Kent

She founded&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fionapenny.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fiona Penny Bespoke Home Finders</a>&nbsp;17 years ago and knows both the housing industry and the West Kent (East Sussex) area of the country inside out. So we asked home finding expert, Fiona Penny, to list the 5 key selling points when property searching in our county and which are the best areas to consider.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-best-transport-links">1. BEST TRANSPORT LINKS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1125" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/sign-post-brenchley.jpg" alt="sign post Tonbridge Matfield Horsmonden Goudhurst Kent" class="wp-image-78737" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/sign-post-brenchley.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/sign-post-brenchley-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/sign-post-brenchley-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/sign-post-brenchley-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/sign-post-brenchley-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/sign-post-brenchley-700x525.jpg 700w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



WHERE? Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Ashford.



WHY? Kent has great rail and road links to London, London Gatwick Airport, Ashford International Station and the south coast, for seaside fun.



Sevenoaks has long been known as one of the best (and therefore most expensive) commuter towns, with trains taking just 25 minutes to London Bridge and 34 minutes into Charing Cross.



Living in villages around Tonbridge you can benefit from the most choice of London bound trains with Tonbridge Station serviced by 3 different train lines (South Eastern, Hastings and Redhill lines).



And if you choose a home in central Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells, you can benefit from all the fun of town living, the joys of the Kent countryside on your doorstep and still walk to a mainline station.



In terms of road access, the A21 connects so many of Kent’s towns and villages with the coast to the South and the M25 to the North, making access easy to the motorway network and airports.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-access-to-grammar-schools">2. ACCESS TO GRAMMAR SCHOOLS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="757" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Co-ed-school-.jpg" alt="Schoolchildren with backpacks stand in the park ready to go to " class="wp-image-105701" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Co-ed-school-.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Co-ed-school--800x404.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Co-ed-school--1000x505.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Co-ed-school--400x202.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/Co-ed-school--768x388.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



WHERE? Cranbrook, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford and Maidstone.



WHY? Kent has long been known for its great selection and quality of both girls&#8217; and boys&#8217; Grammar Schools. Plus Cranbrook Grammar School is one of only a few co-ed grammar schools in the country, that also offers boarding. All this is an increasingly important factor for parent’s choosing to move into the county.



Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Cranbrook, alongside Ashford and Maidstone further east, all offer fantastic Grammar Schools, generally well serviced with connecting bus and train services.&nbsp;



With VAT being added to private school fees, the demand for Grammar School places will continue to rise and therefore those areas and houses that fall into the school catchment areas will become even more desirable and undoubtably prices will increase.&nbsp;



The different grammars have varying criteria for their catchment areas though so it’s important to do your research or let us help you with our expertise in this area.&nbsp;Our <a href="https://www.fionapenny.com/your-happy-kids">website also shows a ma</a><a href="https://www.fionapenny.com/your-happy-kids" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">p</a> which provides you with definitive information on Cranbrook School’s catchment area.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-city-still-accessible">3. CITY STILL ACCESSIBLE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/anthony-delanoix-CFi7_hCXecU-unsplash.jpg" alt="Westminster London Bridge" class="wp-image-105709" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/anthony-delanoix-CFi7_hCXecU-unsplash.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/anthony-delanoix-CFi7_hCXecU-unsplash-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/anthony-delanoix-CFi7_hCXecU-unsplash-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/anthony-delanoix-CFi7_hCXecU-unsplash-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/anthony-delanoix-CFi7_hCXecU-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash</figcaption></figure>



WHERE? Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Paddock Wood, Marden and Staplehurst.



WHY? One of the benefits to living in Kent is that you can choose to live in a bustling town or a quieter village but you are never far from a good station that will whisk you up to London whenever you wish to.



Sevenoaks is the quickest but if still commuting or hybrid working you might find parking and having a seat on the train is easier if you choose to find a home a little further south.



Tunbridge Wells, Paddock Wood, Marden and Staplehurst all offer decent car parking and direct trains into London whether you need to travel for work or want to travel for fun!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-cultural-amp-foodie-hotspots">4. CULTURAL &amp; FOODIE HOTSPOTS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/sunday-lunch.jpg" alt="sunday lunch roast" class="wp-image-105707" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/sunday-lunch.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/sunday-lunch-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/sunday-lunch-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/sunday-lunch-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/sunday-lunch-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



WHERE? Tonbridge, Tonbridge Wells, Benenden and Cranbrook.



WHY? Kent has certainly upped its game in recent years with an increasing number of both high end and super cool restaurants alongside an increasingly buzzy festivals and arts scene.



It&#8217;s no longer just the county of stately homes and National Trust properties – although there are still more than you can shake a stick at.&nbsp;



The Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells has a great variety of shops, bars and eateries to explore alongside an artisan outdoor weekend market twice a month. There are also Live at the Pantiles events throughout the Summer with open air music of all genres.



Kent now has 5 restaurants with a Michelin star and 25 restaurants in their guide so plenty to choose from if fine dining is your thing.&nbsp;



Even within rural Kent, art and culture is on your doorstep with several school theatres hosting professional touring productions which are open to the public. These include E.M. Forster Theatre at Tonbridge School, Benenden Theatre at Benenden School and The Queen’s Hall Theatre at Cranbrook School.



And calling all art lovers out there, Kent have a huge number of artists that sign up to the SEOS (South East Open Studio) days for the whole of June.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-characterful-properties">5. CHARACTERFUL PROPERTIES</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/07/Kent-Oast-House-vineyard.jpg" alt="kent, oast house, vineyards, best places to live, property" class="wp-image-41803" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/07/Kent-Oast-House-vineyard.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/07/Kent-Oast-House-vineyard-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/07/Kent-Oast-House-vineyard-667x500.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/07/Kent-Oast-House-vineyard-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/kent/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/07/Kent-Oast-House-vineyard-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



WHERE? Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Cranbrook and surrounds.



WHY? For Georgian splendour, look to the 56 acre Calverley Estate, Tunbridge Wells, developed in 1828-1840 by the Georgian architect Decimus Burton. His Calverley New Town development plan set out to offer residents the same benefits as those living in the more famous Pantiles area. His now iconic Grade II listed Villas are amongst the most sought-after properties in this west Kent town.



Meanwhile, in Sevenoaks, you have the equally impressive Wilderness Estate, with links back to the 14th&nbsp;Century, the modern park was purchased in 1927 to be developed as &#8216;an exceptional estate in a rural domain&#8217;.&nbsp;The estate was divided into large plots and many of the houses can be attributed to the Arts &amp; Crafts architect M.H. Baillie Scott.



Today these remain prestigious addresses due to the large plots, sizeable houses and beautiful woodland settings just a stone’s throw from all the town’s amenities – basically the best of both worlds.



Moving south, you are spoilt for choice with more rural properties. There&#8217;s picture postcard perfect white weatherboard houses such as those found in Cranbrook High Street where, historically, lengths of board were fixed horizontally onto older timber framed buildings to add warmth and protection.&nbsp;



Traditional Kent Oast Houses are synonymous with the county. The Garden of England was found to have the perfect soil for growing hops and plenty of forests for the fires. Now these round or square kilns have virtually all been converted into wonderful, characterful homes.



Not to forget all the generously sized and beautifully built former Georgian and Victorian rectories found in most Kent villages that now offer wonderful family homes.&nbsp;Come to Kent and you&#8217;ll see what we&#8217;re talking about!



<a href="https://fionapenny.com">Fiona Penny Bespoke Home Finder</a><a href="https://fionapenny.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">s</a>

BUYING IN WEST KENT? 5 key selling points to consider and the BEST areas to invest in

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