Introduction - on this page you will find links to
details of property for sale, rental accommodation, shared housing in Brighton... The city of Brighton and Hove is situated in the South of
England in the County of East Sussex. Brighton has Eastbourne to the East and
Worthing to the West and sits as a seaside resort which is bustling 365 days per
year. North of Brighton is Gatwick and London. Being so close to London it
became a very popular destination in Regency and times and continued to be so in
Victorian times. Times have not changed so much and Brighton remains a popular
holiday destination. There are several areas or districts that border Brighton
and Hove such as the quaint village of Rottingdean where cream teas and good pub
grub are served in century old tea houses and public houses. Along from
Rottingdean are Saltdean and Peacehaven, that sit high up looking out to sea,
Peacehaven having become more infamous due to being badly hit by storms in
recent years and the caravan site being severely damaged. In the other direction
is Littlehampton, which again is a seaside resort with a pleasant family beach
and further to the West is Worthing whose seaside town is now a little run down
but still popular with mature holiday makers and coach travellers. Within
Brighton and Hove the area can be segregated into smaller defined regions, such
as the Lanes and North Lanes, 5 dials and 7 dials, poets corner and Churchill
Square, and Kingsway which runs along the sea front. These areas are referred to
much by the locals as a way to orient oneself within Brighton and Hove. Areas
that are popular and are visited daily by locals and tourists alike are the lawn
areas in front of Brunswick square and that of Hove Park.
Buildings and Architecture of Brighton
- If architecture is of interest then Brighton and Hove will not disappoint.
Prince Regent who later became King George iv, loved Brighton and he has
influenced much of the buildings and architecture of the region. The Royal
Pavillion was commissioned by Prince Regent, but it took many years and a number
of designers and architects to realise what is now the Royal Pavilion and how it
is now most recognisable with its Indian and Chinese influences, minarets and
lavishly decorated interior. In recent times however it was subject to a
disastrous fire where many tapestries were damaged. Today people can be married
in the Royal Pavilion as it has its own civil wedding licence. Regency town
houses are synonymous with Brighton and Hove, set over 3 or 4 floors, these
houses would have been a sight to behold when first built. Now of course many of
these buildings have been converted into flats and apartments, which in turn
leads to many traffic and parking issues in the City. Other notable buildings in
Brighton include the famous Palace Pier, which when lit up at night really
attracts the eye. Typical British grub is served on the Pier such as fish and
chips, candy floss, toffee apples and ice creams. At the end of the Pier are the
amusement arcade games and fairground rides. The Palace Pier was built in
Victorian times, and was a much favoured destination in the Victorian age.
Travel and Transport Links – The transport links into Brighton and Hove
really put this seaside resort on the map, and being so close to London the
train link is superb, hence why in the age of train travel in Victorian England,
Brighton was a much loved place to visit. Only 45 minutes to the North of
Brighton and Hove is Gatwick airport, and as such Brighton is frequently visited
by foreign tourists as part of a wider itinerary of the UK. Travelling by car
into Brighton is generally good until one gets to the edge of Brighton where the
A27 meets the A23, on Summer weekends the roads become traffic jams and the
driver is better to "park and ride". In and around Brighton itself, the buses
are a very good way of getting around and seeing all that is on offer,
culminating in the centre of Brighton within Churchill Square the buses come and
go very regularly to all areas in and out of Brighton and linking up with the
park and ride schemes outside of the City.
