London's Zone 4 homes hotspots: thinking of moving? These are the areas you need to know about...

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Anthea Masey|Simon Lee14 April 2016

London's Zone 4 districts are seeing some of the biggest demand for property across the transport network, as Londoners seek well-connected and more affordable areas in which to buy homes.

High-speed Crossrail will be arriving in two rising Zone 4 hotspots - Abbey Wood and Woolwich - by the end of 2018, and is already boosting demand. Even areas that are merely near the route are already having an uplift in property values, such as Chigwell in the Epping Forest district of Essex.

Meanwhile, the extension of the Overground network, which means even more people will be able to travel from one side of the capital to another without changing trains, is also boosting the areas it reaches in Zone 4.

However, the Metropolitan line is by far the most in-demand of all lines on the Tube, thanks to it’s huge reach from central London all the way into the capital’s greenbelt. As a result, Wembley is considered to be a Zone 4 area that is as well connected as a Zone 2 district.

Lifestyle

Leafy boroughs with small towns and vibrant villages traditionally made Zone 4 a popular hotspot among families seeking more space for their money.

However, more affordable flat conversions and new homes are attracting London's young professionals, while craft breweries and independent shops and restaurants are opening in up and coming areas, blurring the lines between central London and suburbia more than ever.

Schools

Zone 4 offers a range of state and private schools, along with academies and specialist religion and language schools.