When it comes to relocating, one of the most important considerations is whether or not nearby schools meet the expected quality and how near they are to where you are thinking of buying. Even before learning about the number of bedrooms, potential buyers are likely to look up surrounding elementary and secondary schools, which reveals a lot about the priorities people have when looking to buy a home.

The price of homes is also considered in relation to school availability. Many home hunters are aware of the fact that if you live near an excellent school, you might expect to pay extra for a property. However, because of things like noise and possible disruptions, if you get too close, the price may be substantially lower.

According to government studies, house prices in the vicinity of the top 10% of primary schools were 8% higher than in the surrounding region in 2017. Property prices in the top 10% of secondary schools increased by 6.8 percent when compared to the rest of the neighbourhood. Clearly, good schools can significantly impact house prices.

A young person’s prospects of success may be influenced by factors including their parents’ income and where they choose to live, according to former Education Minister Nick Gibb: “This analysis sheds light on how far selection by house price is restricting ordinary parents’ access to the best schools.”

There are several benefits to living close to a school

There are numerous advantages to living near a school, and some will influence your decision to buy a home near one. Currently, good catchment areas are experiencing higher property price increases, and houses in those areas appear to be able to command a premium price.

A school’s reputation in particular is certainly going to lead to a lot of interest in it, and in some situations, this is the driving force behind individuals wanting to move. Consequently, the process of selling a home near a school might be sped up by those who want to relocate closer to a good school.

While it is normally more expensive to live near a good school, this can change if you are directly next to the school because of the additional noise and traffic nuisance.

As a bonus to the cost advantages, parents and students may walk to school instead of driving, which is better for their health and avoids being caught in the morning school run rush.

Living close to a school can have its drawbacks

Due to the extra noise and traffic, many will be put off from wanting to leave close to a school. In addition, as you will have no doubt noticed when picking up your child from school, many driveways or footpaths are often blocked or obstructed during morning and afternoon drop-off times. This is especially so for schools where younger children attend.

Compared to other neighbourhoods, the level of noise and loitering in some schools might be significantly higher, and this is especially the case for larger schools. Your neighbourhood may not have the curb appeal you would like.

As alluded to above, it is possible that your commute to work may be disturbed because of busy school runs, which necessitates searching for other routes that may add substantial time and travel expense.

Of course, how close the property is to a school is key, since this might cause extended periods of noise during playtimes and sports days, as well as other special occasions.

Ofsted ratings and home prices

The average house price in England, where the best-rated schools are located, was £331,605, according to research.  Significantly, Ofsted-rated “inadequate” schools were on average £100,000 less. A new study was conducted to determine the exact correlation between the price of a property and a good school.

An exceptional primary school’s catchment region was recently determined to cost nearly 49% more (or £380,000 ) than the national average property price. This year, the premium paid for a property near one of the best schools is expected to be 2% higher (3% in London) when compared to other properties in the same town.

House prices are impacted by proximity to schools

When it comes to housing prices, the closer you live to a school, the higher the price tends to be, especially if the school is rated exceptional by Ofsted. Having said this, if you live near a school, you’ll find that certain areas of the country are surprisingly affordable, so there is no uniformity. Also, there are places where houses sell for much more than the 2% to 3% more than the average price.

As a result, what does this entail for both current and future homeowners and homebuyers? If your kids are no longer living at home and you live near a good school, now would be an ideal opportunity to put your property up for sale. On the other hand, be prepared to pay a premium for the benefit of living close to an excellent school and recognise that property type and geographical variance can have a significant influence on how much you should anticipate paying.