A Devon Property Search Agent’s Guide To Buying in Devon

Are you thinking of moving to Devon?

Devon is a large county, with lots of fabulous property. It’s a perfect country escape, well-connected, with plenty of rural, beach and coastal properties for sale.

Why Move To Devon?

Devon is arguably one of the best places to live in the UK. Of course, we’re absolutely prejudiced, because we live here.

But in 2009 Devon was voted as England’s best county to live in by Country Life, factoring in categories everything from crime figures to food to green space, council performance and composting. Read the full article about how Country Life arrived at their conclusion that Devon is the best county in England.

Devon Is Just That Bit Closer

Whilst Cornwall is undeniably beautiful, for some property buyers it’s just a shade too far away from large cities like London and many find that Devon, whilst being comfortably far away and with its own gravity, is also very well connected with the rest of the country from the M5 and by rail.

Cornwall is beautiful, but a little too far for some. However, if that’s exactly what you’re looking for you may be more interested in our page on Cornwall Property Search.

Coastal Property Search in Devon

There is a wealth of coastal property for sale in Devon. Devon is the UK’s only county to have two separate coastlines, each with very different characteristics. As such it offers property finders searching for coastal, beach, or waterside property plenty of choice – from rugged coastline perfect for surfing, to sedate pebbly beaches in the English channel at Budleigh Salterton.

The South West has some of the best sailing waters in the country. It’s been the home of Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake – undeniably amongst the best sailors in history.

Size & Population

Whilst it’s the 4^th largest county, it’s 11^th in terms population density. That means more green space, small cities with easy access to the countryside and plenty of small villages ideal for a second home, rural relocation or a country escape.

It’s actually the problem of size and the number of small villages which leads many people to consult a property search agent to find the right property. A property search agent will help narrow down the possibilities, show you where not to live, as well as give you the insight and knowledge you’ll need to make the right buying decisions.

City Shopping, Exeter

Exeter is a small cathedral city of about 120,000, at the furthest end of the M5. Exeter has a busy shopping centre with large department stores such as John Lewis (opening late 2012), House of Fraser and Marks & Spencers as well as most well known high street shops. Exeter also has specialist electronics shops such as the Apple store, bespoke tailors such as Lugets and a thriving community of independent shops.

Supermarkets available include Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

Transport & Infrastructure

Train Stations In Devon

A train journey London Paddington to Exeter can take as little as 2 hours and 2 minutes.

Villages and towns connected to the rail network include: Barnstaple, Chapelton, Umberleigh, Portsmouth Arms, Kings Nympton, Eggersford, Lapford, Morchard Road, Copplestone, Okehampton, Sampford Courtenay, Yeoford, Crediton, Newton St, Cyres, Tiverton (Tiverton Parkway), Exeter (served by Exeter St. David’s, Pinhoe, Exeter St. Thoma, St. James, Polsloe Bridge, Digby & Sowton) Whimple, Feniton, Honiton, Axminster, Topsham, Exton, Lympstone Commando, Lympstone, Exmouth, Starcross, Dawlish Warren, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Torre, Torquay, Paignton, Totnes, Ivybridge, Plymouth (served by Devonport, Dockyard), St. Budeaux Victoria Road, St Budeaux Ferry Road, Bere Ferrers, Berer Alston, Calstock, and Gunnislake.

Roads

Beyond the M5, which ends at Exeter, a network of A roads serves the rest of Devon, but it’s relatively quick to get around by car. Beyond the M5, South Devon is served by the fast moving A38. North Devon is largely served by the A361 and the A377.

Exeter & Plymouth Airports

Exeter has its own airport and flies to Summer and Winter holiday destinations as well as scheduled flights to locations including: Paris, Geneva, Salzburg, Amsterdam, Dublin, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and a handful of others.

Dartmoor

Over 34,000 people live in Dartmoor national park. It’s high, rugged moors, wild ponies and magnificent countryside attract millions each year.

If you buy a property on Dartmoor and need to apply for planning, the Dartmoor National Park authority will handle the application, which may sound daunting, though their website claims that 91% of planning applications were approved in the year from 1^st April 2010.

Climate & Geography

The Met Office moved to Exeter, in Devon, for a reason!

According to the met office, coastal areas in the South West have on average about 1600 hours of sunshine each year – with more favourable sunshine hours on the English Channel coast.

Teignmouth is one of the sunniest places in the country and according to a survey published by HomeSun from met office data, Maudlin Drive is the 5^th sunniest street in the UK(1).

Dartmoors high moors have a slightly different climate and you can expect more rain.

For more information about climate in the South West, visit the Met Office here: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/sw/print.html

Food

As you might expect for a thriving rural county such as Devon, we do great food – and not just clotted scones and cream. We have plenty of farm shops, selling local cheese, ciders, fresh bread, vegetables and fruit. Devon sports its own vineyards which have competed favourably with French wines in blind taste tests. The largest official food organisation in Devon is the Taste of the West which promotes the greatest regional produce.

Education: State Schools, Private Schools & University

Devon has a wealth of private schools which offer the very best teaching and educational standards combined with the more relaxed outlook of the South West, covering pre-preparatory schools to A level education. Families will want to live close or within a reasonable commuting distance of schools, and will likely impact your choice of location for buying property.

Likewise, catchment areas in the state school system play an important part in choosing property, as well as walking or commutable distance. Devon has some very good grammar schools.

Exeter and Plymouth are university towns. Once kids have grown up, distance probably plays a lesser role in where you choose to live. Exeter also has the Peninsular Medical School. Dartmouth also has the Britannia Royal Naval College.

Using A Property Search Agent

If you are actively looking at fine property for sale in Devon, you might want to seek extra help from a property search agents like Recoco.

Every year we help a small list of private clients find property in Devon, West, Dorset, Cornwall and Somerset. We handle your entire purchase from search and shortlisting, through specialist surveys, meeting with architects etc. to price negotiation and completion.

Is it an unfair advantage? We think so. But that’s why our clients choose us. To find out more, please call us on +44 (0)1392 433 554 and we’ll be happy to talk to you about your next property purchase in Devon.