Wimbledon: Wimbledon is game, set and match

Background

Wimbledon in London has offered a home to Britons since the Iron Age, when it is believed the hill fort was built on its common, while the suburb also received a name check in the Domesday Book.

But despite its long and well-documented history, for around a century, Wimbledon has been synonymous with the phrase "game, set and match" as some of the world's most renowned tennis players have hit the grassy courts to battle it out.

However, when it comes to living in Wimbledon - which is located in the London borough of Merton - residents may feel as though they have won their own championship in bagging a home in a busy and exciting suburb.

And while such people may enjoy being close to the action on the court - as well as having a head start on getting a place on Murray Mound - during the summer months, they may agree that Wimbledon has just as much to offer throughout the rest of the year.

Property

Being at the centre of one of the most important dates on the sporting calendar, it may not be surprising that houses for sale in Wimbledon are priced high.

And house hunters may feel as though they need to be bringing in the salary of a professional tennis player in order to bag themselves their dream property in the London borough of Merton.

According to figures compiled by the Land Registry, the average price of a house in Wimbledon stood at £295,459 in September.

While this was a 12.2 per cent fall from the £336,368 recorded during the same month in 2008, Britons may find that this figure is still too steep for them to stretch to.

Breaking down the findings, the Land Registry states that the average cost of a detached house in Merton is £1,021,991, down from 2008's £1,163,500 but still a price tag which may require a millionaire's salary to afford.

Meanwhile, a semi-detached property costs an average of £371,076, a terraced house costs £283,501 and a flat will see people forking out a typical £231,247.

Due to this, people may find that property to rent in Wimbledon could be a far more affordable alternative to buying in the borough.

The average rental price in the area stands at an average of £858 a month for a studio apartment, £1,044 a month for a one-bedroom property, £1,473 for two bedrooms and £1,876 for three bedrooms.

Transport

People living in Wimbledon should have no problem at all in getting to their workplace in the city in the morning due to the plethora of public transport in the area.

The nearest underground stations are Wimbledon Underground, Wimbledon Park, South Wimbledon, while the suburb is also situated on the Tramlink.

Meanwhile, workers can also catch a train to the heart of the city in just 30 minutes from Wimbledon Station, Wimbledon Chase station or Raynes Park station, or take advantage of the bus routes which run through the area.

Amenities

Aside from tennis, there is plenty on offer to keep sports fans in Wimbledon entertained.

At Wimbledon Station, visitors can have a flutter on the dog races, while the arena is also home to stock car racing and Speedway.

Meanwhile, footie fans can watch a kick-about by going to see a AFC Wimbledon game and the borough is also situated close to the homes of Premier League teams Fulham and Chelsea.

But sport is not the only attraction on the agenda in Wimbledon, with the Common offering the perfect spot in which to relax or walk at the weekends, while visitors may also wish to drop in at the Wimbledon Windmill Museum.

And residents are sure to wish to pop into the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum where they can learn more about the sport and the world famous event organised each year by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

It could be said that while people come to Wimbledon for the tennis, they stay for everything the suburb has to offer.

Written by Chris Price

Published 16th November, 2009

© 2009 Estates IT Limited