All you need to know about property in Eastleigh

This time out we delve into the world of Hampshire town Eastleigh.

The area

A large town in Hampshire, Eastleigh is situated in between Southampton and Winchester and lies on the picturesque River Itchen.

It’s a busy commuter hub and a manufacturing and business hub of its own. Eastleigh’s town centre is made up of a mixture of independent and high street stores, as well as hotels, banks, gyms and supermarkets.

Property in Eastleigh is the usual suburban mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced homes, as well as bungalows, flats and apartments.

They range from pricey four and five bedroom homes in high-end areas like Chandler’s Ford to much more affordable homes in and around Eastleigh itself.

You can certainly get plenty of bang for your buck, with sizeable three and four bedroom homes on offer for well under £300,000.

Things to do

Southampton, Portsmouth and historic Winchester are all nearby, with plenty in those great cities to keep all ages and demographics happy.

Marwell Zoo is also a short drive away (kids of all ages will love it there) and the natural beauty and splendour of the New Forest is pretty much on the doorstep, ditto parts of the South Downs.

Certainly, if you’re looking to spend time in the wonderful English countryside, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

For the young ones, Hensting Alpacas is a great day out, while older children and teenagers will no doubt relish the thrills and spills of TeamSport Indoor Go Karting.

Elsewhere, Eastleigh Lakeside Railway and Eastleigh Museum are both gems, while Itchen Valley Country Park is a delight when the weather is behaving itself.

Culture vultures should check out The Point. A fabulous local venue that puts on a wide and eclectic range of shows and performances.

Food & Drink

Artisan Coffee House & Bar offers great service and even better food, while lovers of Italian cuisine should look no further than La Fenice.

The Dog & Crook (great name!) is arguably the best pub in town, offering up home-cooked grub, a good range of ales and lively quiz nights. The Sunday roasts are particularly good.

If you’re after something a bit fancier, East Avenue (modern European) and Special Thai Restaurant are highly recommended.

Masala Lounge and Saffron both offer superb curries, while Peking Phoenix is the place to head for authentic Chinese cuisine in friendly, stylish surroundings.

Those looking for their fish and chips fix on a Friday are also well catered for – Sonny’s Traditional Fish & Chips does exactly what it says on the tin!

Transport

Eastleigh couldn’t be much closer to Southampton Airport, which operates cheap flights across Europe.

It’s also equally well-served by rail, bus and road links. Eastleigh railway station can get you to London Waterloo in just over an hour, while services are also provided to Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth and Poole.

Eastleigh has a number of local bus services that serve the town and areas in and around it. Again, services are fast and frequent.

Easy road access to Southampton and elsewhere is provided by the M3 and M27 motorways.

For expert advice when it comes to selling your home in Eastleigh and other locations throughout the South of England, please get in touch with ChimneyPots on: 0844 809. 993.

We also provide an instant online valuation tool to give you an estimate of how much your property is worth in the current marketplace.

Property in Hedge End – what do you need to know?

We’ve covered Havant, Gosport, Fareham and Fratton, now it’s the turn of popular commuter hub Hedge End.

The area

A town and civil parish in Hampshire, Hedge End lies to the east of the City of Southampton and has been inhabited since before the Roman conquest.

A historically significant place, Hedge End grew from a small village into a busy market town with the arrival of the M27 motorway, which led to the population of the Southampton suburb to soar.

The town has a pretty decent claim to fame, too – back in 1971 boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who passed away this month, paid a surprise visit to the Fine Fare Supermarket to sign autographs and chat to locals. When the man commonly known as ‘The Greatest’ rocks up in the place you live, it can’t be anything other than a good thing!

Property in Hedge End is the usual suburban mix of new build housing estates, flats, bungalows and terraced, detached and semi-detached homes. Prices are affordable – buyers can expect to get a very nice three-bed house for around £275,000, while even a four-bed home can go for under £330,000.

Things to do

Southampton is right on the doorstep, with all the leisure, sporting and cultural activities that city offers, not to mention its buzzing night-life and the chance to watch the mighty Saints at the impressive St Mary’s stadium.

Play Shack is absolutely ideal for young kids, while thrill-seekers should check out Seadogz Rib Charter Limited, which offers adrenaline-junkies extreme tours, river rafting and rib rides – ‘a rollercoaster on water’ is perhaps the best description we can offer.

Manor Farm Country Park and Marwell Zoo are also good days out for the whole family – just remember to take a picnic!

Museums buffs, meanwhile, will be kept happy with the SeaCity and Solent Sky museums.

What’s more, Hedge End holds an annual carnival – this year’s takes place on July 2nd 2016 – and includes all sorts of events and competitions.

Food & Drink

Purbania offers the best curry in town, closely followed by Monsoon Indian Cuisine. Shamblehurst Barn provides classic pub food in a family-friendly environment, while the Brewery Bar and The Vineyard Restaurant are other reliable choices.

If it’s a takeaway you’re after, look no further than Hello Kitchen Chinese – expect big portions and freshly cooked grub.

Artisan Coffee House and Bar is another excellent choice. The name might not give it away, but this is the place for authentic Turkish cuisine at cheap prices. The staff are very friendly, the portions considerable, the baklava delicious and the coffee lovingly made.

For lighter snacks and breakfasts, Josie’s can’t really be beaten, while Elsie’s Traditional Tea Room offers superb afternoon teas in a suitably quaint setting.

There are also, of course, the usual roll call of chain restaurants and fast-food establishments nearby.

Transport

Hedge End, Botley and Bursledon are the nearest railway stations – services head to Portsmouth Harbour, London Waterloo, Southampton Central and Eastleigh.

Southampton also has a reliable and wide-ranging network of buses, which serve the suburbs on a regular basis. For those looking to take a trip away, Southampton Airport is a mere nine minute drive away (assuming the traffic is behaving itself; if not, it still only takes around 15 minutes).

For expert advice when it comes to selling your home in Hedge End, Southampton and other locations across Hampshire, please get in touch with ChimneyPots on: 01489 584298.

We also provide an instant online valuation tool to give you an estimate of how much your property is worth in the current marketplace.