Covid was the time when every country-dweller had a dream of moving to another city. Around 700,000 Londoners left London in order to enjoy the better life.
Cornwall is the most popular place to search on Rightmove. Meanwhile, Cotswolds searches more than doubled.
But it was not just the two most expensive places that were popular.
Escape to the country: Llangollen on the River Dee in Denbighshire, North Wales, is popular with tourists
Hamptons Estate Agents found four areas that were relatively unknown and have experienced remarkable price rises for 2020-2021.
Daventry is in high demand Price growth 17 per cent
Daventry in West Northamptonshire is a charming market town but it is unlikely that anyone would call it a beauty. Hamptons might have mistakenly named Daventry the No.1 hotspot.
Natasha Cawsey of Laurence Tremayne estate agent says, “Absolutely no.” “Our data show a growth rate of around 30% in the last 18 months.
“Daventry is a great place to live, but the prices are much lower than those of Warwickshire or Oxfordshire.”
Daventry’s villages are another attraction. Braunston, located high above the canals has a bustling marina. Everdon, meanwhile, is beautiful.
Jonathan Harrington, a property agent and search agent says that these beautiful villages are 30% cheaper than the Cotswolds. They are ideal for those who prefer to work remotely because they have great communications.
The Desired Denbighshire Price growth 15 per cent
Covid is the main reason for Denbighshire’s extraordinary price rise. This low-profile North Wales county stretches inland to the Irish Sea.
‘Nearly all my buyers in the past 18 months have been southerners in search of open space,’ says Mark Gilbertson of Fine & Country.
“They can leave here and meet no one, which gives them a sense of security.”
Simon Jenkins, National Trust Chairman of Ruthin, has described Ruthin to be ‘the most charming town in Wales’.
Llangollen is a popular tourist destination with its vibrant craft on the River Dee and canal.
Gilbertson claims that Denbighshire has grown to be so beloved, that wealthy buyers have hired helicopters as a means to quickly view these homes.
Rutland rockets Price growth 14 per cent
Rutland may be England’s smallest county and is located in East Midlands. But, property prices have skyrocketed since lockdowns.
‘Lots of our buyers have looked first in the Cotswolds,’ says Jan von Draczek, of Fine & Country estate agents.
“Finding nothing for sale, they expanded their search and discovered Rutland.
Rutland Water in England is the largest and most popular reservoir. This water source can be used to fish and for other watersports.
Rutland Water is the biggest reservoir in England and is very popular among birdwatchers. It can be used for fishing and watersports.
Stone cottages can be found in villages, many with collyweston slate roofs.
Barrowden, with its Grade II-listed church, is charming while Exton with its green overlooked by the Fox & Hounds pub is pure chocolate box.
Peterborough lies 50 minutes from King’s Cross, and is easily reachable for large parts of Rutland.
Vale of Glamorgan Value: Price growth 14 per cent
You won’t see a signpost for Vale of Glamorgan if you drive west on the M4. However, this stretch of land west of Cardiff has experienced the greatest property price appreciation in Wales.
Robert Calcaterra of HRT Estate agents says that the Vale was always home to businessmen who are based in Cardiff. ‘Now we are also getting incomers from London who snap up the £1 million-plus homes.’
Cowbridge — with its hotel, The Bear, where Tom Jones stops for a pint when he is home — oozes affluence and nearby you find pretty villages like Bonvilston, St Hilary and Llantwit Major before you hit the beautiful Heritage Coast.
Warning: 70% of the homes on this market are currently under contract.
