This document summarizes the residential rental market in Cobham and Esher, Surrey. Around 55% of tenants come from overseas, attracted by the area's schools and proximity to London. Demand is high for properties priced between £1,500-3,500/month due to limited supply. Younger professionals and families with children are the primary tenant types. Americans, South Americans, Canadians and others commonly rent properties in the area. The document provides rental prices and property details for available homes in Cobham and Esher.

1. SNAPSHOT FEBRUARY 2012
RESIDENTIAL RESEARCH
Cobham and esher lettings
Amanda Driver, Head of Knight Frank’s Cobham and Esher Lettings team,
discusses who’s renting, the active “core market” and tips for landlords
and tenants.
The market was active between April and
June 2011, but demand for corporate lets was
unusually low between June and October, largely
due to the fact that the renowned ACS Cobham
International School was completely full. Activity
did however pick up during November and
December and we expect this to improve even
further this year.
Where do your tenants tend to
come from?
Around 55% of our applicants come from
overseas. This area appeals to tenants relocating
from abroad largely because of the popular
ACS Cobham International School and the easy
commute to London.
What types of tenants are
attracted to the area?
The majority of our tenants are either young
professionals – attracted to the area because of
the easy commute to London – or families and
corporate tenants, both of whom want to live
here because of the superb schools, both
private and state.
What nationalities are renting in
the area?
We let properties to a wide range of international
tenants including Americans, South Americans,
Canadians, South Africans, Dutch, Russians,
Koreans and British.
Have any particular trends
emerged recently in your rental
market?
During the past six months there has been high
demand for what we call “core market” rental
properties, those priced between £1,500/pcm
to £3,500/pcm, and we are experiencing a
significant supply shortage at this level for this
reason. We are normally able to let properties
in the £5,000/pcm to £6,000/pcm bracket very
quickly, but a number of homes priced at this
level have remained vacant for some time due to
overseas families being unable to secure places
at the ACS International School.
“
This area appeals
because of the
superb schools
available and
easy commute
to London.
“
How has your market been
performing?
Cobham and Esher lettings
market at a glance
Figure 1
What do our applicants want to spend?
New applicants, past 12 months
What’s the most interesting rental
you and your team have been
involved in recently?
We recently let a brand new property in St George’s
Hill at £47,500/pcm, which is the highest rental
achieved to date.
How have rental prices in the area
been performing?
Prices for new properties have remained static
during the last six months. The majority of tenancies
are however being renewed, and rental increases in
these instances have been achieved at the level of
the increase in RPI.
What types of properties are typical
to the area?
Anything from two-bedroom apartments and
cottages to five-bedroom detached executive
houses are typical in Cobham and Esher.
under £500
£500 to £750
£750 to £1,000
£1,000 to £1,500
£1,500 to £2,500
£2,500+
19%
23%
17%
22%
13%
6%
Figure 2
What is coming to market?
New instructions, past 12 months
What advice do you have for
landlords and tenants?
The way you present the property is vitally
important. It is also crucial to set a realistic asking
price to attract interest and minimise any void
periods. Applicants should provide as much
information as possible to their agents to maximize
their chance of finding their ideal property quickly.
Knight Frank’s Corporate Services department offers
a complimentary relocation service that would be
helpful for some.
Amanda Driver
Associate
+44 (0)1932 591 606
amanda.driver@knightfrank.com
under £500
£500 to £750
£750 to £1,000
£1,000 to £1,500
£1,500 to £2,500
£2,500+
19%
19%
22%
19%
15%
6%

2. SNAPSHOT FEBRUARY 2012
RESIDENTIAL RESEARCH
Cobham and esher lettings
Charting the Cobham and Esher lettings market
Figure 3
Figure 5
Tenancies agreed, past 12 months
Year-on-year change (November 2011 to January 2012)
Market activity
Tenancies by price band
under £500
£500 to £750
£750 to £1,000
£1,000 to £1,500
£1,500 to £2,500
£2,500+
12%
20%
24%
32%
8%
4%
250%
New applicants
-30%
New instructions
18%
Viewings
-40%
Prices
3.1%
Figure 6
Figure 4
Wider market performance
Source of our tenants
Prime country (rental prices) vs FTSE 100, past 5 Years
Tenants, past 12 months
Web
Relocation
Internal
Corporate services
Office walk-in
Referral
Exchanges
52%
16%
8%
8%
8%
8%
150
FTSE 100
100
Prime Central
London
50
Prime Country
House
Q1-Q4
2007
Q1-Q4
2008
Q1-Q4
2009
Q1-Q4
2010
Q1-Q4
2011
Cobham and Esher properties and the Knight Frank team
To let
To let
Brand new apartment
Highly favoured location
Fairmile Lane, Cobham
The Mount, Fetcham
2
£2,250 pcm
5
£4,250 pcm
To let
to let
Quiet and convenient
location
Modern family home
Pine Walk, Cobham
Haymeads Drive, Esher
4
£3,750 pcm
5
£5,750 pcm
to let
to let
Executive family home
Private gated development
The Garth, Cobham
Sycamore Court,
Surbiton
5
£3,995 pcm
2
£1,500 pcm
Knight Frank Cobham Lettings
Knight Frank Esher Lettings
+44 (0)1932 591 606
cobhamlettings@knightfrank.com
50 High Street, Cobham
Surrey KT11 3EF
www.knightfrank.com/cobham
+44 (0)1372 464 009
esherlettings@knightfrank.com
The Old Post House, High Street,
Esher KT10 9QA
www.knightfrank.com/esher
Amanda Driver
Associate
James Brown
Senior Negotiator
Shauna Murphy
Negotiator
Julie Probett
Property Manager
If you have any queries or would like to obtain additional information on the UK or international housing markets please contact: Liam Bailey, Head of Residential Research, +44 (0)20 7861 5133, liam.bailey@knightfrank.com
© Knight Frank LLP 2012 - This report is published for general information only. Although high standards have been used in the preparation of the information, analysis, views and projections presented in this report, no legal responsibility can be accepted by Knight
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