Match Point Market

As we enter the much-anticipated final week at a staple in the British sporting calendar, Wimbledon,  the attention of the world is drawn to the South-West London hamlet, Abode2 explores the local market.

The iconic tournament, commonly known simply as Wimbledon, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is regarded by some as the most prestigious and takes over for two weeks in late June and early July, with international and locals flocking to the leafy community. Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, the others being the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open, but is the only major still played on grass, the traditional tennis playing surface. And as Andy Murry recently experienced, it is the only Grand Slam that retains a night-time curfew, though matches can now continue until 11.00 pm under the lights.

Perched on top of a steep hill on the edge of Wimbledon Common and just seven miles out of central London, Wimbledon, like kindred spirits Hampstead and Dulwich, is one of just a handful of ‘village’ locations in the capital where it’s still possible to imagine life going back in time. In fact visitors who go up to the village for the first time after a day at the tennis are often surprised by its’ vintage charms.

The area has something of a tumultuous past. For centuries, land ownership passed back and forth between the Crown and a number of wealthy aristocratic families. The arrival of the railway at the bottom of the hill in 1838 changed this idyll forever. It brought a Victorian building boom with roads of houses built for a new breed of London commuter.

Today, the district neatly divides into four distinct areas Wimbledon, Wimbledon Village, South Wimbledon and Wimbledon Chase, all of which are in easy reach of each other by foot or by public transport with the area served by mainline transport links including the District Line and Northern Line. Surrounded by upmarket boutiques, shops and cafes, the area also enjoys a status as one of London’s leafiest suburbs. In short, those who own property benefit from all the conveniences of urban living while simultaneously enjoying a tranquil setting with a countryside atmosphere; the best of both worlds.

According to the latest price indices, sold prices in Wimbledon over the last year were 5% up on the previous year and 9% up on the 2020 peak of £770,787. Properties in Wimbledon had an overall average price of £840,662 over the last year. The majority of sales in Wimbledon during the last year were flats, selling for an average price of £473,988. Houses accounted for the majority of recorded sales in Wimbledon during the last year with an average selling price of £1,293,881. Terraced properties had an average selling price of £920,950. Semi-detached properties sold for £1,393,033 on average. Detached properties fetched an average of £3,234,063.

While homes in Wimbledon Village can trade for several million pounds, down the hill in Wimbledon town, a typical three-bedroom period house would cost around £1.4million. Buyers tend to be young professional families selling flats in more expensive central London locations.