subject: Cost Effective Property Areas In Portsmouth [print this page] Cost Effective Property Areas In Portsmouth
The maritime city of Portsmouth is actually the only island city, being situated on Portsea Island, just off the south coast of England and connected to the mainland by three road bridges, a rail bridge and a pedestrian and cycle bridge. The island itself is approximately four miles long by three miles wide which means that Portsmouth is essentially a compact city, with all amenities within easy reach. That said, there are several distinct areas within the city of Portsmouth and Greater Portsmouth is sometimes used to describe Portsmouth, Havant, Waterlooville and beyond. The city's association with the sea is very much in evidence in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, for example, but newer attractions such as the striking Spinnaker Tower and the award-winning Gunwharf Quays shopping centre make Portsmouth a city of contrasts.
The seaside resort of Southsea is situated on the southern tip of the island, but is nevertheless just a short walk from the city centre and offers four miles of beach, two piers and, of course, Southsea Common which hosts a range of activities throughout the year. Southsea is the main student area of Portsmouth so many of the amenities and much of the property tend to cater for the student community. Flats make up the majority of the housing stock in the area, but Southsea has a mixed residential community so one, two, three and four bedroom houses are available.
Eastney, at the eastern end of Southsea, is predominantly residential with an emphasis on houses rather than a mixture of flats and houses. Similar comments apply to the neighbouring district of Milton on the eastern side of the city of Portsmouth, although Milton is just two miles from the Guildhall Campus of the University of Portsmouth and a regular free bus service operates on weekdays in term-time. The majority of property in Eastney and Milton is bought by first-time buyers, although at nearly 258,000 the average house price in these areas is well above the national average.
Nearby Bransbury, in the south west of the city is another popular area with property buyers. Properties in Bransbury are close to the recently refurbished Bransbury Park, which offers a variety of sporting and leisure activities all year round and Southsea seafront and its amenities, including the marina and sailing club. A two bedroom modern, purpose built apartment in the area is likely to cost in the region of 175,000.
Prospective buyers should be aware, however, that the majority of the property in Portsmouth is in the form of terraced, rather than detached, houses. This is especially true of the PO2 and PO3 post code districts in the north of Portsea Island and the PO4 post code district in the south. Those looking for larger, semi-detached or detached houses may find that the PO6 and PO7 post code districts are good locations in which to start a search. Prices range from around 95,000 for a one bedroom house to 300,000 or more for a four bedroom house.
