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Estate agents - talk to me about transport links

Journalist: John Fitzsimons, Freelance

ended 15. July 2022

I'm writing a piece on transport links and how important a consideration they need to be for property investors looking to purchase a BTL property.

Would love comment on the below, particularly any insights into Elizabeth Line, Manchester Metrolink and HS2


  • To what degree do good transport links boost the desirability and value of properties? Is there a hierarchy here - are rail links better than close proximity to airports, for example?
  • Has the pandemic impacted this situation at all? Has it dented the appeal of areas with good links into cities and towns?
  • How do property investors take advantage of the situation? Is there a point when a property is too close, and so it negates the appeal?
  • Finally, how quickly do investors have to move if there is new transport infrastructure being built? Do they need to get in as early as possible, or are there still opportunities once the transport link is up and running?

3 responses from the Newspage community

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Andrew SimmondsVerified
Director at Parker's Estate Agents
In North Somerset we are experiencing a true shift in property purchasers moving from not only out of the local City of Bristol, but from further afield including London. We have fantastic transport links, direct rail routes to London Paddington and an expanding international airport; all in the rural idyl which all makes for a desirable place to live! As a result we haven seen exponential price increases in the area. The pandemic started the realisation that working remotely is viable for many and that has made many families re-assess their living arrangements, especially if they can move close to relatives rather than spending all their time in the City. Investors are benefitting in this area too; with rental demand increasing and properties that are close to the mainline station(s) seeing the true benefit of the demand. There are always opportunities for acquiring property in close proximity to the transport links but as with everything, as time goes on the values continue to grow.
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Rob Gill0
Managing Director at Altura Mortgage Finance
Long before it was the Elizabeth Line, Cross Rail was the buzzword in property hotspots from East to West. From urban Woolwich in South East London, through to leafy Taplow in Buckinghamshire, estate agents reported a surge in interest in homes and investment properties along the proposed train line. New transport links, especially those as transformative as the Elizabeth Line, will always create interest in nearby locations.
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Ashley ThomasVerified
Director at Magni Finance
When you are looking to purchase in London, one of the most desirable aspects is proximity to a tube station. The closer you are the better. If you look to buy a property within a 5 minute walk you will pay a premium. With new transport links, the sooner you buy the more chance you have of getting a in before a significant increase in prices. It is no surprise demand for areas on the new Elizabeth Line increased when they started work on the consruction.