Reading named the best place for first-time buyers in the UK 2019
by Helen Davies, Jayne Dowle, Hugh Graham, Simon Jablonski, Alexandra Goss, Tim Palmer, Charlotte Vowden
Sunday Times 21 April 2019
One third of millennials may never own a home. If you want to get your foot on the ladder, don't despair: we've found 14 locations to suit your budget, lifestyle and ambitions
We looked for locations across the UK that should appeal to a wide range of first-timers - you're almost as likely to be a thirtysomething parent as a footloose graduate. And as well as property prices (not just the initial asking price, but also those postcodes that should benefit from above-average capital growth in the next five years), we've taken into account connections (whether for work or weekend play), broadband and air quality. And, along with park life and nightlife, there are also decent brunching options, should you still have a taste for avocado. #goodluck
*Average starter home prices, provided by Habito/TwentyCi
** Broadband data supplied by thinkbroadband.com
Reading
It all happens in the centre in RG1. One of the country's biggest towns since 1525 (when tax returns show it was the 10th largest in Britain), this Berkshire hotspot has a university, a football club, a thirsty brewing heritage and a stellar music festival: this year the 1975 are headlining with Billie Eilish and Foo Fighters. The town is set to grow even more, if the cranes are anything to go by. Smart new-builds are sprouting up for first-timers keen to take up the government's Help to Buy offer and who can afford the £249,000-plus price tags for a one-bedder.
If you want to get a sense of Reading's recent turnaround in fortunes, from a convenient commuting spot in the Thames Valley to a choice address, you need only look to the Thames Lido. A grade II listed open-air pool, it fell derelict in the 1970s and only reopened in 2017 - with heated water, two saunas and a poolside menu of wild prawns and wood-roasted scallops. More delicate flowers can enjoy Forbury Gardens, a perfect park to while away carefree evenings in the shadow of the 12th-century abbey ruins. Broad Street is a spotless stretch for a shopping spree, the Oracle is the glitzy jewel in Reading's retail crown and the Harris Arcade caters to a more independent spirit: root around for vinyl, corsets and cheese.
The nightlife is as loud or sophisticated as your mood desires. Rosie Durman, 29, has lived in Reading for a decade. For her, the Purple Turtle, with its new garden deck, is a must. "It's a real sticky-floors Reading institution. If you go out on pay day, everyone you know will be there by the end of the night." The Nag's Head is an old, proper British pub with dominoes and stuff on the walls. The craft-beer specialist Brewdog has opened up a huge bar with an industrial vibe on Castle Street. For classy cocktails with a comfy art deco feel, mosey over to Cerise. The riverside is ideal for dining out - mainly big-name restaurants, but easy on the wallet - and the spacious new boardwalk has a relaxed atmosphere. Head towards the university for more boho fare and rows of neat red-brick terraces. Prices are rising steadily - £295,000 for a three-bedroom terrace. The trendy brunch spot Cafe Yolk ("Our fave place: the atmosphere is really buzzing," says Nawar Raichura, a make-up artist) and Finn's Fish & Chips (which does gluten-free Tuesday) are further clues to the town's aspirations.
Get connected
There are 300 trains a day to London, the fastest covering the 35 miles in 25 minutes. You can be in Leicester Square in less than 50 minutes, which is quicker than it can take from Hackney. Crossrail will bring London Liverpool Street within an hour. Swindon takes 24min and Bristol 1hr 8min. There are direct trains to Basingstoke (28min) and Southampton (52min). By car, Heathrow is 45min and Gatwick 1hr 25min.
Broadband** Ultrafast should be available to 9 out of 10, some flats have Gigabit speeds and some new-build homes also have full fibre available.
Air quality NO2 levels exceed national guidelines, but the town centre and the main roads in and out are part of a large Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).
Why we love it A town with a big heart and big ambitions.