Imagine hopping on the tube and ending up at the seaside. Sounds bonkers, right?
But once upon a time, Southend-on-Sea in Essex was actually part of the London Underground network.
Back in the early 20th Century, when Southend was a bustling tourist hotspot, you could catch a train straight to the beach.
Fast forward to today, and Southend is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, with house prices predicted to skyrocket to an average of over £2 million by 2047, according to recent research.
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This would place Southend-on-Sea among the top five most valuable areas for homeownership in the future.
As it stands, the average house price in this popular seaside town in 2024 is around £355K, according to Rightmove.
However, by 2047, Coulters Property predicts that the average house price will be a whopping £2,087,729, with a 15 per cent deposit set to be around £313,159.
In contrast, the research found that the average house in the UK could cost 387 per cent more in the future.
Interestingly, Southend-on-Sea was a favourite destination for Londoners by 1910, which led to the construction of the railway line. However, it remains unclear why the line did not reopen after the war.
As Londoners start to rediscover the charm of Southend-on-Sea, fingers crossed for a return for it to the Tube.
Getting there
Hop on a train from London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria. The journey will take just over an hour.
If you prefer a quicker route, catch a train from Fenchurch Street to Southend Central. This trip will take around 50 minutes.
For those who prefer to drive, simply navigate your way out of London onto the A13, then take the A127 all the way to Southend.
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