Focus on Kew and Brentford

Although Kew may share the same historic influences that make neighbouring Richmond such a draw, it presently has more scope for development and will definitely offer more bang for your property investment buck.

New property developments fast attracting tenants on the northern shore of the Thames include Kew Bridge, Kew Bridge West and GWQ. These schemes take advantage of the better transport links that exist on the north bank and they form a natural link to other Thames-path neighbourhoods including Chiswick, Hammersmith, Fulham and Chelsea.

Kew Bridge

Focusing on property developments around Kew is a natural option for those looking to combine zone two living standards with zone three prices, with corporate professionals keeping a close eye on those all-important commuting times. St George’s Kew Bridge scheme comes with comes with it’s own on-site branch of Benham & Reeves Estate Agents, where we are perfectly situated to help residents and landlords on-the-spot.

Quayside House is the latest phase at Kew Bridge where a cool £1.55 million will buy you one of the few three bedroom apartments still available. Similar in price to a Richmond conversion, apartments here provide the same splendid riverside views but with the addition of thoroughly modern interiors and excellent on-site amenities, such as 24-hr concierge, private gym and secure car parking.

It sounds expensive to an entry-level investor perhaps, but the thinking here is definitely long-term. Now that river pollution is a thing of the past, living on the banks of the Thames will never go out of fashion. At 3-4%, rental yields are higher than central London, with sale prices experiencing whopping gains of 34 percent in the last twelve months with neighbour Brentford following closely behind at 27.7 percent

Apartments to rent in Kew continue to be in demand and are currently experiencing minimal void periods:

1 bedroom from £390 pw

2 bedroom from £495 pw

3 bedroom from £945 pw

Kew Bridge West and GWQ

Kew Bridge West is a slightly more cost effective option. The development features similar amenities, and in the form of Hyperion Tower, possesses an eye-catching addition to the local skyline. Completions rolled out in late 2014 with Aitons House, and, at today’s value, a two bedroom apartment in Heritage Walk can be acquired for £660,000. The development is still near enough to Kew Bridge rail station to be a good option for corporate commuters and is also near Gunnersbury station which is a Zone 3 stop on the District line Tube network. One bedroom apartments here start from £345 per week.
The regenerative activity in Kew has  kick started other building ventures in neighbouring areas. GWQ is the property jewel in Brentford’s “Golden Mile” which lies in close proximity to the start of the M4 tech corridor. The Art Deco styling of the main apartment block overlooks a vibrant new living quarter that contains a health club, art gallery and a shopping precinct. The prices reflect the fact that GWQ possesses no river views, however, it is handily situated near Heathrow International Airport.

1 bedroom from £335 per week.

2 bedroom from £390 per week

3 bedroom from £438 per week

When Brentford’s local football club decided to follow Chelsea’s lead in revamping their stadium, developers were quick to come up with an exciting mixed-use plan. Prime Place Kew Bridge, near Kew Bridge station includes seven residential blocks, shops, leisure facilities, extensive landscaping, with pedestrian and cycle routes to the river. The development will be launched late 2016.

Dickens Yard

Even further inland, the distinctively stylish Dickens Yard in Ealing is yet another instalment in the St George development success story and is popular with corporate professionals and young families. Property here ranges in price from just under £900,000 for a two bedroom apartment to £2 million for a three bedroom configeration. This indicates the anticipated rental boost that the newly inaugurated Elizabeth Line (formerly Crossrail) will bring to the area. Two bedroom flats average £550 -£575 per week but elite two and three bedrooms rent for up to £800 and £1,050 respectively. We expect these prices will remain solid because of the increased connectivity that the new transport network is bringing to Ealing.

Peaceful living

Although Kew and Brentford are forging new identities for themselves as desirable areas in their own right, they still benefit from the prestige that comes with being neighbours with Richmond. Successive monarchs have lent a distinctive elegance and a taste for grand living to this stretch of Thames and an expansive park, together with the world-bfamous Kew Gardens, are their most visible legacies. Georgian terraces in Richmond Hill overlook a particularly scenic stretch of the Thames and serve as an inspirational target for young professionals climbing the corporate ladder. In the meantime, they are happy to rent two bedroom Victorian conversions near the station for anything between £400 and £635 per week. Near the Royal Botanical Gardens on the southern bank of the river is where you’ll find the heart of Kew in the form of period homes arranged around picturesque squares and leafy avenues. A two bedroom flat here will rent for £1,850 per calendar month upwards.

Central London connections

For areas that offer such a peaceful lifestyle, Kew and Brentford are surprisingly close to London bound train routes. The District Line Underground passes through Kew Gardens and Gunnersbury stations on its way from Richmond to the West End. The tube trains take just 30 minutes to reach Westminster station while Blackfriars is just a further five minutes along. The London Overground rail system links key Zone 2 and 3 suburbs without the need for trips through the centre of the City. All five terminals of Heathrow Airport are within a 15 minute car or taxi ride away.

The twin benefits of the River Thames and the Elizabeth line are set to further transform an area of West London that is already thriving. Kew and Brentford can no longer be regarded as fringe districts and they present viable options to investors who wish to benefit from this growth.

If you are interested in Kew properties, contact our Kew branch for more information. You can also subscribe to our landlords newsletter to keep up to date with all the latest property news.