It is difficult to reconcile a bucolic location, set in one of Britain’s designated national landscapes by the coast, with commutability for cities and employment centres. Can beauty and convenience really cohabit so cosily? Holbrook in Suffolk is one such place. It is tucked away on the Suffolk and Essex Coast and Heaths National Landscape, close to the northern shore at the Stour estuary on the Shotley peninsula. There are footpaths that run off the village around Alton Water and Holbrook Creek. Yet, despite the sense of apparent wilderness, it is well placed for Ipswich (a 17-minute drive) and Colchester (a 32-minute drive). The fastest train from Manningtree, just 15 minutes away, runs into London Liverpool Street in under an hour. It is popular with families moving out of London who want to give their children a ‘Swallows and Amazons’ style upbringing. There is a primary and a secondary school in the village (which is rare) both rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, and Royal Hospital School is a major pull for those looking to go private. As well as the outdoorsy and water pursuits, there are plenty of community-based activities. Clubs are run from the village hall, there is a pub (The Swan), a store and a butcher. Produce stalls sell fare from the Potato Hut on the 600-acre Woodlands Farm. The village is visited by the mobile library and a pizza van. Properties rarely come up but there is a smattering of homes on the market in the surrounding villages. Strutt & Parker is selling a four-bedroom home in an entirely rural setting for £800,000 in neighbouring Harkstead.

Sharnie Rogers, Director - Chelmsford & Suffolk  

Sitting prettily between Welwyn Garden City and Harpenden is the historic village of Wheathampstead. The River Lea runs through it and at its centre is a collection of 16th and 17th century buildings, including an old mill and a medieval hall house. This is what gives Wheathampstead such character and charm but there is a real vibrancy too, with an active community scene and plenty of amenities. The Bull Inn, on the high street, is now a steakhouse, and The Swan is a friendly local pub that does takeaway pizza. There's a Tesco Express, an amateur dramatics society at the village hall, a tennis club and playing fields, as well as a hairdressers and barbers. A new gym can be found in a converted chapel and there is a choice of coffee shops (such as Marley's and Loafing). The amenities, commutability and schools attract family buyers who realise they can get more space for their money than in Harpenden or St Albans - or they simply crave village life. The Thameslink train runs from Harpenden to  London Kings Cross in 24 minutes and Luton Airport isn’t far away. Within the village itself are two primary schools – both rated 'good' by Ofsted. Prices for a four-bedroom semi-detached home could be around £700,000, whereas a five-bedroom detached could fetch £1,250,000.

Michelle Davies, Negotiator - Harpenden

On the edge of the village of Great Chart is a Grade II listed Manor House. Dating back to the 17th century, the six-bedroom home is bursting with character and charm, sitting in 3.5 acres of grounds with views over the Weald. However, one of its major selling points (it is on the market for £1,250,000) is the popular commuter village itself. Great Chart is separated from the urban sprawl of Ashford by green space. It has the town's amenities on hand but retains that authentic rural village feel. Great Chart is a linear village with cottages and larger detached houses dotted along the Ashford Road. There are playing fields, a football club, a cricket club and a village hall, and the all-important village pub (Swan & Dog). For young families moving out of the London looking for more space and an easy commute, the junior school – Great Chart Primary School – is just over the bypass in neighbouring Singleton. Buyers from London tend to fan out into Surrey, East Sussex and western Kent (towns such as Tunbridge Wells) before realising they can get far more property and plot for their money on this easterly side of Kent. Trains from Ashford (three miles away) run into London St Pancras in 36 minutes. 

Joe Charlton, Senior Associate Director - Canterbury 

Just four miles (a 12-minute drive) south of Salisbury is the quiet village of Coombe Bissett. Thatched cottages, red brick Georgian village houses and bungalows line the narrow lane that winds through the village, bookended by the community hall and playing fields (and a donkey field), and the church. This road runs parallel to the River Ebble and on its banks sits the Fox & Goose pub. Other local businesses nestled between the residential buildings, include the florist, Coombe Bissett Blooms. There is a community-run local store which has a post office and offers a dry-cleaning service, as well as delivering groceries. When a property comes on the market for sale here there is high demand from different directions: families moving out of London, or out of Salisbury, and downsizers and upsizers within the village. It is well-placed for employment hubs – such as Salisbury District Hospital, which is south of the town, Southampton, Bournemouth – and commuter connections (it is under an hour and a half from Salisbury to London Waterloo). However, on the doorstep is also the best of bucolic Britain. Footpaths from the village link to the Avon Valley Path, untouched countryside can be found at Coombe Bissett Down, and it is on the edge of the Cranbourne Chase National Landscape. It is around 45 minutes away from the New Forest. 

