Buying property in Sutton

Sutton real estate: a fast-growing property investment hotspot in South London

Sutton is an extremely liveable town in South West London that is undergoing extensive regeneration, which is set to boost its property market and make it an even more exciting property investment hotspot for overseas investors.

Outstanding green spaces, cultural facilities and a village-like feel

As the principal town in the London Borough of Sutton, this area is very green with tree-lined streets and a number of parks. Sutton Green has open grassland, while Manor Park is a small but picturesque town centre park with a playground, outdoor gym and café. In Sutton, residents also have the Surrey Hills right on their doorstep.

The town is a popular location for people who want to be able to easily access the buzz of Central London but live in an area that’s quieter and slower-paced. This makes Sutton an appealing area for a higher quality of living.

Additionally, the town has a range of attractive amenities and facilities on offer. With a village-like feel, Sutton High Street is the main area of shopping, providing access to restaurants offering food from around the world and a mix of big-name retailers and independent shops.

UNO Tapas, Village Charcoal Grill and The Cock & Bull are some of the top restaurants located on the high street. There are even two covered shopping centres, St Nicholas Centre and Times Square. St Nicholas Centre is home to Empire Cinemas, a handful of cafes and a new artisan market that will be held on the first weekend of each month.

The town of Sutton also has six main works of public art dotted around the town centre, including three murals and three sculptures. There is a live music venue called The Sound Lounge and an entertainment venue called the Secombe Theatre, providing a range of events.

Sutton is becoming a hotspot of professionals and families

Situated in Zone 5, Sutton has a railway station with frequent services to Clapham Junction, London Victoria, London Bridge, Wimbledon and towns in Surrey. It takes about 30 minutes to get into Central London on the train.

Because of these transport links, Sutton is a popular location for commuting professionals. Sutton is also located just 10 miles from Charing Cross railway station, which provides additional connections across London and the wider region and country.

There are job opportunities right in Sutton as well, particularly in the filming industry and health and research sectors. The Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research are located in the southern part of the town.

While the area is popular for professionals, it’s also an exciting area for families. In addition to the attractive green spaces, the borough of Sutton is one of the highest performing education authorities across the country.

The borough even recorded the eighth highest percentage of schools in England rated ‘Outstanding” by Ofsted. And the town is home to the majority of the borough’s top schools, including Manor Park Primary Academy and Sutton Grammar School.

Regeneration and development set to boost Sutton

Sutton has been identified as one of the 14 metropolitan centres in the London Plan. The town and wider borough are a key area for development. Regeneration and development projects are expected to push up house prices, improve liveability for residents and bring more people to the area.

One of the most significant regeneration projects in London is The London Cancer Hub, which is located in Sutton. It’s a global centre for cancer innovation, bringing 10,000 scientists and clinical and support staff to the area.

Additionally, a new Innovation Gateway, which is an incubator space for life-science companies, is also helping create the world’s leading district for cancer research, treatment and commercial enterprise.

Sutton’s housing market and property investment prospects

Most of Sutton falls under the SM1 postcode area, but some areas are part of SM2 and SM3. The most central part of Sutton features predominantly Victorian architecture and is a conservation area, and there are Edwardian homes dotted around the town centre as well.

Across Sutton, there are also more recent architecture styles, such as art deco and modern. With regeneration and development schemes on the way, contemporary new-build apartment buildings are now popping up too.

One of the major benefits of buying property in Sutton is the lower property prices, particularly when compared to other areas of Greater London. Over the past year, Sutton had an overall average house price of £495,704, according to data from Rightmove. Sold prices were 6% up on the previous year and 16% up on the 2019 peak of £428,801.

The majority of sales during the past year were flats, and these sold for an average price of £290,575, providing more affordable investment opportunities. On top of lower prices, buyers, investors and renters alike can often get larger properties and more space for less.

The basics of the Borough of Sutton

The Borough of Sutton features a whopping 89 parks and open spaces, taking up a total of 1,500 acres. Some of the largest parks are Oaks Park and Nonsuch Park, and there are also a significant number of nature reserves and two historic lavender fields. This, combined with its low crime rates, make it a particularly appealing area to live.

Many of the small districts within the borough still boast village-like atmospheres that are not found in Central London. Additionally, it has a thriving economy, bringing more and more business and professionals to the area. The borough is home to nearly 200,000 residents and over 6,800 businesses.

Sutton also has more than 50 designated development sites in its planning policy and around 150 in its draft Local Plan, of which 47 are in Sutton Town Centre. All of these factors culminate to make the Borough of Sutton an exciting property investment hotspot for overseas investors, and particularly the town of Sutton itself.