Focus on Southgate: Second steppers find space in this family home hotspot
Southgate in North London is a magnet for families, and it’s easy to see why. Not only does it have high-performing schools and an abundance of ample-sized properties, it also has plenty of green space (Grovelands, Broomfield and Oakwood parks are all nearby) and excellent links to central London thanks to its zone four Piccadilly line station.
It even got a taste of sporting fame during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when the grade II-listed station was temporarily renamed Gareth Southgate in honour of the England manager’s success.
The stock in trade of the Southgate property market is detached, Edwardian family homes and semi-detached villas. “Homes on The Green and Cannon Road are among those to achieve the highest sale prices in Southgate,” says Frances Clacy, research analyst at Savills.
Last year, the house market made up the vast proportion of sales, accounting for 63 per cent of all transactions in the area. The preponderance of houses, rather than flats, contributed to the fact that a third of homes to sell during that period topped the one million mark.
Second stepper hotspot
Many of these homes will have been bought by second-steppers and upsizers moving further out.
“Rising house prices in the capital have caused people to look further afield, and particularly for upsizers and second-steppers living in places like Muswell Hill, Finchley or Highgate, they’ll opt to head north to the likes of Southgate to get better value and more space,” says Clacy.
However, new blocks of flats are cropping up too, as first-time buyers gain interest in the area. New developments in the Southgate area include Montmorency Park, a scheme of more than 400 one, two and three-bed apartments, where prices start at £344,750 for a one-bed.
The lifestyle offering in Southgate and its surrounding locations is also on the up. Ria Saulter, associate director at agent SiteSales Property Group which is active in the area, says it has “a large variety of local coffee shops and restaurants, perfect for an after work meal or a weekend brunch.”
Highlights include independent cafe Claud W Dennis, which has a vegan menu and espresso martinis, and vibrant Australian-themed coffee shop Sydney Rocks.
Easy to escape the city
For those looking to spend their leisure time further afield, Saulter says the area is also perfectly located for escaping the city by car.
“There are excellent road links – to the A406 and the M1 – so you can be up and out and, on the road, quickly and easily,” she says.
So how much cash do you need to part with to buy a place in Southgate? In the last ten years, prices have risen by over 90 per cent – significantly more than in Greater London and the wider Enfield borough. However, if you have your heart set on this part of North London, Southgate might still be a savvy place to buy.
“While a semi-detached home in Southgate averages at 21 per cent more expensive than a comparable property across the borough, this still presents significantly better value than locations closer to the capital like Alexandra Palace and Crouch End where semis sell for around £1.24m,” says Clacy.
Currently, the average house price across all property types in Southgate is £586,147, compared to £473,302 in the wider Enfield borough and £606,956 in the whole of London.
Area highlights
The coffee scene in Southgate is spearheaded by Claud W. Dennis, which has a licensed bar and Instagram-friendly interiors. Also visit Sydney Rocks, an Antipodean themed cafe where customers rate the fresh sourdough and friendly staff. The restaurant scene is varied, and highlights include Warda, which serves traditional Lebanese food with a modern twist, and Green’s Steakhouse, which serves steaks, burgers and seafood in a rustic, homely atmosphere. The Southgate Club is a particularly unique local venue – a members’ social club which hosts comedy nights, music acts, live sports and games. The real selling point of Southgate is its outdoor space – an area in which residents are spoilt for choice. Broomfield Park is home to the Broomfield Conservatory, a botanical garden which dates from 1934, while the 64-acre Oakwood Park is home to avenues of poplar trees and scarlet oaks.