24 Dec Bruton is top of the list for people looking to move house – Jo Henry
The latest in a long line of articles about the post-Covid exodus featured in yesterday’s Telegraph. Patrick Sawer’s article highlights some of the most popular areas that have been searched for on Rightmove and Bruton comes top of the list with an increase of 72% in searches this year.
A changing landscape
When I first started as a buying agent over 15 years ago my brief for a country house search was always that it needed to be an hour (door-to-door) from London. This piece helps quantify the shift in lifestyle requirements for those seeking a move to the country. Improvements in technology and connectivity coupled with the broader acceptance of remote working mean people are now happy to skip the comforting proximity of suburbia and head straight for the rolling Somerset countryside.
The Bruton community
Unique is a word that is painfully overused in the property world but Bruton does, genuinely, offer something different. The town is buzzing with people and enterprise. There are places to eat delicious food, a growing number of independent shops and, perhaps best of all in terms of living here, a tangible groundswell of community spirit.
I have found that this sense of community ranges from the individuals (there is always someone who is happy to help whether you need emergency childcare, a good plumber or advice on an issue with the bees in your hive) to the beating heart of the town itself. It feels like there is always a movement, a gathering or a cause. Most recently for example Molly Gunn, a local who founded the Selfish Mother brand www.selfishmother.com, mobilised locals to support the campaign to shop independent this Christmas.
Living in Bruton
Working as a Somerset property finder means I get to extol the virtues of this beloved part of the world for a living but at the moment it seems to be selling itself. I used to have to work hard to reassure people that moving out of London didn’t mean giving up their artisan caffeine habit. The little oasis of Bruton means you can live and work in a vibrant, creative community, get to London (or Bath or Bristol) easily when you need to and give your kids an excellent education all the while also being able to totter down the high street for a cocktail when the need arises.
Moving to Somerset
Whatever your thoughts, wherever you are in the process – if you are thinking of a move to Somerset please get in touch and I’d be happy to help.