London’s cycling boom could give sellers a boost

With more cyclists on London’s roads than ever before those looking to sell their home could improve their chances of a sale by marketing their property to cyclists.

Stephen Ludlow, Chairman of ludlowthompson, comments: “London landlords are increasingly finding that tenants want to know how easy it will be for them to cycle to work.”

“Cycling took off during the recession, shedding its image as a pastime for kids. The launch of hire bikes in London typified London’s shift to a cyclists City.”

“One way to make a property more attractive to cyclists is to install safe storage, such as a secure shed unit which will fit in even a small front garden. If you are a leaseholders, be proactive and negotiate with other leaseholders and the freeholder to provide shared storage. There will often be a net benefit as the desirability of the property is improved.”

“Taking simple steps like this could give sellers the edge. It not only makes  a property more attractive to house buyers, but also to buy-to-let investors who are looking to add to their portfolio.”

London has hundreds of cycle routes, many popular with commuters, and with more cycle highways popping up across the capital, the craze is only likely to continue. One popular London travel blogger identifies the most popular London bike routes on weekdays as:

• Finsbury Circus, Liverpool Street Newgate Street, St. Paul’s
• Queen Street, Bank Concert Hall Approach 2, South Bank
• Turquoise Island, Notting Hill Notting Hill Gate Station, Notting Hill
• Lexham Gardens, Kensington Wright’s Lane, Kensington
• Holborn Circus, Holborn Concert Hall Approach 2, South Bank

Stephen Ludlow adds: “So that cyclists can find the best locations for their daily commute, ludlowthompson integrate the latest route information within our property listings.”

Did you know:

• Bikes were one of the few modes of transport to increase sales during the recession
• Regular cyclists take fewer sick days than non-cyclists. This is projected to save the economy around £2bn over the next 10 years.
• You can cover 4 miles in an average of 22 minutes in Central London by bike. The same journey takes 40 minutes by car.
• Cycling generates nearly £3bn a year for the UK economy
• By 2015, London will have 12 ‘Super-Highways’ dedicated to cyclists, allowing easy access across the City