Location! Location! Location! and the headlines

In a recent post we talked about the areas of Bromley and Tulse Hill and the expectations of estate agents in each location. They are certainly very different areas, and two of the things they obviously have in common are being in London Boroughs - Bromley is one itself - and each having an Edward Ashdale office.

Don't believe an area is a wash-out till you speak with us

One of the things that has happened in Bromley recently is focused on Orpington. Orpington got into the national press when journalists picked up on the high number of charity shops in the high street there (12) and the relatively high proportion to the shops in general this represented.  The arguments and facts about the rumoured death of the high street are complex, and this local blog for one took a step back and talked about some of the positives in Orpington.

Certainly, seeing a Daily Telegraph headline of "Austerity Street" citing Orpington provides one of those rare rub-your-eyes-and-look-again-moments. Yet you can see where they're coming from. A loss of independent retail shops in favour of, for instance, charity shops isn't perhaps ideal.Yet Orpington is a long way off having tumbleweed rolling down the high street past ranks of boarded up shops. There is a lot to praise in Orpington and the initiative "Orpington1st" appears to be gearing itself  up ready to showcase it.

From an estate agents point of view, we see currently that pretty much all types of property, rented or for purchase, are gaining higher values and rental charges in the current market. In what is something of a scrum to compete for a good quality, good value home in a suitable location a superficial view of an area is unhelpful. So while we reflected on the different sights and behaviours in Bromley and Tulse Hill, our local knowledge reaches beyond the headlines. Thus, we can say to people who ask us about moving to Orpington - "No, that austerity street label is unfair. It's not all gloom and doom and austerity. There's a lot of plusses too."

What are they? Here are just a few examples. 

Orpington has a 7 screen cinema pencilled in for the town centre and a redevelopment of the old library by Bromley Museum due to revive that asset in what are the lovely Priory Gardens. We can point out that the transport links for central London and the South East are great - just as they are in Tulse Hill. We can mention one of the country's few grammar schools in Newstead Wood, that is always very high in national educational league tables, and there other top local schools, primary and senior, in and around Orpington. We can talk about The Walnuts Leisure Centre. We can mention a recently award-winning bakery and an award-winning tea room, and the latest excellent Cray Festival. We can mention the Nugent shopping centre, the Foodbank that was set up in Orpington and that now serves Bromley; we can mention how green a place it is and that there are numerous sporting facilities including the Bromley Tennis Centre. We could talk about the great number of local social, faith, and community groups and charities. Then there are the new hardware store, the new guitar makers and the new American diner all in "Austerity Street".

If asked, we could talk about Tulse Hill in a similar way.  People need to read beyond the headlines. That is an area in which a good estate agent (like us!) can help people gain valuable insights that make for better decisions on where to make the location of their future homes.

Don't believe all you read. Unless we write it.