One of the most desirable regions in the UK, South East England is always a good prospect for finding outstanding properties. From Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire in the west to the green reaches of Kent, there’s plenty of choice, and lots to excite any house hunter. Take a look at HomeViews’ top ranked developments to get a grasp of the best new homes in South East England.
What counts as South East England?
South East England consists of a large segment of the country. It sweeps from Oxfordshire down around London and through the counties of Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex before rolling on into Kent. It also contains the southern coastal regions including Southampton and Portsmouth.
Why live in South East England?
The South East of England is a region with a lot to offer. To start with, it’s diverse, providing everything from city living to a rustic countryside lifestyle and peaceful coastal communities.
Counties around London provide easy access to the nation’s cultural and commercial heart. Kent, one of the prettiest counties in the country, offers rolling fields, charming coastal towns and the historic cathedral city of Canterbury. Then the southern reaches of the region offer their own cultural and scenic treasures, not to mention dynamic cities like Brighton and Southampton.
Whatever kind of lifestyle you’re looking for, you’re likely to find it here.
What are house prices in South East England like?
South East England is a big place, so there’s a lot of regional variation when it comes to property prices. At the time of writing (November 2021) Zoopla places the South East England average property price at just under £434,000. From this midpoint, you can find everything from cheap houses in underdeveloped areas to multi-million-pound properties in key commuter locations and desirable coastal spots.
Average prices for the region have dropped about 2% in the past 12 months. This is largely due to many people not needing to live so close to London due to the pandemic.
If you’re looking to rent in South East England, you’ll find a pretty steep regional average at £764 per week.
New homes in South East England: 10 highest-rated developments on HomeViews
Now it’s time to take a look at our top-rated developments in the South East of England. While there’s a lot of ground to cover, and not every part of the region has a spot on the list, it gives you a flavour of what’s on offer. If you want to know more about a specific part of South East England, remember that we have dedicated area guides for practically every county, city and town.
*PLEASE NOTE these rankings take into account how recently reviews have been submitted, so may not match the overall star ratings shown. More recent reviews are given a greater weighting to reflect current building performance.
4.66 (25 reviews)
4.66 (25 reviews)
At the very top of our list for South East England is The Kell, located in Gillingham, Kent. The Kell is a Build to Rent development managed by Way of Life, offering 192 new apartments with a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments. It’s a pet-friendly development and residents have access to an onsite team with 24/7 CCTV security. Reviewers say that they love the views over the Chatham Docks.
4.43 (26 reviews)
4.43 (26 reviews)
Next up, Gatehouse Apartments is a recently completed development of build-to-rent apartments located in Southampton, close to the city centre. Reviewers frequently praise the stylishness of the buildings and apartment interiors, not to mention the plentiful, well-maintained facilities. These include a fully equipped gym, concierge with parcel collection service, and fast WiFi access throughout the development.
4.37 (17 reviews)
4.37 (17 reviews)
The ever-desirable county of Oxfordshire gets a look-in for third place with Kingsmere, which is a village setting with a great community feel. It benefits from schools, a village centre, recreational and sports facilities, a health village, restaurant and hotel. It’s also a short walk from the designer shops and boutiques at the famous Bicester Village.
4.31 (19 reviews)
4.31 (19 reviews)
At number 4, Forge Wood is an exciting new development with a mix of spacious 2-bedroom apartments set in Crawley. The design and finish of the apartments get routinely high marks, and Crawley itself sits between two areas of outstanding natural beauty, the Surrey Hills and the High Weald, putting nature on residents’ doorstep.
Read reviews and details of Forge Wood, RH10 by Taylor Wimpey
4.24 (17 reviews)
4.24 (17 reviews)
Appropriately, the middle-ranked development of our list is roughly in the middle of the region. The Grainger Collection at Wellesley is located in Aldershot, in the heart of the Hampshire countryside. There’s an attractive blend of country and modern living available here, with good transport links to London and other cities. The Grainger Collection at Wellesley provides a range of 1 and 2-bed low-rise flats, 3 and 4-bed houses surrounded by woodlands and a full 110 hectares of green open space.
Read reviews and details of The Grainger Collection at Wellesley, GU11
4.20 (22 reviews)
4.20 (22 reviews)
At number 6, situated close to the heart of Chichester, Keepers Green offers a wide range of beautifully designed, contemporary homes. Features such as a communal cricket ground, a community pavilion and community garden make it a peaceful neighbourhood for all to enjoy. Residents are also big fans of the design of the properties, particularly when it comes to the bathrooms and flooring.
4.16 (43 reviews)
4.16 (43 reviews)
Highwood Village, by Berkeley Homes, sits in Horsham, West Sussex. The development has been well designed in all aspects such as location, build quality, interior specification and sustainability. In addition, residents have plenty of choice here as properties range from 1-5-bed new homes. Highwood Village is walking distance from Horsham Town Centre and just a 25-minute drive from Gatwick Airport.
4.13 (14 reviews)
4.13 (14 reviews)
Ranked at number 8, Mulberry Fields is an energy-efficient neighbourhood of 2-5-bedroom homes in Southwater, which is also near Horsham. There’s plenty of green space surrounding the properties, and, according to residents, a solid community vibe have been built up since the development opened
4.10 (12 reviews)
4.10 (12 reviews)
For number 9 we swing west over to Berkshire. Heritage Park also offers a collection of 2-5-bed homes, this time in the popular village of Shinfield. The development has an expanding set of landscaping works to develop the green spaces between properties. Plus, the management team here are regularly cited as being extremely friendly and helpful.
4.08 (13 reviews)
4.08 (13 reviews)
And finally, for our number 10 spot we zoom up to the northern edge of South East England. Oakbrook by Taylor Wimpey sits within Newton Leys just 8 miles from central Milton Keynes and 3 miles away from Brunel Shopping Centre. It has a strong and growing sense of community, a great range of local amenities and offers an appealing collection of houses and apartments.
We hope that our top 10 list of new homes in South East England gives you a better sense of what to expect from the region. Don’t forget to check back for updates to this list, as new reviews are being added all the time. Check out our specific area guides if any of the listings catch your eye.
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to recognise high performers and help improve standards in the built environment.
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