Get to know – Brentwood

13th August 2024

This affluent Essex town is a great place to call home and it has become increasingly popular in recent years, which may in part be as a result of the popular reality television show The Only Way is Essex. However, Brentwood has far more to offer including excellent countryside, strong community spirit and a great array of local amenities available for all to enjoy.

The name Brentwood was originally derived from Burnt Wood, and even on maps from the 18th century, the Essex town is referred to as Burntwood. Brentwood originated as an ancient parish town and later gained its borough status in 1993. It was also the home to Ford Motor Company's head offices for over 55 years.

There are properties within Brentwood that are suitable for all individual needs at varying prices. In 2023, the average price for properties sold within this area increased by 2% to £542,685. Most of the sales last year were of semi-detached properties which sold for an average price of £531,021. Furthermore, flats s sold at an average price of £264,975 meanwhile detached homes were able to achieve whopping prices of around £955,822*.

*Figures are from Rightmove.

You will never struggle to find things to do living in Brentwood. It has plenty of public open spaces to offer, including numerous country parks. This includes recreational spaces, Weald Country Park and Thorndon Countryside Park that is home to the Gruffalo trail and offers a variety of habitats for you to explore. They are great places for nature-lovers, walkers, families and even your furry friends to enjoy.

Brentwood offers some exciting local amenities for you to explore. You could spend the day at Old McDonald's Farm, which not only provides the opportunity to visit a variety of animals but is also packed with the best family rides and amusements. They offer seasonal passes and regularly hold special events for the little ones to enjoy, so Old McDonald's Farm makes an ideal day out or after-school treat.

Furthermore, why not channel your own inner big kid and visit the local Ski Park and Snowboard Centre. It is a safe, fun and professionally run by individuals who have over 40 years worth of experience within the industry. Brentwood Ski Park and Snowboard Centre provides a great opportunity to learn a new skill, practice your favourite hobbies or just have fun whether you are a beginner or professional. They offer various affordable snow sport activities such as snowboarding, skiing and snow tubing.

There is also a fantastic shopping area and high street that offers a great mix of local and well-known retailers. On the other hand, why not grab something to eat with your friends? Brentwood offers a superb selection of restaurants that ensure you are able to dine out, no matter what you fancy. Some of our favourites include Alec's restaurant and The Mesken.

Brentwood has great commuter links both into London and further into Essex, making it an ideal location to live. Trains from Brentwood station can reach Stratford station in around 30 minutes and trains to London Liverpool Street station in 38 minutes. I

n addition to this, this Essex town is just a few miles from both the M25 and A12. Brentwood is also able to offer more reasonably priced homes than other areas surrounding the capital.

"The property market in Brentwood has been extremely busy this last year since the first lockdown. We have seen a big increase in sales having sold approximately £100m* worth of property in the last year, along with more applicants registering and more properties coming onto the market. I think the public have had a re-think on where and how they want to live, and this has shown from more London based buyers looking to move to Brentwood, but they still have a good commute back to London if working in the City 1 or 2 days a week. Working from home is a lot more common now so home offices, garden pods have become increasingly popular. Brentwood also offers great schooling having Brentwood Private school along with some fantastic primary and secondary schools which has always been a motivation for people to move to Brentwood."

*Figures based on Beresfords property group data.

"From a lettings perspective, Brentwood has proved to be a very popular destination for tenants for a number of reasons. A selection of decent private and state schools and mixed housing stock. Great rail links into the Capital and superb access to the M25 and A12. There is also a varied and lively High Street surrounded by lots of greenbelt land offering a wide range of leisure activities. As a result investors are in turn attracted to the area by the consistently high demand for properties from professional working tenants and excellent capital growth potential."