Reading

Reading is a large market town and borough in the county of Berkshire. Located on the M4 motorway 40 miles west of London and within easy reach of both Oxford and Bristol, it has been described as having some of the best transport connections in England. The impending addition of the Elizabeth Line will further boost its appeal with London escapees lured by the scenery of the Chiltern Hills and North Wessex Downs that surround the town.

4.55
Average Location Score

Excellent

66%

Very Good

25%

Average

5%

Disappointing

4%

Very Poor

1%

Best places to live in Reading

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

Dee Park RG30

Reading town centre

The centre of Reading itself may a little too heavy on bland office blocks and chain cafes for many tastes, but things are changing. Crossrail has brought with it a major overhaul for the town and its dowdy image.

Upmarket stores, hotels and housing developments have sprung up to meet the demand of London commuters who see Reading as the perfect balance of distance and proximity to the big smoke. Now also a leading tech hub in its own right, Reading is also home to a large student population jostling for space in the town’s more central areas.

Family neighbourhoods in Reading

As you’d imagine, Reading and its environs offer families plenty of property options. The suburb of Caversham north of the town is highly sought after for its country feel and beautiful period homes. Just to the east of Reading, Earley is another popular area for families looking for good-sized homes with great local amenities.

A little further east, Woodley offers a relaxed family neighbourhood at a lower price point. Around 4 miles to the southeast of Reading, the village of Winnersh is another popular option close to Reading but offering plenty of rural charm. Norcot and Tilehurst lie to the west of the centre of Reading, and offer good value terraced and semi-detached housing on the doorstep of the North Wessex Downs AONB.

Kennet and Avon Canal

North Wessex Downs

A large Area of Natural Beauty sitting to the west of Reading, the North Wessex Downs spans the counties of Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. Visitors can explore historic villages and towns like Marlborough, with its beautiful market square and renowned school.
The Kennet and Avon canal runs though the Downs, offering miles of towpath walking trails and bike rides. Savernake Forest offers 4,500 acres of woodland that dates back over 1,000 years, while Highclere Castle will be instantly recognisable to fans as the location of the TV series Downton Abbey.

The Bronze-Age Uffington White Horse is another major visitor attraction. It is thought to be the oldest chalk hill figure in the UK, and is dated at over 3,000 years old. Dated to around 500 years later is the World heritage Site at Avebury – the remarkable stone circles that visitors can walk amongst, unlike those of nearby Stonehenge.

Transport in and around Reading

Reading station is one of the busiest rail interchanges in the UK. Services depart from reading for most parts of the country, including GWR services west to Bath, Bristol and the South West and eastwards into London Paddington. South West Trains run into London Waterloo and Basingstoke while Cross Country Trains run south towards Bournemouth and north up to the Midlands and beyond.

Once the Elizabeth Line is fully operational, services will run four times per hour directly into central London. Reading Buses operate extensive services around the town and out to many of the surrounding suburbs and villages. Newbury Buses, Arriva, First and Thames Travel also operate local bus services.

Reviews in Reading

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Lovely place to live, with exceptional management

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Great location, a short walk from pretty much anywhere in Reading Town Centre. Really looking forward to the rest of the Station Hill development being completed.

Please review your development:

Flats are tastefully designed, the facilities are well maintained and the management team are very responsive and go above and beyond. Simi, Yas and Mia have been great during the move-in process, and made me feel very welcome. There’s a lot of thought put into community events too.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Nothing in particular to mention here, Yas was great at giving me all of the information needed prior to moving ahead.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

There’s been a few small maintenance issues, but the team have responded and dealt with them very quickly.

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
3
Value
5
Management
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Great location and value for money

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

So convenient to get to London – station is 5 minutes away and so are plenty of restaurants, hair salons and shopping places. Not far from nature either.

Please review your development:

Beautiful design, great facilities, nice neighbours and super helpful staff. The reception and maintenance staff are always very friendly and supportive, and even the leasing staff have gone above and beyond their duties – Yas and Simi in particular.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I hadn’t realised how compact Reading is and the development is right in the middle of all amenities

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Any issues have been resolved promptly and to a good standard

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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High quality

Review Date Feb 2024

Everything is perfect would like to thank Yas for viewing and providing me with the most suitable flat for me, and he’s service was outstanding

Please review your development:

Perfect environment, very high quality facilities that are able to supply everyone’s needs. The design of the building is wonderful which is one of the reasons that made me move in to this building. Staff members are very kind and helpful. Very happy with my choice of moving here

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Nothing in mind, the viewing was perfect all is good

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Till now I didn’t not face any issues or problems.

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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overall everything is good

Review Date Feb 2024

there is a lot to offer in this location, from shopping centre to take out / restaurants the downfall is the nightclubs they are very noisy! Parking availability is good but pricey!!

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overall everything is good! the design of the building / layout is really nice. The staff members are all so helpful as mentioned in the maintenance section the team are really quick and helpful always. It would have been nice to potentially have a window in the bathroom / flooring in the halls especially with animals in the building and mud from outside etc. but overall it’s very nice layout.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I would recommend anyone moving in especially at the front, to prepare for the noise outside on the weekends as it is unbearable at times. But we are working with the council to iron those issues out. The parking is definitely something to look into aswell.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

maintenance team are always so quick and effective when it comes to issues I have had, the turn around time is the same day if at the very most the next day. Darren / Anthony and Luca are generally so down to earth, very helpful and a lovely team overall. There are no complaints when it comes to the maintenance team at all.

5
Facilities
4
Design
4
Location
4
Value
5
Management
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