Eastbrook Village Milton Keynes: Prices in a Village with Four Schools

Reach us on WhatsApp straight away using the button at the bottom left

Hello everyone, 160 acre its own country park, its four new schools and a health centre, a village: to London Euston in 30 dakika. Today Eastbrook Village is what we are looking at today!

For prices, taxes and the whole buying process, see our guide: UK Property Guide

Apartment types, current price range and location: see the project page

A vast scheme in Buckinghamshire, right beside Milton Keynes, developed by St Joseph, a Berkeley Group brand. The numbers are bold: more than 4,600 low carbon, energy efficient homes in total. The scheme includes four new schools, a health centre and a supermarket. At its heart is a 160 acre country park, connected to Milton Keynes’ well known redway cycling and walking network. Yes, you read that correctly: this is not a block of flats, it is a town.

Prices

• The homes are roughly £260,000and up
• one, two, three, four and five bedroom house options
• For example: a three bedroom semi detached house is roughly £464,000
• Total 4,600+ homes, handed over in stages
• Address: near Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK16

Berkeley Group / St Joseph, the brand of England’s most established developer that runs its large scale community schemes. What is striking in this scheme is the emphasis on low carbon and energy efficient homes: they are selling not just a house but a house with low running costs. the advantages of buying a new build home the right address for anyone who wants it in its most concrete form.

Why Eastbrook Village?

A real house, well below London prices: in London £464,000 buys you an apartment of 50 to 55 m². Here the same money buys a three bedroom semi detached house with a garden. For families with children and people who want to move out of London the mathematics works entirely differently.

• Londra Euston’a 30 dakika: a fast train from Milton Keynes Central
• 10 minutes to the centre of Milton Keynes
• M1 direct access to the motorway; links to London and the north
• A 160 acre country park within the scheme; connected to the redway network
• The Buckinghamshire countryside and the historic centre of Newport Pagnell close by

Four schools and a health centre within the scheme: infrastructure on this scale is rare even among new residential schemes in England. Four schools, a health centre and a supermarket mean the neighbourhood is self sufficient. For families with children proximity to a school is at the centre of the buying decision, and here the school is inside the scheme.

Daily life: mornings on the redways

Leave the house at 7:30, take the train from Milton Keynes Central, be at Euston around 8:15. Entirely reasonable for anyone going into the office two or three days a week. On the other days you work from home; you have your garden and a 160 acre park. Cycling on the redways at lunchtime: this traffic free pedestrian and cycle network of Milton Keynes is unique in England. At the weekend the Buckinghamshire countryside, Woburn and Cambridge are a short distance away.

Eastbrook Village rental yield

Milton Keynes is one of the fastest growing cities in England and a strong employment centre, with a concentration of the logistics, technology and finance sectors. Two and three bedroom houses usually let for £1,300 to £1,750 a month, larger houses £1,900 to £2,400 a month a month. That puts the gross rental yield in the 5-5.5% band.

The real advantage here is on the net yield: in detached and semi detached houses there is no high service charge as in London apartments, only a low estate charge. And a low carbon, energy efficient build means direct savings on bills for the tenant, a strong headline in your letting advertisement. For areas that work on the same logic, high yield buy to let areas is worth a look.

The standout features and the details that set Eastbrook Village apart

• A 160 acre country park: within the scheme; generous open space and nature.
• Four new schools: within the scheme; a decisive advantage for families with children.
• A health centre: inside the neighbourhood; no need to go out for daily needs.
• Market: commercial space planned within the scheme.
• A connection to the redway network: the traffic free cycle and walking routes of Milton Keynes.
• Low carbon, energy efficient homes: at the centre of the scheme’s design.
• Private garden, balcony or terrace: in most of the homes.
• From one to five bedrooms: options from a single person to a large family.

Energy efficiency and comfort

This is one of the strongest sides of the scheme and not merely a marketing sentence: the homes were designed from the outset as low carbon and energy efficient. In detached and semi detached houses that difference matters even more, because the volume to be heated is large. Minimum energy standards for rented homes in the United Kingdom are tightening, and homes of this kind are the most ready for those rules.

Who is buying?

