St Albans is regularly cited as one of the most desirable places to live within Hertfordshire. With a population of around 147,000 people, property is often in high demand, and in a buoyant climate, the right property in a sought-after area doesn’t often stay on the market for long!

Speak to most residents locally and you will hear a familiar story of people moving to the area when they were newly married or expecting their first child to escape the shoe box London City lifestyle, in search of the promised land of more property for your money, that first home together, green open spaces and neighbours who actually smile at one another!

Often week after week we see potential buyers, fresh off the train from the big smoke popping into the office to ask us about the local area and what they might get for their money locally.

So, here are a few reasons why St Albans may be a good choice for your next move

1)   Easy Commute to Central London

Easily cited as one of the most common reasons that people who commute will tell you they chose St Albans as their weekend haven from “that London”, the great transport links mean that those who want to enjoy the benefits of living in the leafy suburbs can rest safe in the knowledge that their office and that city lifestyle is often only a 20-30 minute train journey away. With on average 15 trains per hour into the capital, all being well and if you’re happy with standing room only, it’s usually a doable journey into the office from the local train station, with the option of parking at the station, or on local drives rented out by capitalising property owners.

2)   Great Travel Links for easy access around the UK

St Albans has the fortune (or misfortune, depending how you look at it) or being situated around the junction where the M1 motorway which runs from London and up to the North of the UK and Scotland meets the M25, the ring road which navigates around Greater London but also offers easy junctions down to the South and West Country, and Wales. So, from the perspective of being able to get to different parts of the country easily, it’s a regular traveller dream location! Of course, the reality of regular heavy traffic, and variable speed limit cameras everywhere may suggest otherwise, but in terms of location, St Albans is a great option if you need to be able to travel to other UK locations easily.

Add in the ease of Luton Airport only around a 15 minute drive, and Heathrow and Stanstead Airports within easy driving distance and St Albans does mean that you can be easily well connected to a whole host of destinations very easily, yet another great big tick in the box for reasons to live I St Albans.

3)    Great Schooling Options

St Albans and the surrounding areas boast some of the best primary and secondary schools in Herts, with ample options for private school education also. Some schools are so popular that catchment areas barely stretch more than a few hundred metres from the school! Rumours fly around of parents renting next to the school just to get their children into the school, before moving to a property further away just a few months later. The reality is that whilst some schools are more popular than others in the town, pupils have access to very good educational options in comparison to other areas of the count.

Multitude of Pubs & Restaurants to choose from

A historic market city, St Albans was back in yester-year, on average around a day’s coach travel and the first stop from London. With its colourful history of coaching inns, St Albans claims to boast the most pubs per square mile. Whilst nowadays, some of the city’s pubs have fallen victim to rising rent hikes and falling trade, there is still a huge selection of pubs to suit all tastes, with many retaining original architectural features to admire as you enjoy your chosen tipple of a summer’s afternoon or escape the cold on a winters evening!

Additionally, St Albans offers access to pretty much every kind of food choice you could wish for. Whether it’s Italian, Greek Turkish, British, Indian, Japanese or even just a whole restaurant dedicated to Desserts, there’s an eatery in St Albans for you and in a multitude of price brackets too!

Sense of Community

Whereas in London or other cities you may go for days without seeing a neighbour or friendly face, and trying to make friends may have been tricky, in St Albans, although it’s a fairly small city, there are a multitude of smaller communities within the city too which all have their own vibe and community feel, with lots of opportunities to meet new people and activities to suit all ages and tastes.

Whether you move to Holywell, Marshalswick, The Camp Estate, St Peters, St Michaels, Cotton Mill, Verulam Estate, Highfield, Jersey Farm, or neighbouring villages on the outskirts of the city including London Colney,  Colney Heath, Sandridge and Chiswell Green, we can guarantee that you’ll soon feel at home in any part of the city you decide to move to!

If you would like further advice or info on the local area, or you are looking to sell, buy or rent in the local area then we’d love to chat! Give us a call on 01727 221290 or pop into the office to see us!