Areas of Surrey: Buy-to-Let Property Investment Hotspots
Surrey is known as one of the most prosperous parts of the UK. Surrey is a favourite with major national and multinational companies, affluent London commuters and millionaires alike. So what are the best places to invest in property and buy to let in Surrey?
Why Invest in Surrey?
Surrey is one of the largest counties by population with only Essex and Kent being larger. Surrey has a population of around 1.19 million people.
Surrey stretches from the outskirts of London out into the North Downs and Surrey Hills. Some parts of Surrey are built up and urban while other parts are very rural. Over a fifth of Surrey is woodland.
The county town of Surrey is considered to be Guildford. However, Kingston upon Thames (which is a London borough) has historically been the base for Surrey County Council. The council has recently moved its headquarters to Reigate.
The economy of Surrey is based around high-value industries including financial services, IT, electronics, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and research. A large number of national and multinational companies have their head offices in Surrey.
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Surrey is one of the most prosperous parts of the UK. According to the UK Prosperity Index the Borough of Waverley which includes Godalming, Haslemere and Farnham is the most prosperous borough in the country. Surrey’s prosperity is reflected in the property prices and rents here.
Many parts of Surrey have excellent transport links. Major roads serving Surrey include the M3, M23 and M25 motorways and the A3, A31, A23 and A24 roads. Parts of Surrey also have good access to London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports, so are popular places to live for those who travel abroad frequently or who work in aviation.
Good accessibility means several parts of Surrey are very attractive to London commuters. Surrey towns and villages which are within 30-60 minutes of London Waterloo or London Victoria are usually the most attractive to London commuters. These areas usually have higher property prices and higher rents as a result.
Student accommodation opportunities can be found in Guildford, Surrey, where the University of Surrey is located.
Property Values in Surrey
House prices in the southeast of England, of which Surrey is a part, are the highest in the UK outside London. The average house price in the southeast is around £337,000 according to HM Land Registry figures.
Surrey generally is a higher-priced part of the country in which to invest in property. Surrey has many exclusive areas where house prices can run into several million pounds. However, there are still some cheaper property hotspots in Surrey, so offering investors the opportunity to find good value and strong yields.
The most expensive large town in Surrey is Walton-on-Thames. The cheapest place to invest in property in Surrey is Camberley.
According to Zoopla, while the most expensive houses in Surrey cost around £15 million it is possible to find investment property in Surrey starting at around £100,000.
Rental Demand in Surrey
Surrey has a large and varied rental market. It offers every type of buy-to-let opportunity to property investors. There is demand from locals, London commuters, those moving out of London and those coming to work in Surrey.
Although property prices can be high Surrey also offers high rental income potential. An average property in most parts of Surrey will earn an investor at least £1,000 per month in rent.
Surrey can offer attractive yields for property investors. According to property xyz investors should obtain a yield of at least 4.2% and up to 6% on average across the county. Investors can use property xyz to find the highest yields in Surrey.
Property Investment in Surrey
Here’s our guide to property investment in some of the largest towns in the county of Surrey.
Banstead
Population: 16,600 approximately
Average House Price: £434,985 (Reigate and Banstead district)
Banstead is in Surrey but on the fringes of Greater London, with central London being only around 13 miles away. It is relatively semi-rural and villagey for a location so close to London. It is part of Reigate and Banstead borough.
Banstead is commutable to London although the train service takes around 55 minutes. Banstead is also a popular residential spot with those who work in south London areas such as Sutton and Croydon.
To the southeast of Banstead the small town of Caterham, in the Tandridge district, is also a popular commuter location.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Banstead is currently £1,399 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Banstead are up to 2.8% based on the SM7 postcode area according to property xyz.
Camberley
Population: 38,000 approximately
Average House Price: £389,887 (Surrey Heath district)
Camberley is a small town located directly on the M3 motorway around 30 miles southwest of London. It is close to the county borders with Berkshire and Hampshire and forms an urban area with the small town of Frimley nearby.
Camberley is best known for the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, which is located nearby.
Although Camberley has its own local employment it is a popular residential spot for those who work in nearby Farnborough, Aldershot and Bracknell as well as London commuters.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Camberley is currently £1,198 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Camberley are up to 5.5% based on the GU15 to GU17 postcode areas according to property xyz.
Epsom
Population: 31,500 approximately
Average House Price: £479,447 (the Epsom and Ewell districts)
Epsom is located on the fringes of Greater London around 20 miles from central London. It is within the Borough of Epsom and Ewell.
Epsom is best known for Epsom Downs Racecourse where The Derby is held.
Epsom is a smart London commuter location. It has around eight trains per hour during the day to London Victoria, London Waterloo and London Bridge taking around 45 minutes.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Epsom is currently £1,073 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Epsom are up to 5.1% based on the KT17 and KT18 postcode areas according to property xyz.
Farnham
Population: 39,400 approximately
Average House Price: £476,947 (Waverley district)
Farnham is a historic small town set in the North Downs and is part of Waverley Borough.
Farnham is around 35 miles from London, although a direct train service to London Waterloo makes it attractive to London commuters.
Farnham is also a popular residential area for those who work in and around Guildford nearby and also in the major employment locations of Aldershot and Farnborough which are just across the county border in Hampshire.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Farnham is currently £1,585 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Farnham are up to 3.1% based on the GU9 postcode area, property xyz's figures report.
