Wealden Times | WT180 | February 2017 | Wedding supplement inside

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Top of the class postcodes
Professional property finder Mandy Bissell discusses the challenge of
finding a home in a location that offers the right schooling
One of the many factors that makes Kent
such a popular location to live in is the
number of highly regarded state and
independent schools located across the
county. Competition for places remains
fierce, as is the demand for homes in
the surrounding area, presenting both
challenges and opportunities for parents.
Whilst the property market may have
been quieter in some sectors last year,
family buyers have nonetheless remained
active in significant numbers, as the
challenge of finding the right home close
to the right school remains a clear and
important priority.
Family priorities
Living close to a top performing school
is always going to be an attractive
proposition for family buyers, but at
what cost? The debate between funding
an independent education or allocating
money to buying a superior property in a
good catchment area is a frequent one for
those able to consider either option, and
with no clear answer.
Family priorities and needs have also been
changing year by year and the option of
allowing children to travel to school with
their friends or other nearby parents has
become even more important; especially
as parents try to juggle their increasingly
demanding work commitments.
For parents with more than one child,
schools now offering breakfast clubs
and extra-curricular activities outside
of school hours can result in frequent
journeys to and from school, as children
of varying ages with separate interests
finish at different times.
Mandy Bissell GARRINGTON
Quite understandably, parents that are
working can find this difficult to manage
and in some cases have found that the
solution of living close to a school can be
an attractive one. With less property for
sale and with such limited stock of ‘best of
breed’ homes fitting this criteria in Kent, it
is easy to understand why premium prices
continue to be paid for properties close and
convenient to highly favoured schools.
The right location
With the cost of an independent education
starting at around £5,000 per term for day
students or £8,700+ per term for boarders,
the attraction of obtaining a place for your
child/children in a top performing state
school seems a sensible option for many.
Skinners’ School or Tunbridge Wells
Girls Grammar are particularly popular
schools, alongside Weald of Kent Grammar
School and Judd School in Tonbridge, that
see parents focussing their efforts to find
a new home within the catchment area. In
addition, Cranbrook School placements
are highly sought after. Finding that
ideal home can be notoriously difficult,
expensive and stress inducing. Naturally
as the school becomes more popular the
catchment area can sometimes shrink
and there is often a trend showing
increase in house prices.
The independent schooling choice
presents further challenges. With the
cost difference between day pupils and
boarders at some of the top independent
schools locally reaching £3,500-£4,000
per term on top of tuition fees, living
nearer to the school of choice could be
a financially savvy move. Interestingly,
over the period of a child’s senior
schooling, parents who live within
travelling distance to the school could
save up to £12,000 a year on boarding fees.
If this financial saving was instead used
to service mortgage borrowing costs, it
might make a substantial difference
to the level of available borrowing for
buying a home and the potential equity
gain from a higher value home if house
prices continue to rise.
Transport links to schools have to be
accessible and can be a ‘deal-breaker’ for
some parents. For example, towns with
railway stations on the Ramsgate/Dover
Priory, Folkestone Central, Ashford
International or Hastings lines such as
Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells
will always remain popular, not just to
allow children to make their own way to
school, but also for them to meet their
friends outside of school time without
parents having to accompany them.
Competition for places at the best
schools is undeniably tough, and the
dual pressure of getting your child
settled and buying a new property
can become both overwhelming and
expensive. For those family buyers
looking to make a move prior to the start
of the new academic year, now is the
time to be making plans and seeking the
right advice.
If you would like further information regarding properties within a catchment area to Kent schools and
how Garrington can save you time and money finding the right home, contact Mandy Bissell:
Tel: 01892 882892 | info@garrington.co.uk | www.garringtonsoutheast.co.uk