Sarah Cull, Senior Associate Director - Salisbury 

Between Luton and Cambridge, and with the amenities of Royston and Letchworth Garden City just a few miles away, is the village of Steeple Morden. It is well placed for commuters. The station at Ashwell & Morden is only a five-minute drive away and from there, the train goes into London St Pancras in less than 50 minutes and Cambridge in just over 20 minutes. It is the schools in Cambridge and Bedford that draw families out of London and into this corridor. They head out into the villages from there for lower property values and more parking space. First time buyers are rare here – purchasers tend to have primary school aged children – perfect for the local football club, Morden Magpies. Commonly, families sell up in London, in areas such as Islington, and then use the same amount of money to secure their dream country home. At the heart of Steeple Morden is the pub, the Waggon & Horses and the village hall. There are footpaths in every direction but to the north is Tween Town Woods with 1,000m of paths and Wimpole Estate – a working estate run by the National Trust with a mansion, parkland, gardens and a rare breed farm. Family-friendly events take place here, from wassailing in February to an Easter trail in April. In the village, there are period, four-bedroom homes on the market from £650,000, while a five-bedroom detached house with outbuildings could sell for over £1,400,000.

Mark Davies, Director - Cambridge 

The golden triangle of villages between Winchester, Andover and Basingstoke have become the final point of a property rite of passage for many commuters making the move out of London, but who need to be within easy reach of the capital on an almost daily basis. Straddling the M3 on either side, West and East Stratton are within this belt of villages. West Stratton is the smaller hamlet of the two, with some properties carved out from old converted agricultural buildings. East Stratton is bigger with a thriving community scene. At the heart of this is the much-loved inn, Northbrook Arms. There are rooms here too for visiting hikers and cyclists, drawn to the area. A string of thatched cottages line the main road in this quintessentially English village. Strutt & Parker is selling a three-bedroom, semi-detached property on the edge of West Stratton. The home is part of a monochrome building with an exposed timber exoskeleton, dating back to the 1800s, for £725,000. The closest local state primary school is at the nearby village of Micheldever (five minutes' drive to the southwest), while the mainline Micheldever train station is five minutes' drive to the northwest and runs a direct service to Winchester and London Waterloo (taking just over an hour). 

Lindsay Johnn, Director - Winchester 

Often dubbed the ‘Notswolds’, Northamptonshire has become recognised as a county brimming with beautiful villages that offer better value for money than its neighbouring Oxfordshire. In addition, its transport connections are efficient, running down to London and across the East Midlands. Easton-on-the-Hill is at the very northern tip of the county, seven-minutes from the historic market town of Stamford. As Northampton is an hour away, the commuter would catch the train from nearby Peterborough (21-minute drive) which has a fast service into London St Pancras in under an hour. This quaint village is lined with sandy-coloured stone cottages and houses which match the pub (and the bus shelter). The Blue Bell has comedy and quiz nights, there’s a local shop and the Birch Tree Cafe is on hand for coffee – this is a run-for-purpose, not-for-profit, and as a safe space for the Down Syndrome community. It welcomes walkers, cyclists and visitors too. The village sits on the Jurassic Way, an 88 mile trail which takes you from Stamford down to Banbury in Oxfordshire. The nearest primary school is Ketton Church of England (rated ‘good’ by Ofsted) in the neighbouring village, while Stamford is home to the prestigious Stamford secondary school. The village hall is a Grade II listed Victorian hall which plays host to children’s parties and supper clubs, with regular activities such as yoga and craft classes. The prestigious Burghley House is just 10 minutes away, with its annual horse trials and busy events calendar.

Ed Brassey, Senior Associate Director - Stamford