Bristol is a brilliant place to live, from its incredible food and drink scene to the various leafy parks and links to the countryside. There's a lot to like about the city, but buying a property, especially these days is about more than just liking an area. It’s a massive investment that you want to see returns on in years to come. Buying a property in Bristol ticks both boxes.
Buy property in Bristol for the lifestyle
Bristol won the best place to live in the UK in 2017 and it’s easy to see why. Anyone who has spent time here will give you a list of reasons why it’s a great place to live.
Independents
Spurred on by Bristol's unique community spirit independent shops and restaurants thrive here. Areas like Wapping Wharf host a plethora of quality restaurants with every cuisine you could hope for. Gloucester Road hosts a variety of independent shops where you can buy anything from handcrafted statues to local craft beer. This support means there is more diversity than in many other parts of the country and is part of what makes Bristol, Bristol.
Parks and outdoor spaces
There are plenty of parks spread across the city so you’re never too far from leafy tranquility. If you do crave the real countryside areas of natural beauty surround Bristol. The Mendips and Cheddar gorge are close by, the Forest of Dean is a short drive and there are ancient monuments scattered around the South West. The seaside is easy to reach with the sandy beach and Western Super Mare a major hotspot in the summer.
Culture
Bristol hosts a variety of museums, art galleries, and theatres with a range of shows and exhibits to excite you. However, you don’t need to visit these to immerse yourself in the city’s culture. Take a stroll through the city, especially stokes croft and you’ll see some amazing graffiti and murals adorning the walls.
If this isn’t enough to convince you, read our top 10 reasons to buy a house in Bristol here.
Buy property in Bristol as an investment
Buying a house is one of the biggest commitments you are likely to make so of course you want to see a return on your investment. Bristol is definitely a city where you will see a return. Easton had the largest increase over the last decade in the UK, with prices increasing 120%. The city also had six of the top ten largest increases outside of London with average prices increasing 60%.
There are several great reasons why these prices have increased so much and look set to continue the upward trajectory.
Transport
Although getting around the city can be a struggle at rush hour Bristol has excellent transport links. Trains from Temple meads can get to London in one hour and 30 minutes and connects to the rest of the country. The M4 links Bristol to the capital and everything in between with the M5 making the midlands and beyond accessible.
Businesses
Bristol and Bath are the primary alternative outside of London for Professional services. There is a booming Aeroapce and Engineering sector with Airbus, Rolls Royce, and BEA Systems, to name a few, all situated in the area. Mixed in with these household names are a huge number of tech startups and creative studios. This makes the Bristol job market appealing for everyone and is a major attraction for movers.
Universities and Renters
Demand for rented property is higher in Bristol than anywhere else in the country. Two world class Universities mean that there is a constant stream of renters in the City. These students also give the businesses a highly educated talent pool to find new candidates and continue growth.
With lots more regeneration on the table, Bristol is set to continue to develop and grow, making it a great area for property investment.
Lack of Supply
It's harder than you think to find your dream home in Bristol. Like most of the UK lack of supply has driven part of the house price increase. Currently, there are only 3250 listed on Rightmove but it’s estimated there are over 111,000 people looking to move in the BS postcodes. This makes competition for those few properties fierce.
When owners can’t find the right house on the market it puts them off selling their own home. This continues to constrain supply and increase house prices. Added to this the only way to test the market is through an estate agent, a timely and expensive exercise. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy with fewer houses listed every year.
We are trying to break this cycle. With Zump homeowners have a free way to test the market. Buyers have a way to approach owners before they have listed their property. Not every Zump you send will be accepted and not every property you list will have a buyer but if you don’t ask the answer will always be no.
Find out more info about Zump here and download the app to try it for yourself. Your perfect home, it’s out there