Northfields

The Best Parks to Live Near in West London

With summer approaching many of us will be looking to spend as much time as possible in green and hopefully, sunny spaces.  Here are some of the hot spot parks to live near or visit in London.  Below each park's description is a satellite map to allow you to explore the park virtually.

Walpole Park - Ealing

The park at the centre of Ealing is home to the Ealing Summer Festival which runs from July 3rd - August 3rd, 2010.  The festival is comprised of several distinct festivals with the jazz, comedy and blues festivals being the most popular.  People travel from all over London to enjoy the festivities, but those who live near by can enjoy the free music and excellent comedy and simply stroll home.

Through the rest of the year there are many attractions to amuse at Walpole Park including two duck ponds and a playground to delight the little ones, Pitshanger Manor Museum and Art Gallery to explore and a cafe to satisfy your need for ice cream or coffee as the weather might demand.  Ealing Broadway shopping centre is close by should the need for a spot of shopping overtake you.

Lammas Park - Ealing

Lammas Park is just over the road from Walpole Park and provides several tennis courts as well as another playground and wonderful wide open spaces perfect for playing football or walking the dog.  There is also a bowling green for those so inclined.

Virtually explore both Lammas Park and Walpole Park:

View Larger Map

Pitshanger Park - Ealing

Pitshanger Park is the site of Party in the Park which occurs at the end of June every year.  Party in the Park is a like a summer fete but on a slightly grander scale.  Northfields has been a proud sponsor or Party in the Park in the past.

Pitshanger is well known for its very villagey feel and the green space of Pitshanger Park shares this feeling, making it the perfect place to walk the dog or play football with the kids.

Take a closer look at Pitshanger Park:

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Hanwell Bunny Park - Hanwell

The Bunny Park in Hanwell is a favourite of families with children. There is a selection of animals to see including goats, a donkey, peacocks, emu, monkeys, birds, snakes and bunnies.  There are also interesting walks suitable for pushchairs & small kids, a nice playground, toilets, a maze with a watchtower in the centre and a small cafe.

Get a closer look at the Hanwell Bunny Park area:

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Wendell Park - Shepherd's Bush

Wendell Park itself is a small but beautiful piece of green space surrounded by the bustle of West London. Bordered by busy roads and residences, the area is an oasis of calm in the city. For generations the park has been one of the primary places of recreation, rest and relaxation for the people who live around it.  Wendell Park is situated just North of Stamford Brook Avenue and the Goldhawk Road, East of Emlyn Road and West of the Askew Road.

If while you are enjoying the green spaces of Wendell Park the sudden need for a luxury shopping experience overwhelms you, you can de-camp to the nearby Westfield Shopping Centre,

Get a closer look at the Wendell Park area:

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Ravenscourt Park - Hammersmith

Ravenscourt Park has lots of winding pathways to explore with a small lake complete with an island, ducks, swans and geese.  Should the kids fall foul of fowl there are 3 separate kids play areas, all with different activities including a zip wire, tyre swings and great climbing frames. Plus there is a huge paddling pool and a sandpit.  There are dog-free, dog-specific and general areas. Basketball court, football pitch, tennis courts, and even a beautifully kept bowling green entertain the sporting sorts.  For those who prefer quiet there is a walled scented garden with shaded benches.  Added to that there is a garden centre and cafe.  The park is easily accessible to Ravenscourt Park tube station.

Zoom in on the map below to see Ravenscourt Park:

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Search for Properties to buy near any of these parks by clicking here or to make it even easier call on 0208 840 6666 and tell us what park you are looking to live near.

Search for properties to rent near any of these parks by clicking here or call 0208 567 6660 and tell us what park you are particularly looking to live near.

The Value of a Good School Catchment Area

At Northfields we know exactly how important it is to many families to find a property in the right school catchment area.  There are certain areas of Ealing in particular that are much sought after simply because of the school catchment area they are in.  So it was certainly no surprise to us to see this post from the Find a Property blog Wining It about the impact of school catchment areas on property prices.  Winging It was discussing a report that found that "Homes in the vicinity of the top-performing 25 per cent of secondary schools now cost 16 per cent more than their county average, up from 13 per cent in 2007."  On top of that, properties with a good combination of state and independent schools in the vicinity can cost two to 3 times the country average.   If you take a look at the chart on this post (click hereto see it) you'll notice that Ealing, one of Northfields Estates' prime areas of expertise, makes the grade. 