Tourism and Entertainment – There are many walks that the visitor can do
in and around Brighton, either taking in the sea air, the countryside views or
within the City itself and enjoying the architecture and history. The Kipling
gardens in Rottingdean are a pleasant mix of rose and herb gardens that belong
to the Council now, but were once owned by Rudyard Kipling the author. The
modern Boardwalk alongside and underneath Kingsway are home to many artists who
have their workshops there selling an eclectic mix of hand made goods, from
mirrors made from drift wood, to high class paintings of seascapes or modern
art. On a Summer's evening a favourite pastime is to sit outside one of the bars
sipping a cold pint of beer or other drink, and in Winter these bars and cafes
are still enjoyed, although the drinks tend then to be hot chocolate and frothy
coffees! Shopping in Brighton is great fun due to the vast number of shops and
boutiques and market stalls where traders sell all manner of goods. Famous brand
name shops are located in the main shopping area Churchill Square, however in
the Lanes and North Lanes more boutiques and one off designer items can be
found, ranging from hats and shoes, to furniture and paintings. Jewellery and
antique shops are in abundance in the Lanes of Brighton, and many individual
never to be repeated items can be purchased. Restaurants are similar, in that
big brand names co-exist alongside small bistros, vegetarian and specialist
eateries. The cosmopolitan feel of Brighton and the more relaxed Hove has much
to offer the food lover, from specialist fish restaurants to Chinese and thai
cuisine, to the humble sandwich and cafe latte. Whatever food you like you can
be sure to find it in Brighton and Hove.
Property in Brighton - The popularity of Brighton and Hove is not limited
to tourists alone. Many people have visited there and decided to make it their
home, as it offers a great way of life to many different family types, from
single people, students young professionals, to couples and families with
children. With so many of the period homes in the centre of Brighton having been
converted into flats and apartments, young professionals, who work either at
Gatwick, Croydon or London, have moved to Brighton and have easily been able to
commute to their place of work. Flats and apartments are in abundance in
Brighton and Hove however the high demand for this way of life and the more
people are staying single has meant that prices in Brighton are not cheap.
Cheaper accommodation can be found in less desirable parts of Brighton, however
this has meant a serious compromise on quality of accommodation and local
amenities. On the other hand, the owner occupier and rental market has been
strong in areas such as Kemptown, where people have moved to finding slightly
cheaper property to buy and rent as this area is slightly further from the
centre of Brighton but has good access to the seafront, Pier and Royal Pavillion.
Moving out to the other side of Brighton towards Hove, the streets and pavements
become wider and many of these buildings have been converted in to flats too,
but many are bedsits, which offer reasonably priced accommodation, with good
local amenities and access to parks. These sorts of properties are attractive to
students, however Hove is not really as ideally situated for the University as
Brighton, and therefore students tend to live in bedsits or shared houses in the
Kemptown, Withdean stadium, or East Brighton areas. The buy to let market has
been buoyant in Brighton and Hove, however as demand has increased house and
flat prices, the returns that can been enjoyed by the investor coming into the
market these days has diminished and some are in fact selling out of the area,
and have bought property in nearby Eastbourne and other areas such outside of
Brighton and Hove. Regency houses in their former glory are difficult to find,
and if found will reach extremely high prices without the luxury of defined
parking areas, as much parking is on the street. However as you go out of
Brighton and into Hove and around the Hove Park areas, many family homes that
were built in the 1930s, and 1950s can be found that offer substantial 3 and 4
bedroom homes, with decent off road parking and garages and most with their own
good sized gardens. 1930's houses tend to offer good sized entrance halls, and
large doorways with well proportioned high ceiling rooms. These houses are good
family homes with close access to good schools. Larger properties are also good
sharing accommodation for young professionals, particularly those who work near
or at Gatwick for one of the major flight companies or for the airport itself.
Short term accommodation is also plentiful
such as hotels, hostels, guest houses and bed and breakfast establishments.
Large hotels such as The Old Ship, Brighton Metrople and Holiday Inn offer good
quality accommodation right on the seafront. Smaller establishments that offer
good value for money bed and breakfast accommodation can be found on the
outskirts in Hove residential areas, where parking is easier and the properties
are more like family homes.
For the family wanting to live in or around
Brighton, the choice is endless, there are many affordable terraced homes in
Hove, that are in good catchment areas for schools and churches, but still only
walking distance away from the seafront, shopping and other leisure facilities
such as bowling and swimming. Semi detached properties to purchase are further
from the centre of Brighton but what is compromised in location is made up for
by the fact that they have good parking facilities and outdoor space. A family
living in the 7 dials region for instance, is very close to the motorway links
of the A23 to go North or the A27 to go either East or West. Therefore,
commuting from this area is attractive to the professional couple with children.
