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Buying a house is difficult. Not just because of the money – although that is certainly a pretty big barrier for many – but also because bagging a home in a high-demand area can be very stressful. It’s not for the faint of heart.
In London, proximity to a tube or train stop is one of the most sought after qualities a property can have: research from Nationwide Building Society found that homes within 500m of a station – any station – cost an average of £42,700 more. But did you know that the exact amount changes depending on which lines serve that station?
Nationwide took a look at house prices across London, and then mapped them based on which tube or train line they were closest to in order to discover which commuters are paying the highest transport-related premium on their properties. In the end, the report discovered that houses on the Circle line were more expensive than any other.
Houses whose nearest station is on the yellow line cost an average of £729,000. That high number is likely because the Circle runs through some of the most exclusive areas in the city, like Kensington, Westminster, and the City.
The second most expensive line to live near was the Bakerloo, where homes cost an average of £617,000. Once again, stations like Marylebone, Regent’s Park, and Baker Street are likely bringing that average number up, and being a shorter line there just aren’t enough cheaper stops to even it out.
The Victoria line, which runs straight through central London, was third. On the light blue line, a house will set you back, on average, £587,000.
On the other end of the scale, it was an Overground line – the Liberty – which was the most affordable TfL service to live near, with the Elizabeth line coming in close second. As a spokesperson for Nationwide explained, this is primarily because ‘most of the stations are in more suburban areas, where prices tend to be lower’. For similar reasons, the Metropolitan was the cheapest tube line to be on, with an average house price of £463,000.
The six Overground lines are a mixed bag. The Mildmay, where properties go for roughly £645,000, is the second most expensive on the entire network, but houses on the Liberty line are verging on actually affordable, costing around £358,000.
London transport lines with the highest house prices
Here are the five London transport lines – including the underground, overground, DLR, and Elizabeth line – based on how much the average house nearby is.
- Circle: £729,000
- Mildmay: £645,000
- Bakerloo: £617,000
- Victoria: £587,000
- Lioness: £575,000
The London transport lines with the lowest house prices
And here are the five cheapest, including local house prices.
- Liberty: £358,000
- Elizabeth Line: £401,000
- Metropolitan: £463,000
- Docklands Light Railway: £475,000
- Central: £488,000
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