According to the report, Ealing scores as follows:

School Options Score  - 7.38

Average Points Score for Pupil at GCSE - 441

House Price Versus Country Average - 106%

Ealing certainly has the magic mix of excellent state and independent schools.  With a selection of excellent schools at all age levels, and a welcoming, relaxed community atmosphere, buying a property in Ealing is the ideal choice for young families. In the centre of Ealing, popular schools with local families include Christchurch and St Saviour's Church of England Junior schools and independent schools such as Notting Hill and Ealing School for Girls, Durston House and St Benedict's.  In the very popular and family friendly Pitshanger area Montpelier and North Ealing Primary Schools and St Vincent's and St Gregory's Catholic schools all have a good reputation.  In the Northfields area of Ealing, Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School and Little Ealing and Fielding schools influence prices and are much in demand.

The results of this report prove that Ealing is a great place to invest in your family's future and is an excellent and solid investment opportunity for buy to let investors. 

Interested in investing in Ealing?  Call our Northfields office to register on 0208 840 6666 or register your interest online here.

See what we currently have for sale in Ealing by clicking here.

Hot Areas in West London: Wendell Park

Wendell Park itself is a small but beautiful piece of green space surrounded by the bustle of West London. Bordered by busy roads and residences, the area is an oasis of calm in the city. For generations the park has been one of the primary places of recreation, rest and relaxation for the people who live around it.  Wendell Park is situated just North of Stamford Brook Avenue and the Goldhawk Road, East of Emlyn Road and West of the Askew Road.  Want a closer look at the area? 

View Larger Map

The reputation of the Wendell Park Area is one of a prime residential area with an excellent primary school nearby as well as the open green space and children's play area offered by the park itself.  The area also benefits from good transport links with easy access to the Westfield Shopping Centre, Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith and Chiswick.

Northfields has always found that Wendell Park area properties are very popular and so are always looking for properties in the area.  Do you have a property in the Wendell Park area that you would like to let or sell?  Call our nearby Shepherd's Bush office on 0208 740 8833 for your free valuation now.

Looking for property to let in W12?  Click here.

Looking to buy property in W12?  Click here.

If you don't want to miss out on properties to buy or rent in the Wendell Park area, register now, so that you don't miss out on our newest instructions.

Up and coming Area: Hanwell

Why is Hanwell up and coming?

Up-and-coming Hanwell is situated on the border of West Ealing and Northfields Estates is seeing increasing numbers of buyers and tenants looking in this area.  Hanwell offers house hunters several distinctive neighbourhood with many distinctive types of property available. For small or medium sized Victorian properties in Hanwell, focus your search on the Old Hanwell area. On the borders of West Ealing you will find several purpose built blocks. You'll find smaller slightly newer homes on the grid bordering Half Acre Road. Leafy Golden Manor to the north offers both the largest properties in Hanwell and some more modestly priced homes.

One of the reasons that property values in Hanwell are expected to rise is that Hanwell will be one of the stations on the new Crossrail system.  The construction of Crossrail is planned to be complete in 2017 with train services introduced over the 12 months following.  This exciting new link to central London will make Hanwell an increasingly desirable area.

Community Feel

Walkers and cyclists enjoy the pathways of the Grand Union Canal, which extend through English Heritage's six locks area and past Hanwell Viaduct, a Brunel designed bridge. Owning a property in Hanwell gives you easy access to several large green areas including the Bunny Park which is so popular with families as well as a local golf course. Hanwell's lively shopping area is dominated by a stunning Art Deco clock tower. Schools recommended by local families include Oaklands Primary school and Drayton Manor High School.

Transport

Hanwell sits to the north and south of the Uxbridge Road between Ealing and Southall giving quick access to London.  The area is convenient for the M4 and M40. Heathrow is a convenient 15 miles away.  Hanwell railway station (Zone 4) is two stops from Ealing Broadway (National Rail, and District and Central Lines, Zone 3) providing links to central London.  Once the Crossrail link from Ealing Broadway to central and east London is completed, it will become an increasingly popular area for commuters

Have a property is this area that you want to sell or let?  Call our Northfields office on 0208 840 6666 to take advantage of our extensive experience and success in W7.

Thinking about moving to Hanwell?  Check out our properties for let in W7 here and our properties for sale in Hanwell here.

Up and Coming Areas: Brentford

Why is Brentford an area to watch?

Northfields has experienced a high demand for properties in Brentford.  The increased interest in the are is the result of an extensive regeneration programme which is set to increase the value of homes in the area. The area boasts both more traditional homes giving the area character and new developments which create a modern sense of polish ad luxury.  Among these newer developments is the stunning Ferry Quays apartments which afford waterside views.  Other developments on the River Brent and Grand Union Canal are also popular.  Barratt Homes are currently developing The Great West Quarter, a modern development including 800 residential homes, retail shops, piazzas, a Hotel and art gallery.  This exciting new development is sure to give the area an even bigger boost.

