OXFORD

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William Kirkland

Oxford office

Oliver Saxton

Oxford office

When it comes to moving to Oxford, many families are drawn to the universities, hospitals and science parks in the knowledge that their children will be able to access world class educational facilities. London is an hour by car and with two mainline rail stations to Paddington and Marylebone it offers the commuter a range of options. In addition, Heathrow and Gatwick airports are just an hour away by car or rail.

Being one of the smaller cities in the UK with a population of circa 150,000, available housing stock is always fairly limited. The city offers mostly Victorian and Edwardian homes with a smaller but increasing number of new builds.

Popular destinations are central and north Oxford in the OX2 postcode. Here the local shopping in Summertown combined with the open spaces of University Parks and Port Meadow, together with the proximity to the city centre mean that it has become the number one destination for family buyers.

The Oxford city department has experienced another very busy year with the number of London buyers at approximately the same rate as in 2020. In particular this year we have also seen an increasing number of ex-pat buyers from the Far East looking to relocate to the city with children at crucial school ages.

Stock levels have been lower than normal which in some cases has led to competing interests on properties. The SDLT incentive ending in June certainly boosted the market but the level of buyers registering since then illustrates that the market has not been driven by this alone.

Oxford is a wonderful place to live. Thanks to its rich cultural heritage and an exceptional range of state and private schooling, it draws a wide circle of buyers from not just the UK, but around the world.

Steeped in history that’s closely intertwined with the city's beautiful university colleges, Oxford has a unique atmospheric blend of culture, academia, architectural styles and modern vibrancy.

Known as the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’, Oxford is perhaps one of England’s most quintessential ancient cities. If you can get past the many galleries and museums, including the Ashmolean (art and archaeology), Pitt Rivers (archaeology and ethnography), Modern Art Oxford and Oxford University Museum of Natural History, then Oxford’s eclectic selection of shops make it a strong home for all tastes. For major high street names, head to Queen Street, Cornmarket Street and Westgate Shopping Centre, while plenty of individual boutiques are tucked away down Oxford’s labyrinth of cobbled side streets.

Oxford in numbers

The average price of a property sold by Knight Frank in Oxford year to June 2021

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Increase in prospective buyers year to June-21

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Increase in exchanges year to June-21

Who lives here?

Oxford is very much a beacon of Britishness to international buyers, as Knight Frank data suggests, with a large proportion of buyers working in professional industries.

Where do buyers come from?

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International

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London

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Scotland

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South East

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Wales

Source: Knight Frank. Average prices is for sales over £700k for the year to June-21. All other metrics are June-18 to June-21.

What are Knight Frank buyers' professions?

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Finance

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Entrepreneur

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Industry

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Inherited

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Other

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Professional

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Property

Bisected by the River Thames, water sports are a big part of Oxford’s heritage, including, of course, it’s university rowing team.

However, you don’t have to be a student to get involved, with the City of Oxford rowing club offering courses for all ages and abilities. If you’re after more of a gentle trip down the river, head to one of the many boat houses and hire a punt for the day, one of the most traditional and relaxing (perhaps less so for the punter) ways to see the Thames.

Despite its cosmopolitan atmosphere, Oxford is surrounded by the pastoral countryside of Oxfordshire, encompassing parts of the magnificent Cotswolds. Prime walking country is on your doorstep, just moments from the centre, while the city offers plenty of active and outdoorsy delights of its own.

It's hard to detach Oxford from its world-famous educational institutions ­– and for good reason.

Education is at the very heart of the city of Oxford. While the university buildings are the cornerstones of the cityscape, earlier education is also outstanding throughout the city and the wider county of Oxfordshire, including esteemed schools such as Magdalen College School, Oxford High School GDST, d’Overbroeck’s, St Edward’s, Abingdon School and Wychwood School for girls.

What types of property are available in Oxford?

From city-centre townhouses to larger family homes in the outskirts, here are some of the properties we’ve sold recently across the city of Oxford.

Cranham Terrace, OX2

4 bedrooms | 2 bathrooms 2 reception rooms

Guide Price: £975,000

Davenant Road, OX2

5 bedrooms | 2 bathrooms 3 reception rooms

Guide Price: £1,585,000

Woodstock Rd, OX2

7 bedrooms | 3 bathrooms 4 reception rooms

Guide Price: £2,850,000

Knight Frank has listed all properties within the past 12 months. The price per square meter shown for all sold property is representative of their appraised pricing and not their final sale price.