Property experts at Savills estate agents have revealed the UK’s top 10 most sought-after affluent suburbs right now – and one Bristol neighbourhood has made the list.
While the list of most desirable areas is dominated by spots in the capital city – with half of the top 10 made up of buzzing London suburbs, such as Herne Hill and South Hampstead – other parts of the country are also getting a look in, including Bristol, Oxford and Solihull.
In the South West, just one posh community made the list: Stoke Bishop, which can be found nestled right on the edge of Clifton Down.
The affluent area fell just behind London’s South Hampstead on the list of Britain’s most sought-after areas, and beat the likes of Dorridge in Solihull, and Lisvane in nearby Cardiff, which just missed out on the top 10 list, according to The Telegraph.
It comes as Savills is predicting a swell in mortgaged homeowners looking to relocate, with the suburbs likely to be a core focus when hunting for a new house.
Lucian Cook, from Savills, told The Telegraph: “We predict that second and third steppers are going to increase by 26pc, or 70,000 per year, over the next five years. The suburbs are likely to be a core focus for these buyers.”
And Polly Ogden Duffy, of John D Wood estate agents, added: “This will be driven by stabilised political conditions following the election, and the establishment of a new government, and bolstered by expectations of slow but steadily falling interest rates.”
But just what is it about Stoke Bishop that makes it one of the UK’s most appealing areas? With typical property prices of around £750,000 – against an average household income of just under £125,000 – this neighbourhood certainly isn’t a cheap one.
In fact, in the last few months alone, properties around Stoke Bishop have sold for anything from £355,000 for a three-bedroom, terraced house, to as much as £2.4 million for a five-bedroom detached family home with sizeable gardens.
However, with Clifton Down right on your doorstep, and with iconic Bristol landmarks like the Clifton Suspension Bridge within easy walking distance, it is not hard to see why people would be drawn to this picturesque area to the north-west of Bristol city centre.
In the summer, those living in Stoke Bishop can enjoy plenty of exercise on the Downs, whether this is treating yourself to a personal training session, or simply taking a free walk or run across the large, luscious green space.
There is also the Forwards Festival which has been held on Clifton Down for the last three summers, and this year hosted Bristol’s very own Massive Attack, who headlined the festival with the lowest carbon show of its size ever staged.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a less bustling spot to enjoy some nature, you can easily wander over from Stoke Bishop to Old Sneed Park Nature Reserve, taking in Bishops Knoll Wood on the way.
And if you’ve got a large group of visitors coming, and they’re looking for somewhere nearby to stay, they could treat themselves to luxurious accommodation at Number 38 Clifton, just a short walk across Clifton Down, which just last month became one of the very first places to be awarded a Michelin Key by the Michelin Guide.
The prestigious award is given to “accommodations that stand out for their unique hospitality concept, distinctive character, warm welcome, and extremely high level of service”.
One couple who love living in Stoke Bishop are Steph Fisher, 60, and her husband, according to The Telegraph.
Steph, who resides in a semi-detached house in the area, said: “We love Stoke Bishop for many reasons, with its easy access to so many of Bristol’s green spaces like the Downs, Ashton Court estate, and Leigh Woods.
“The Port of Call pub is less than a mile from the house, and we love the butcher’s Ruby & White on Whiteladies Road, and the Chandos Deli,” she added.