Guildford
Population: 77,000 approximately
Average House Price: £480,020
Guildford is around 32 miles southwest of London and is regarded as the county town of Surrey.
Guildford is a historic town but also known for the modern Guildford Cathedral built in the 1960s. However, it is also a busy commercial town and light industrial town and many large companies are based here making it an employment hotspot.
Guildford is a popular commuter town for those who work in London and elsewhere in the southeast. There are good rail services into London, taking as little as 35 minutes, from stations at Guildford and London Road.
The University of Surrey is based in Guildford. The city centre, Onslow Village, Stoughton and Bellfields are amongst popular areas for Guildford student houses.
Investors interested in Guildford property investment might also look at the small town of Godalming just to the south.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Guildford is currently a high £1,801 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Guildford are up to 5.2% based on the GU1 to GU4 postcode areas according to property xyz.
Haslemere
Population: 10,600 approximately
Average House Price: £476,947 (Waverley district)
Haslemere is a small town close to the A3 between London and Portsmouth. It has its own shops and other amenities and good transport links via road and rail with services to London Waterloo, Clapham Junction, Guildford, Woking and Portsmouth as well as other locations.
Haslemere is an upmarket residential spot due to its good transport links whilst enjoying a rural location between the South Downs and North Downs.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Haslemere is currently £1,159 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Haslemere are up to 2.9% based on the GU27 postcode area according to property xyz.
Leatherhead
Population: 12,200 approximately
Average House Price: £521,190 (Mole Valley district)
The one-time market town of Leatherhead is now a busy light manufacturing and service centre. Many large companies are located in the area providing well-paid jobs and supporting the property market.
Leatherhead has a highly accessible location being right on junction 25 of the M25 motorway. There are frequent train services to London Victoria and London Waterloo.
Dorking, just to the south of Leatherhead, is in the heart of the Surrey countryside. It is a popular residential location with its own railway station with commuter services into London.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Leatherhead is currently £1,067 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Leatherhead are up to 4.9% based on the KT22 postcode area according to property xyz.
Reigate
Population: 22,300 approximately
Average House Price: £434,985 (Reigate and Banstead district)
Reigate is directly south of London which is 19 miles away.
Reigate is part of the borough of Reigate and Banstead. Other towns nearby include Redhill and Horley further south. Reigate has good connections by road (M25 and M23) rail (to London and Brighton) and is around 10 miles from Gatwick Airport.
Although Reigate has good commuter links to London it is mainly a popular residential spot for those who work at the many large companies and business parks in what is known as the Gatwick Diamond area.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Reigate is currently £1,085 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Reigate are up to 4.3% based on the RH2 postcode area according to property xyz. figures.
Twelve miles to the east the town of Oxted is a commuter favourite. Trains from Oxted to London Victoria or London Bridge take as little as 40 minutes. Oxted can offer yields up to 5.8%.
Staines-upon-Thames
Population: 18,500 approximately
Average House Price: £398,003 (Spelthorne district)
Staines-upon-Thames, normally just known as Staines, is southwest of central London. Staines is often thought of as being part of the Greater London area although it is located in Spelthorne Borough.
Staines is a busy commercial town with large companies and several business parks providing many jobs.
Staines has a highly accessible location being right by the M25. Staines is also close to London Heathrow Airport. Nearby small towns include Ashford and Egham.
Staines has good value property prices compared to much of Greater London. Average house prices in Staines are around 20% less than London overall.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Staines is currently £1,166 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Staines are up to 5.1% based on the TW18 postcode area according to property xyz.
Walton-on-Thames
Population: 23,000 approximately
Average House Price: £643,581 (Elmbridge district)
Walton-on-Thames is a one-time small market town that is now a busy light industrial and commercial centre providing many jobs.
Walton-on-Thames has excellent transport links making it a popular residential location not only for those who work in the town but for London commuters and those travelling around the southeast. The town is right by the M25 and M3 while trains from Walton-on-Thames to London Waterloo take as little as 25 minutes.
Although Walton-on-Thames is the most expensive large town in Surrey due to its reputation for multi-million-pound properties it is possible to find property here from around £120,000.
Other areas nearby to consider for property investment include Addlestone, Chertsey, Cobham, Esher, Sunbury on Thames and Weybridge.
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Walton-on-Thames is currently £1,530 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Walton-on-Thames are up to 5.2% based on the KT12 postcode area according to property xyz.
Woking
Population: 63,000 approximately
Average House Price: £429,391
Woking is around 23 miles southwest of central London. Woking is a busy commercial town and light industrial town and many large companies are based in the area.
Woking has great transport links making it a popular location with London and southeast commuters. Woking is located right by the M25 and A3 and central London is only 25 minutes away by train.
This report says that Woking is a property market to watch thanks to its relative affordability and brilliant commute!
Figures from the Home.co.uk Market Rent Summary show that the average rent in Woking is currently £1,398 PCM.
Gross average rental yields in Woking are up to 4.2% based on the GU21 and GU22 postcode areas according to property xyz.
Other Areas To Consider
Property investors who are interested in Surrey property investments may also consider locations that are now South London boroughs but which are historically part of Surrey.
More information about investing in property in these areas can be found here:
About Our Data
Note: Population estimates are based on information provided by Localstats. Current average asking prices are taken from HM Land Registry data and Zoopla. Buy-to-let yields by postcode are taken from Property.xyz.