Guest blog: Escape to the Country to the Perfect Weekend Bolt-Hole

30 March 2021 |

With Sarah Morgan of Hunters, Tring.

The pandemic has created unexpected new demand for commuter belt locations as Londoners seek to expand their horizons and put down new roots in greener locations.

In fact, one respected lender reports that in the last year alone Londoners bought homes outside the capital worth £27.6bn, the largest amount spent since 2007.

Another source states London leavers bought 73,950 homes outside the capital in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic led the biggest exodus from London in four years.

The dash for property outside the capital is partly driven by a desire for larger homes with more space for home offices, gardens and those all-important outdoor spaces all sparked by life under lockdowns. However, there is growing demand from discerning buyers who are looking for more of a weekend bolt-hole, a ‘lock up and leave’ as an additional asset.

Of course, we are used to the usual blend of town and country satisfied by a stunning London Pied a Terre to complement the grandeur of a country pad. However, this stunning development of stylish apartments in a beautifully restored historic building gives Londoners the opportunity to turn that concept on its head.

Now buyers can have their main London residence as well as a beautifully appointed apartment in the country to escape to at weekends and holidays and, god forbid, any future lockdowns!

Just 40 minutes from London, Tring is situated in the rural county of Hertfordshire, which has become popular for Londoners during the last year as both a day trip destination but also a place to relocate to with an easy commute. However, we have definitely experienced an increasingly large group of London residents who are now looking to secure a small country foothold as a weekend Pied-à-Terre and these Westminster Court apartments in Tring tick all of the boxes.

The town, famous for its Rothschild family, offers wonderful outdoor spaces for walking, cycling and riding as well as weekly farmers markets, a craft beer brewery and offers a delicious mix of cafes, bars and restaurants. Tring also hosts a series of regular events and festivals throughout the year, making it a vibrant community.

Westminster Court is a collection of distinguished apartments sympathetically created from what was once a bank in Tring high street. The space now offers exquisite, elegant living in the form of two remaining 2-bed apartments that are finished to an exceptionally high standard. Priced at £375,000 and £ 435,000 these exceptional apartments offer great value.

Hunters, Tring on LonRes:

"Hunters, Tring is delighted to be working with LonRes to build our connection and profile within the London agent and buyer market. 

We have definitely witnessed an uplift in London demand during the pandemic as city dwellers look to put down new roots, or at least a foothold in a rural location like Tring that definitely offers the perfect blend of town and country. LonRes gives us the perfect platform to showcase our Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire properties to the London market. It also is a great selling proposition to our new vendors to reassure them that we offer the widest reach and have our finger on the pulse of this new London demand."

LonRes ResCountry: Connecting country agents to the London market

About the author

Sarah Morgan

Head of Marketing, Hunters Tring

Sarah has spent most of her marketing career in destination & property marketing. She initially lived in London then moved to Buckinghamshire before buying a weekend bolt-hole in Tring last year, which she uses both for personal use and for an Airbnb.

Hunters is an award winning agency that has national coverage through its 200 branches Sarah works with the team that cover Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire through its three offices in Tring, Leighton Buzzard and Aylesbury.

For more details about Tring and Westminster Court please call Hunters on 01442 500252.

Visit Hunters Tring

LonRes country agent, Hunters Tring - Sarah Morgan, Head of Marketing