Moving to London a One Stop Relocation Service

Dec. 8, 2012 - PRLog -- London is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest cities but it can be a confusing and daunting place if you are relocating and do not understand the geography.

London is spread over 600 square miles (1580 square kilometres) and across 32 boroughs. These are the local authorities that raise taxes (through council tax which is a property tax) and where local services are administered. London has a population of 7.5 million so finding that perfect property can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. If you are not familiar with London it can be a complex and perplexing place to relocate to with greatly diverse locations, styles of properties, cultural mix and property prices whether you are looking to rent or buy.

Originally an assortment of villages these have now merged together and it’s difficult to tell where one location starts and another ends. The River Thames divides London in two with the areas North of the River being more densely populated and areas South where there tends to be more parkland and open spaces. Some people feel this is isn’t the ‘real London’ they imagine or have read about.

Transport

It’s worth bearing in mind that although very efficient, London’s public transport network is the most expensive anywhere in the world. Most people living in Central London do not drive as the underground (or the tube as it’s affectionately known), Overground rail and the bus connections are excellent. There are also river ferries and taxis. Most services can be accessed on one ticket so you can start your journey by tube and then hop onto a bus to finish your journey. Most ‘Londoners’ use an Oyster Card which offers discounts of over 50% rather than purchasing individual tickets for each journey.  It also means that you don’t have to queue to purchase a ticket every time you want to travel!

Driving in London is not for the faint-hearted as the roads can be immensely busy and it can sometimes take you longer to drive some journeys than it would to walk! Also if you take into account the cost of fuel & insurance plus the cost of parking it’s no wonder that the vast majority of people use public transport.

Property

Real estate in London is some of the most expensive in the world. Rental prices are generally quoted per week in the Central areas rather than monthly. There are many people purchasing property from abroad mainly from Russia, China, Italy and Greece.  This means that prices are constantly on the rise.  

There is a vast choice of housing across London – you can rent anything from a studio to a huge mansion with many bedrooms and anything in between. Because London is such an old city a lot of property is traditional in style but can be highly contemporary internally. So just because the property looks old on the exterior does not mean the interior will not be up to a high standard. However in certain areas like Canary Wharf there is an abundance of modern, chic apartments in blocks which house gymnasiums & swimming pools. London has an abundance of luxury properties including those with river front or river views. These are highly sought after. Essentially anything you are looking for can be found in London as long as you have the available budget for your requirements.

You will also find that the process for renting or buying in the capital is very different to that in your home country and getting some expert professional advice is highly recommended if not essential.

Green Spaces

Certain areas of London have wonderful parks. Bayswater, Holland Park, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Marble Arch, Notting Hill all have access to various parks such as Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens. Further North areas such as St John’s Wood, Marylebone & Euston all have access to Regents Park. Closer to The Houses of Parliament & Westminster there is also a smaller park – St James Park. There are some areas of London with limited greenery but for such a large city the parks and green spaces are easily accessible within minutes by tube, bus or a walk.

Schools

There is a great variance in the quality of schooling across London. If you do not want to spend money on an independent or private school and seek to place your child into a state school your choice of school is limited to where you live and the availability of school places. The better schools are often oversubscribed and have long waiting lists so if you are new to London you cannot assume your child will entry to that lovely school you have read or heard so much about. Some people will rent or purchase a property in the location of their preferred school even if they never move into the property. Such is the desire to get their children into the best school possible.

Conclusion

London is an amazing City. It has been said ‘that if you are tired of London you are tired of life’. There is so much to see and do, a wealth of history, it offers diverse cultures and is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport . It is the world's leading financial centre alongside New York City.

To cater for a huge increase in enquiries from people looking to relocate to London Citrus Relocation are looking to opening a new office in Central London please contact us at www.citrusrelocation.com or call us on 0845 402 3124.