House-hunting in a school catchment zone

The Telegraph recently ran an article about the stress parents feel when trying to secure their child a place at a good state school.

It seems that parents will go to extraordinary lengths to make sure they’re in with a fighting chance, whether it means paying more for a house that’s within the catchment zone or upping sticks completely and renting in the right area in the hope of securing a place.

Catchment-zone properties have always been in demand as parents seek to get the best education they can for their children. One estate agent in London reported that 60 percent of young families moving through them were drawn to the area by the good schools, whilst another said that competition was so fierce, some families were only house-hunting on three particular roads just to be close to a specific school.

And if you’re already within the catchment zone for a popular school and are thinking of selling, you may even be able to command a higher price. Nationwide reported that homes near to high-scoring primary schools are often more expensive, by almost £8,000, depending on which part of the UK you’re in.

So this is why we decided to make it a bit easier for parents with our new ‘search by school’ tool. You can select a specific distance, from a specific school, to see all of the properties at a glance that we have for sale within that area.

Each property is shown on a map, so you can see its exact location, along with a photograph, price and direct link to more information.

It may not guarantee you a place at the school of your choice, but knowing you’re as near as possible certainly helps.

Posted on 19 November 2010 in Property News. Tagged with Estate Agents, Homes, Houses, Properties for sale, Property, School, Schools