Lower Earley has been named one of the most desirable places to live in Thames Valley.

Estate Agency Romans Group selected five of the best areas in the region to make your home.

The (technically Wokingham) borough was chosen for its easy commuter access, countryside walks and proximity to Reading town centre for shopping or an evening meal.

Local education options were deemed ‘impressive,’ with many of the primary and secondary schools classed as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and the University of Reading often ranked in the top 25 per cent of universities in the country.

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Property-wise, £750,000 to £1m will buy you a 4 to 5-bedroom home, typically with a double garage, decent driveway, and garden, the agent said.

Most of the properties for sale in Lower Earley itself are likely to be more modern, as major development of the area didn’t begin until the early 1990s. However, in the surrounding areas you’ll certainly be able to find properties dating back to the turn of the century.

The top five list included Guildford, Windsor, Burnham and Sandhurst. This is what Roman’s Group said.

Guildford

“Although Guildford tends to be thought of as one of the major London commuter belt towns, it actually has a pretty strong economy in its own right.

“It’s considered one of the top places in the South-East for tech businesses, with £15 million of inward investment in 2020 alone, meaning there are great employment opportunities – particularly in the Surrey Research Park and Surrey Technology Centre, which contribute over £600 million to the economy and support 4000 jobs.

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“Part of the reason for Guildford’s economic success and popularity as a place to live is its London commute time of just 30-40 minutes and easy access to the M25 via the A3, with both Heathrow and Gatwick airports less than an hour away.

“Education-wise, it’s home to the University of Surrey and offers plenty of ‘outstanding’ schooling options, from primary to academies and private schools.

“With a budget of £750,000 to £1m, you’ll have the choice of anything from a 4 to 7-bed new build within a gated community, to a Georgian dream in a beautiful village location.”

Windsor

“With the opportunity to count the Queen among your neighbours, it’s no wonder Windsor is one of the most sought-after places to live in the Thames Valley.

“Home to Windsor Castle, this market town gives residents and visitors alike access to the 4,800 acres of Windsor Great Park, which offers fantastic walks in some of the most beautiful and accessible parkland in the country.

“Windsor can get busy with traffic, but it has great transport links, taking as little as 30 minutes to get into London via the M4 and being close to Heathrow.

“Once you live in Windsor, there’s little need to go anywhere else thanks to a combination of its beautiful green surroundings, fabulous retail facilities that offer a mix of national and independent shops, fantastic restaurants.

“Because it’s such an old town, you can easily find Georgian and Victorian homes, along with country houses that have great family garden space. Of course, these come at a price, but a budget of £750,000 to £1,000,000 will buy you anything from a two-bed flat to a three to five-bedroom semi, up to a detached home.

Burnham

“This is another fabulous village on the River Thames in Buckinghamshire that’s all too easy to miss, tucked away between Slough and Maidenhead.

“Burnham has easy access to the M4 and the M40, with lovely drives through the countryside to both (depending on the traffic!). It takes just 30 minutes to get to London and, although there have been delays, it won’t be long now until Crossrail arrives, which will vastly improve connectivity to the rest of the country.”

“Burnham gives you the feel of living in a village, while having access to London and closer major shopping and leisure areas, such as Reading.

“There are outside spaces, the biggest of which is Burnham Beeches with its nearly 375 hectares of woodland. And, of course, you also have the River Thames and its lovely Thames Path walks close by.

“There is a C of E primary and a grammar school, with more choice just down the road in Slough. Their Ofsted ratings tend to be ‘good’ to ‘outstanding'.

“Properties will be hard to find - even with a big budget - but it’s worth the wait. In terms of style, properties in the area range from listed homes with bags of character, to thoughtfully designed brand new builds.”

Sandhurst

“The town is located close to the M3 and trains from nearby Farnborough will get you into London Waterloo in as little as 35 minutes.

“Although it doesn’t have as many facilities as other places in the Thames Valley, it does have The Meadows Shopping Centre close by, with an enormous Marks & Spencer and Tesco superstore. All the other facilities you might need are easy to access in Wokingham, Bracknell, and Reading.

“Schools in the town - including Uplands Primary and Sandhurst School (secondary) - range from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’. Although there are plenty of pre-school and primary options locally, you may need to travel a little for secondary schools.

“From a property perspective, £750,000 to £1m will buy you an incredible detached home with four to six bedrooms and a beautiful garden. There is a range of property stock, from modern new builds and ‘Grand Designs’-type conversions, to character properties dating back to the 17th Century.”