The Property Market in Guildford
Guildford, the county town of Surrey, is a highly desirable location with excellent economic prospects. According to the UK Vitality Index, Guildford has the best economic prospects outside London, making it an attractive option for businesses and investors looking for opportunities for development, expansion, and growth.
Guildford scored highly in six categories: most productive, fastest-growing, most entrepreneurial, best educated, greenest, and most affluent. It ranked first for driving economic growth, making it the area with the strongest and most robust economy. Guildford's high level of affluence, low levels of unemployment, and high-status educational offerings contribute to its desirability.
Located just 27 miles southwest of London on the A3 trunk road, Guildford is situated in beautiful countryside and boasts high-end retail suppliers such as Hugo Boss, Armani Exchange, Gant, and House of Fraser. The population of the borough was 137,200 at the 2011 census, showing an increase of 5.7% in the last ten years.
Urban Connectivity
Guildford is highly connected, being located just nineteen miles from London Heathrow Airport, the UK's busiest airport and a major employer in the districts. With some 76,600 staff employed directly and indirectly as many as 116,000 in the immediate area, Heathrow makes Guildford a great location from the perspective of a property investor.
The property market in the district is booming, with the cost of residential property in the area being above both the national and regional average. However, Guildford is still 15% cheaper than nearby Shalford and 20% cheaper than Merrow. Prices have risen 12% in the last year. For those searching for apartments or flats for sale or to buy in Guildford, this is a highly competitive market.
Guildford has many employers mainly in IT and research and development, such as BAE systems cyber securities, Lifespan - the UK's largest private provider of CT scans - and BOC - the bottled gas and chemical company. Therefore, Guildford property investment is ideal for commuter belt properties.
Economy & Employment
Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) is the world's leading small satellite company and one of Guildford's top employers. With 600 staff working on turnkey satellite platforms, space-proven satellite subsystems, and optical instruments, they deliver operational space missions for a range of applications including Earth observation, science, and communications.
For those looking for apartments for sale or luxury properties for sale in Guildford, it is worth noting that the redevelopment of Guildford's town centre is under discussion. The proposed investment and redevelopment aim to increase and enhance its retail, residential, and office space. Guildford Borough Council has made clear that its strategy for the future is for 'smart economic growth', driving growth through improved productivity, research, innovation, and creativity.
Experience Guildford is the town's business improvement district, and they are delighted to see Guildford highlighted as a beacon for economic strength and growth. Having in the past few years attracted leading brands and businesses to the town centre, Guildford's position is strengthened for future investment.
Properties in Guildford had an overall average price of £631,833 over the last year.
Overall, sold prices in Guildford over the last year were 9% up on the previous year and 15% up on the 2020 peak of £549,503.
Detached properties sold for an average of £1,092,402, with flats fetching £312,027.
Most sales in Guildford during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £536,117