For that, you’ll get a two bedroom terraced house in need of some modernisation on Salisbury Road, under one mile from Chatham railway station.
If you want a modern one bedroom flat finished to a high standard, you can expect to pay around £89,000.
Three bedroom terraced houses on Southill Road are also well worth a look. Currently selling for around £125,000, these are a good place to start if you want an older home with easy access to all the local amenities. Three bedroom, 1960s semis on Holly Road in nearby Strood are also worth a look. These sell for around £135,000.
Lordswood and Walderslade are regarded as more desirable areas. Here, you’ll pay around £170,000 for a modern three bedroom family home with parking and gardens.
Transport Links
Fast and frequent trains from Chatham railway station to London Victoria. The journey time is 45 minutes.
Drivers can connect to the M25 via the A2/M2. Gatwick and London City Airports are both under 50 miles away.
Search My Homes Unlimited for a huge range of properties for sale in Chatham.
Sources: Independent.