City's wide variety explains why it is so popular with movers

NEWS from our London teams is that Devon is the place to be at the moment, and of course Exeter is the natural point of migration.

We have seen a rapid start to the year, so why is Exeter and the surrounding villages so in demand?

In my view, it is down to affordability, fast train services, easy access to the M5 and a location which blends town and country.

Exeter has a youthful population, yet it is surrounded by retirees. Its city centre has undergone a £100m

modernisation, but it's a short drive from some of Britain's best-loved countryside.

Variety in terms of the property on offer is also key to the popularity of the region.

Exeter is famous for its Georgian architecture, so you can expect to find period conversions and terraced houses aplenty.

Having said that, it was bombed during the Second World War, so there are mid-20th century semi-detached houses here too, along with a number of new developments.

In Exeter, you'll find a city centre which showcases both the historic and the contemporary with equal vigour. Modern shopping facilities combine with vintage stores and cobbled streets.

Situated on the River Exe, the city's close to Dartmoor National Park and two spectacular coastlines.

Exeter properties for sale start at about £95,000 for a one-bedroom flat and go right up to £1.5m for six and seven bedroom Grade II listed buildings set in acres of land.

In Princesshay, a one bedroom apartment can range between £150,000 and £180,000. Clearly there are extremes at

both ends, with a recent sale on the outskirts of Exeter being completed for £8m.

A typical two-bedroom flat in a modern development near the city centre such as King's Heath currently costs about £180,000.

If you've got a cool £500,000 to spend, snap up a three-bedroom penthouse in Bedford House at Princesshay, or even the penthouse we

recently sold in St Leonard's off a guide price of £630,000.

Waterfront flats are popular but do come at a premium. You can expect to pay about £270,000

for a two-bedroom flat overlooking the river.

A new-build three-bedroom terrace typically costs about £180,000, as does a similar-sized Victorian terrace with bay windows in the popular area of Mount Pleasant.

Meanwhile, if you wanted a townhouse, a four-bedroom Grade II listed townhouse on Friars' Walk near Exeter Quay recently sold for about £400,000, and our St Lukes, Countess Wear four-bedroom townhouse is on the market for £399,995.

St Leonards is Exeter's fashionable living quarter. Substantial Victorian and Georgian villas on treelined streets put a decent-sized detached house with parking between £800,000 and

£1.6m.

Likewise, there is a premium on Pennsylvania, which is probably regarded as the next best address in the city by many homeowners looking to be near the centre.

St Leonard's and Pennsylvania are each 10 minutes on foot from the city centre, a short walk the Royal Devon & Exeter hospital, and close to many high-performing schools.

Topsham is the first choice for many coming into the region.

Many houses in Topsham have Dutch

influences, dating from when the town was a trading port in the 17th century, and prices range from £350,000 for small cottages to more than £2m for the largest houses with estuary views and moorings.

Other locations a short drive from Exeter, and serving as commuter areas for the city, include Okehampton, Beer and Seaton.

As for the next property hotspot, I feel there is further growth in the coastal towns such as Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Lympstone.

But the real ones to watch are the fringe villages around Exeter such as Ide, Tedburn St Mary and Silverton.

It is in places such as these that we are seeing the greatest number of sales and where price rises are most likely in the future.