Families moving out of London are the main audience for this scheme. The combination of 30 minutes to Euston, four schools, a health centre and a 160 acre park is very strong for families who say "I want my children to grow up in a house with a garden". Alongside them, professionals working in the logistics and technology sectors of Milton Keynes, people who have moved to working from home and are looking for floor area, and investors after a higher net return than London.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of city is Milton Keynes? Founded as a planned city in the 1960s, it is one of the fastest growing cities in England. It is known for its traffic free redway network, its generous green space and its strong employment. Do not look for the fabric of a historic English town; this is a modern, planned city.

Is a daily commute to London possible? 30 minutes to Euston: faster than many outer districts of London. Commuting every day is entirely possible.

What is the tenure? Detached and semi detached houses are generally Freehold (full ownership): different from the leasehold system on London apartments, and better for the buyer.

The scheme is very large, when will it be finished? More than 4,600 homes are handed over in phases spread over years. The schools, the health centre and the park come into use step by step. Buying in an early phase gives a price advantage but the maturing of the surroundings takes time.

Do I need a car? Milton Keynes is a cycle friendly city thanks to the redway network, but a car is necessary in practice for daily life and for reaching the station.

Can I buy as a foreign national? Yes, there is no restriction on foreign nationals buying property in the United Kingdom. For the process, our remote property purchase guide page.

Can I use a mortgage? Foreign buyers can normally borrow up to 65-75% of the value. UK mortgages for foreign nationals is worth reading.

Total cost: what you actually pay when you buy at Eastbrook Village

Many overseas buyers look only at the apartment price and meet a surprise at completion. Let us work out the real cost on a £350,000 apartment. Stamp duty (SDLT) in the United Kingdom is banded: 0% up to £125,000, then 2%, 5%, 10% and 12%. On top of that, non-residents pay a 2% surcharge, and if you already own another home, a further 5% additional dwelling rate applies.

With a mortgage there are also valuation and bank charges, and if you let the property, management commission and income tax. The figures above are indicative, based on a £350,000 entry price; we prepare the exact calculation for your own scenario.

The Eastbrook Village buying process, step by step

If you are buying from another country, the process runs like this:

• 1. Choosing the apartment and reserving it. We go through the floor plans, the aspect and the view. The apartment you choose is usually held with a reservation fee of £5,000 to £10,000.
• 2. Appointing a solicitor. An independent English property solicitor (conveyancer) is appointed. That solicitor acts for you, not for the developer.
• 3. Identity and source of funds checks. You will be asked for a passport, proof of address and documents showing the source of your funds. This step is compulsory in the United Kingdom, and having the papers ready shortens the process.
• 4. Exchange of contracts and deposit. Contracts are usually exchanged within 21 days of the reservation, with a 10% deposit. The signature can be given digitally from abroad.
• 5. Stage payments. In off plan projects these follow the payment schedule; for completed apartments the step is skipped.
• 6. Completion. The remaining balance and the stamp duty are paid and the title is registered in your name. For completed apartments this stage can take four to eight weeks.

You can run the whole process from your own country; you do not have to travel to the United Kingdom.

Risks and what to watch for

We have set out the strengths; in fairness there are points to watch as well. For Eastbrook Village, these are the ones worth pausing on:

• Not London but the Milton Keynes market: capital growth moves to a different rhythm from London, so do not expect quick gains.
• A very large, long running scheme, more than 4,600 homes are handed over spread over years; the schools and the park come into use step by step.
• In practice you need a car: the redway network is cycle friendly but a car is essential for reaching the station and for daily life.
• Narrow international tenant pool: the tenant profile is local and regional, without London’s corporate flow.

None of this makes the project a bad one, but there is a wide gap between buying with your eyes open and finding out afterwards. We give every client this list up front.

How does Eastbrook Village compare with the alternatives?

Before you decide, it is worth looking at the other projects in the same budget band:

• Hartland Village: a family scheme on a similar scale in Hampshire with a 70 acre country park.
• Hollymead Square: a detached house alternative in Essex with zero energy bills.
• Highcroft: a Berkeley St Edward scheme in Oxfordshire at a more affordable entry price.

We can work out together which project fits your goal, judged on budget, intended use and exit plan. For an overview, our guide to UK property investment for international buyers is worth reading too.

Answers to the most common questions on this topic: Which UK Cities Have the Highest Rental Yields?