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Home > Property Info > Oxford Homes & PropertyThe city of Oxford is a lively, cosmopolitan city, with beautiful historic buildings, pretty parks and gardens, interesting museums and galleries, and charming shops and cafés. The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the english-speaking world and its buildings dominate the city. The colleges, quadrangles, libraries, towers, spires, gardens, bridges and chapels all help to make up Oxford¹s unique character. The city has some very attractive neighbourhoods and is a most sought-after place to buy a house. Oxford is located 50 miles north-west of London, and has good public transport links for those who chose to commute to the capital. It has a mainline rail connection between London and Birmingham and the north, and also has good bus and coach links. It is within easy access of the M40 motorway and has an outer Ring Road linking it to other major routes. But it is also a town which encourages walking and cycling, and racks of bicycles are a familiar sight throughout the city centre. Situated in the middle of Oxfordshire, the city is surrounded by beautiful countryside. The county stretches from Henley-on Thames in the south-east, to the market town of Banbury in the north, and the Cotswolds to the west. Blenheim Palace and the town of Woodstock are a few miles north, and other towns in the county include Bicester, Abingdon, Kidlington, Didcot, Witney and Chipping Norton. The rolling countryside and pretty villages are particularly attractive, and many people may chose to buy property in a rural location. Although most renowned for its university, Oxford is also home to many thriving businesses and industries. Traditionally associated with both the car industry (at Cowley) and the printing and publishing sector, in recent years the area has become home to an increasing number of hi-tech companies. Many businesses have grown up in the science and business parks around the town, and company relocations and expansions have inevitably resulted in many more people looking to buy or rent in and around Oxford. As well as being a seat of learning and research, and a popular residential town, Oxford is also a major tourist destination. Tourist attractions include many good museums and galleries, notably the Ashmolean Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Christ Church Picture Gallery, the National History Museum, and the Pitt River Museum. Places of interest include St Michael-at-the-North Gate Church, with its 11th century tower, the Martyr¹s Memorial in St Giles¹ Street, and the 19th century Town Hall. Other notable landmarks include the Radcliffe Camera, the Sheldonian Theatre, Carfax Tower, and the Bridge of Sighs. Some college buildings and gardens are open to the public at certain times of the year and are well worth a visit. Streets can be busy with visitors and students, but the town also boasts many peaceful, green areas, including the Botanic Gardens, Christ Church Meadow, Magdalen College Deer Park, South Park and Port Meadow. The attractions of living in Oxford are many; its historic buildings, amenities, location and atmosphere make it a desirable place to live. As a result, house prices in the city are high. According to local estate agents, the property market in and around Oxford is very buoyant at present, despite press reports of a nationwide slowdown. New developments are selling fast, and period houses are always much in demand. Certain areas, such as North and Central North Oxford are particularly sought-after and costly. Average prices of property in Oxford are well above the national average. The average price for a flat is around £215,000, a semi-detached house is just under £300,000, and detached houses are slightly over £400,000. Yet these figures disguise wide variations in prices across the city. Some areas command much higher prices and some of the large four, five or six-bedroom detached houses in North Oxford sell for well over a million pounds. More affordable housing can be found in less fashionable areas of the city, or in neighbouring suburbs where there is a wider range of property styles to suit varying budgets. Oxford has a vibrant rental market. Being home to both Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University, the city has a large student population, and the demand for student accommodation is always high. Flats and converted apartments of period buildings are available to let throughout the city, but competition for these is high. Modern terraces and apartments in purpose-built blocks are also available. There is, too, a high demand for larger flats and houses to rent. Recent trends have shown increasing calls for these as many businesses expand in the area, and people relocating often prefer to rent initially before buying property. Four-bedroom family houses, particularly new or upgraded properties, are in particular demand. Substantial detached or semi-detached properties can be found to rent outside the city, including converted farmhouses, town houses, new builds and period cottages in outlying villages. There are many letting agents in the area who can advise those planning to let a property or those wishing to rent a house or flat. Central Oxford boasts streets of handsome period buildings. Georgian terraced townhouses, semi-detached Victorian and Edwardian properties, and large four-storey detached houses can all be found here. Many properties have been converted into apartments, often for student accommodation, but many others remain as single residences. New developments are also for sale here, such as the Oxford Waterways development which offers a range of styles, from one, two and three-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom homes, many with large gardens. Other modern houses are designed to combine classical Georgian architecture with modern interiors, and a number of three and four-bedroom townhouses in this style are available to buy. North Oxford boasts the same grand architecture, with handsome Victorian buildings in secluded side roads. Good schools and access to local amenities make this a particularly desirable area. Property in the North Oxford Victorian Conservation Area is particularly sought-after, with substantial family homes as well as one or two-bedroom flat conversions and studio apartments. Stylish modern houses can also be found here, again built in keeping with period properties but offering contemporary interiors. Some plots with planning consent for new builds occasionally come on the market too. Indeed, many new houses are being built in and around Oxford, and are being marketed with tempting incentives for those thinking of moving. Oxford lies on both the River Cherwell and the River Thames here known as the Isis and connected by the Oxford Canal. Houses near the river can offer an appealing lifestyle, combining the facilities of a large town with the seclusion of a waterside location. The district of Osney Island is particularly attractive: at a convenient distance from the city centre and railway centre, and home to charming Victorian cottages. Many of the homes have a view of the River Thames or Osney Stream, and the area boasts good local pubs, pretty riverside walks, and a pleasant village atmosphere. The suburb of Cowley, three miles south-east of the city centre, is within easy access to the city and has good public transport links and a good choice of local schools. Being near the ring road and near several business parks, it is a popular residential area and has a recently improved shopping centre. Many properties for sale here are mature period houses, many of which have been recently improved. Some large five or six-bedroom houses are available, as well as many smaller semi-detached houses suitable for families. Prices are lower than those in central Oxford, with a three-bedroom semi-detached house typically selling for around £275,000 - £300,000. Modern detached houses are also on the market, as well as smaller new builds, including luxury two-bedroom apartments. New developments with contemporary three and four-bedroom houses boasting stylish kitchens and bathrooms or with well-designed contemporary apartments are also for sale. The Headington area is ideal for commuters, located just 2 miles from the city centre and within easy access to Ring Road. Properties for sale here include a small exclusive development offering two and three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom mews homes - ideal for families and young professionals. Summertown to the north of the city comprises many fine Victorian and Edwardian terraced and detached houses the asking price for a four-bedroom property in this area could be as high as £700,000. Property prices in east Oxford can be more affordable, and this district has good access to the amenities of the city centre and of Cowley Road. Other areas in Oxford to buy property include Iffley Village, Iffley Fields, Marston, Jericho and St Ebbes where spacious town houses are located next to the River Thames and within walking distance of city centre. New Hinksey is also a quiet location with good access to the city and to Hinksey Park, and has many quiet residential side streets with Victorian housing stock. Further out from the city centre, rural properties can be found in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside. Period houses, cottages, barn conversions and modern family houses are all available in picturesque villages or rural locations. Many new houses have been built in local Cotswold stone, while well-renovated older properties can sell for very high prices. Villages such as Kingham, Bloxham, Islip, Long Hanborough and Bampton are particularly sought-after, and local estate agents can give details of property for sale throughout the county.
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