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Home > Property Info > Cambridge Property for saleThe city of Cambridge is a world-renowned university town, whose beautiful buildings and picturesque riverside settings make it an unforgettable place to visit. Living in Cambridge has much appeal: attractive buildings, lovely streets and open spaces, good amenities, and easy access to surrounding countryside. As well its academic associations, the region has attracted many new businesses over recent decades and has gained a world reputation as a centre for research and technology. As a consequence, it is an area which enjoys a high standard of living and low unemployment, and is one of Europe¹s regions of prime growth. The surge of high-tech businesses to the area has given it the title ³Silicon Fen², and current forecasts suggest that growth will continue for the foreseeable future. However, this increase in employment has also put pressure on the housing market in Cambridge, and led to rising house prices. Finding a property to buy in Cambridge, where houses for sale are at a premium, can be a challenge. Yet many attractive homes are also available to buy outside the city, in nearby villages, or in neighbouring towns such as Huntingdon, Ely or Newmarket. Cambridge is the regional capital of the county of Cambridgeshire, located in the east of England and bordered by the counties of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. Estate agents in Cambridge can be found at Estate agents Cambridge plus more Cambridge property information. The landscape of the county is essentially flat, with large acres of arable land interspersed with pretty villages, historic buildings and churches, and East Anglia¹s characteristic windmills. The Fens to the north 400 square miles of drained marshland lying no higher than 25 feet above sea level is a unique area of land which is home to spectacular wildlife and a wide network of waterways. These offer excellent recreational activities, including walking, cycling, boating and riding. Indeed, good walking and cycling can be enjoyed throughout Cambridgeshire, which has a number of riverside walks and long distance paths such as the Fen Rivers Way, Wimpole Way, and the Roman Road Walk. Cambridge lies 50 miles north of London, and has a regular rail service to the capital. The M11 motorway from London ends here, and the A14 to the north of the city is a major trunk road which links the Midlands to the east coast. With a great deal of freight traffic, it suffers from frequent congestion, and Cambridge tries hard to impose restrictions in the area within its ring road in order to reduce traffic and pollution in the centre. There is a good bus service, and Park and Ride facilities from the outskirts of the town, and the compact size of the city encourages walking and cycling within the centre. A settlement since pre-Roman times, the city of Cambridge is steeped in history and contains many fine historic buildings. The oldest of these is the Saxon tower of St Bene¹t¹s Church, built around 1020. The city is dominated by its university buildings, many of which date from medieval times. The first college to be founded was Peterhouse at the end of the 13th century, and five more colleges were founded in the first half of the 14th century. The chapel of King¹s College is a particularly beautiful building, while the college gardens backing on to the River Cam and the handsome stone bridges are quite idyllic. Most colleges are open to visitors at certain times of day, but many of the city¹s attractions can be enjoyed just by strolling through its old streets. A visit to the tower of Great St Mary¹s Church offers fine views over the city, while the Botanic Garden is a refreshing change from the busy town. The city is also home to several interesting museums, including the Fitzwilliam Museum and the County Folk museum, as well as to good theatres, cinemas and other cultural and leisure facilities. The county of Cambridgeshire also has many interesting places to visit. Its wildlife attractions are numerous, with several good nature reserves and country parks. The county is home to many beautiful churches and historic houses: Anglesey Abbey is a fine 16th century house and garden, and Burghley House is a grand Elizabethan house. The small market town of Ely to the north of Cambridge is dominated by its spectacular medieval cathedral, and the nearby house of Oliver Cromwell as well as the Cathedral at Peterborough are also well worth a visit. Museums in the area include the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon and the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, and a number of old water mills are open to the public, such as Sacrewell and Houghton Mill. Picturesque villages outside Cambridge, such as Grantchester, are also lovely places to visit. The city of Cambridge itself has a population of only around 100,000, of which over 20,000 are students. But the recent expansion of employment in the region has meant that many outlying villages have witnessed a sharp increase in population and many new houses and residential developments have been built. Over the past 50 years, there has been a deliberate policy to preserve the special character of Cambridge by limiting the population in the city to 100,000 residents. Development in and around the city has been restricted and a Green Belt around the city established to ensure the city retains its uniqueness as a university town with a rural setting. Exemptions were allowed for certain science and research firms, leading to the development of the Trinity Science Park and other business parks, but on the whole most people relocating to the area will live in outlying villages outside the Green Belt. Over 40,000 workers now commute daily to Cambridge; unfortunately, as most commuters travel by car, this has led to significant problems of traffic congestion, which are currently being reviewed. More house buying information for the broader area of Essex can be found at Essex property and estate agents with conveyancing and estate agent site listings. Much new housing development has therefore been seen in neighbouring market towns, such as Ely, Mildenhall, Newmarket, Saffron Walden, St Neots, Royston, Biggleswade and Huntingdon. Cheaper house prices here, relative to prices in the city, tend to offset the costs of commuting, and most of these towns offer good local amenities. A wide range of properties are for sale in these towns, ranging from older properties to a number of modern houses and new builds. To the north of the city, the Arbury estate has been developed for housing, and new villages such as Bar Hill and Cambourne have also been developed over recent years. For help with the jargon associated with house buying visit our House buying guide. Other popular places to buy a house near Cambridge include Cherry Hinton, to the south, conveniently placed for the city and for Addenbrookes Hospital. Impington to the north is within easy access of the A14 and M11, and has a variety of houses to buy including substantial detached family homes, and more affordable semi-detached modern houses. The village of Burwell is a popular village in a good location with good local services and amenities. Houses for sale here include exclusive developments of large, detached homes, semi-detached family homes, and Victorian terraced houses. Teversham to the east of the city and Trumpington to the south also have a number of attractive homes for sale. In the city centre, property is inevitably more expensive, but many very attractive houses are available to buy. Period buildings including large townhouses or Victorian terraced or semi-detached houses are particularly sought-after. With such a large student population, there is also an important rental market in the city. Property to rent in Cambridge ranges from apartment conversions in period buildings to modern purpose-built flats. Flats and apartments to rent are also available in nearby towns and villages, and local estate agents can give details of property to buy or rent in and around Cambridge. Further information is at Houses to rent in Cambridge with letting sites listed.
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