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.

4.57
Average Location Score

Excellent

68%

Very Good

24%

Average

4%

Disappointing

3%

Very Poor

0%

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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Welcome to happy living!

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

This development is right in the centre of the town centre, with a large selection of bars and restaurants within a 5 minute walk. Bus and train services are within 5 minutes, and will be closer once the bridge to the station has opened. Having lived on the outskirts of Reading for many years, being in the centre has created no problems. I have no problems with noise, number of people and I as do not drive, parking availability does not affect me. I have enjoyed my first 3 months living here.

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Ever since I was first shown around the development, I realised very quickly what the benefits of living centrally would be, and they haven’t disappointed. The position, in one of Reading’s main streets, of the building is perfect. Easy to enter and always someone to say ‘hello’ to on entrance.
Cleanliness of the building is well maintained by the cleaning staff. Those on the maintenance team also do a great job, and are extremely friendly.
From a personal point of view, the building management has been extremely professional.

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

Only minor gripe would be the length of time before the other building is complete, but that is minor.

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

Following a medical issue in January, the whole team were great that day, and continue to check on me. It only takes a quick moment, but the knowledge that I am being kept an eye on, makes me feel very secure. It is very much appreciated.
Otherwise, I’ve not really had any ‘real’ issues.

4
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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The design is top-class, and excellent materials are used

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Easy access to rail and bus transportation, the town centre is meters away. I cannot think of a wrong reason to live here.

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The design is top-class, and excellent materials are used. I only wish I had if one of the bathrooms had a walk-in shower rather than a bathtub. Facilities are top-class. Everything is well-arranged. Building a management team is quite helpful. Right from showing us the apartment rent process, Yas from the leasing team was a rock star!!

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

I had done my research before moving in, and as of this date, I don’t have any surprises.

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

I have a couple of issues to sort out and am working with the building management team.

5
Facilities
4
Design
5
Location
5
Value
4
Management
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Everything one would need.

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Love being middle of town. Vlose to everything construction sites around the back arent the greatest esp with remembering to shut my curtains lol

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Very much enjoy living where i live. Its beautiful. Cared for and child friendly also. Close to town . Has everything one could need for working from home also. Weekly social gatherings unsure if child friendly as not attended one yet for thus reason.

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

Writing full details for delivery people as they never seem to find it

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

Yes had an issue with my washing machine sorted in 24 hrs

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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Best place to stay

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Very good living area to stay in as you are literally 5 min walk from the station and surrounded by shops and supermarkets a walk away.

Please review your development:

Beautiful facilities, very well designed and created. The gym is perfect size offering every equipment you can need. The views are stunning especially the outdoor terrace on my floor. I love that there is a car park so residents can feel safe with their cars in town.

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

I think it should be easier to let people in, I can open the doors on my phone but always need to manually send the lift down.

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

Very quickly to any questions or problems I was facing.

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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