Community Feel

The regeneration project in Brentford has created a vibrant community with a mix of retail and residential areas along the waterside where well known and independent shops cafes and restaurants are all available.  Brentford residents can also take advantage of the local leisure centre, a thriving theatre, the Steam and Musical Museums, as well as enjoy the success of local football club Brentford FC.  Kew Gardens, Syon House and Gunnersbury Park are also nearby.

Local families highly recommend Green Dragon and Strand on the Green Primary Schools

Transport

Brentford is situated on the A4/M4 corridor, home to many blue-chip companies, including Sky and Glaxo Smith Kline.  It also boasts major motorway links to the M4, M25 and M3 and easy access to Heathrow Airport which is just 12 miles away.

Brentford is nestled between Chiwick, Richmond, Kew, and Ealing making road and public access to these areas extremely easy.

Rail links include Brentford (National Rail, Zone 4), Boston Manor (Piccadilly Line, Zone 4) and Gunnersbury Station (District Line and National Rail, Zone 3). 

Interested in renting or buying in this area?  Call us on 0208 840 6666.

Moving to a new area? How to get to know the area where you are looking to rent or buy property

Committing to buying or renting a property in a new area can be a bit daunting, but with a little research and the help of a knowledgeable estate agent you can reassure yourself that the area or road you are moving to, is right for you.  Northfields shares its top 5 tips for investigating the area you are interested in:

1. Visit Up My Street and enter the postcode or area name to learn about the schools, transportation, population, leisure activities and even council tax for that area.

2. Walkit.com is a great website to help you figure out exactly how long it would take you to walk from point a to point b at three different walking speeds.  The website will even tell you how many calories you’ll burn on the walk.  At Northfields, our negotiators use this website tool all the time to help tenants and buyers figure out how long exactly it would take them to walk to the tube or work from the property they are considering. 

3. Go for a walk around the area.  Stop into a local café or have a browse in the shops to see if the area feels like the right place for you.

4. Ask your agent – a good estate agent will have local knowledge and should be able to point out where the nearest supermarket or gym is located in relation to the property you are viewing. 

Northfields also has online area guides for several keys areas in West London on our website www.northfields.co.uk, including; Ealing, Pitshanger, Northfields, Hanwell, Brentford, Acton, and Shepherd's Bush, so take advantage of these if you are thinking of moving to West London.

5. When you are relocating, chances are you won’t be aware of the best estate agent to use in that area.  Contact our Relocations Manager, Shellie Ross on 0208 840 6666 or via e-mail at shellie.ross@northfields.co.uk .  Shellie can put you in touch with an estate agent that is a member of the Home Sale Network.  Home Sale Network is a national network of selected estate agents. All members are independent businesses, hand picked after thorough checks to identify them as, in Cartus’ (the premier provider of global relocation services) opinion, the best independent estate agent to represent Home Sale Network in their area.  Home Sale Network is highly selective and membership is based on certain criteria being met such as quality of service, local knowledge and professionalism.

So with a combination of surfing the net, pounding the pavement and tapping into your estate agent’s expertise, you can be reassured that your next move will be right for you.

0% Council Tax Rise in Ealing

Council Tax bills in Ealing have been frozen with people paying the same for services as last year.

The Council made the decision to deliver a 0 per cent increase in an effort to help ease the financial pressures of the credit crunch.

On top of Ealing’s freeze, London Mayor Boris Johnson has kept the Greater London Assembly levy on the tax the same so residents’ bills will not go up  - with the average band D property in the borough paying £1,369.75.

But despite the freeze in Council Tax bills the Council will be continuing to invest in key services including the Council’s top priorities of cleaner streets and safer communities.  

Councillor David Scott, Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance, said: “The prudent budget we have agreed means we can keep Council Tax the same while continuing to make significant investments in the services our residents rely on.

“In our drive to deliver value for money we have been able to shed millions of pounds in operating costs by making Council departments more efficient.  This has ensured that we are in a strong financial position and have contingencies to cope with any extra pressure on local services as the recession hits.”

When you are searching for property to rent or buy, it is wise to budget for council tax when deciding how much you can afford to spend on your rent or mortgage payments.  Click on the links below to find the council tax bands for the boroughs that Northfields Estates regularly deals with:

London Borough of Ealing

London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

London Borough of Hounslow

If you want to take advantage of Ealing's 0% council tax by moving to the borough, click here to see properties to buy in Ealing and click hereto see Ealing properties to let.