Home-Checker Journal
Guides for English homebuyers
Plain-English explainers on flood risk, crime data, school ratings, EPC rules and the checks worth doing before you make an offer.
Surrey Council Tax 2025-26: Every District's Band D Charge, Ranked
Waverley charges the most council tax in Surrey at £2,483.85 Band D for 2025-26. Runnymede charges the least at £2,380.06. This guide ranks all eleven districts, explains the statutory band multipliers from A to H, and shows what the spread means in cash for properties at Band G.
Before You Offer: What to Check on the Address Itself, Not Just the Listing
In England, the data that would most inform your offer typically arrives after you've made it. Here is how to reverse that order and protect your position.
The 10 highest-rated state primary schools in Surrey
How Ofsted inspection data and GIAS registration records rank state primary schools across Surrey's eleven local authority areas — and what to read beyond the headline rating before buying.
Surrey Secondary Schools: How to Read the Data
How Ofsted outcomes, Progress 8 scores, and KS4 attainment data help you evaluate state secondary schools across Surrey — and what the different measures actually tell you before you commit to a postcode.
Buying in Camberley: what to check before you offer
Schools, crime, broadband, council tax, property market, and flood risk for Camberley (GU15–GU17). What to check before you make an offer.
Buying in Caterham: what to check before you offer
Schools, crime, broadband, council tax, property market, and flood risk for Caterham (CR3). What to check before you make an offer.
Buying in Cobham: what to check before you offer
Schools, crime, broadband, council tax, property market, and flood risk for Cobham (KT11). What to check before you make an offer.
Buying in Epsom: the data-sheet
Schools, crime, broadband, council tax, property market, and flood risk for Epsom (KT18). What the data says before you make an offer.
Buying in Esher: the data-sheet
Schools, crime, flood risk, broadband, council tax, and the property market for Esher — what the data says before you offer.
Buying in Farnham: the data-sheet
Schools, crime, flood risk, broadband, council tax, and the property market for Farnham — what the data says before you offer.
Buying in Guildford: the data-sheet
Schools, crime, flood risk, broadband, council tax, and the property market for Guildford — what the data says before you offer.
Buying in Reigate and Redhill: what to check before you offer
Schools, crime, flood risk, broadband, council tax, and the property market for Reigate and Redhill — what to check before you offer.
Buying in Walton-on-Thames: the data-sheet
Schools, crime, broadband, council tax, property market, and flood risk for Walton-on-Thames (KT12). What the data says before you make an offer.
Buying in Woking: what to check before you offer
Schools, crime, flood risk, broadband, council tax, and the property market for Woking — what to check before you offer.
The 10 cheapest postcodes to buy in Surrey
HMLR Price Paid Data ranks Surrey postcodes by median sold price over the trailing 12 months. Here is how the county's property market breaks down at postcode level — and why the cheapest postcodes are where they are.
The 10 most expensive postcodes to buy in Surrey
HMLR Price Paid Data ranks Surrey postcodes by median sold price over the trailing 12 months. Here is where prices are highest, what drives them, and what the sold data tells you that the asking price doesn't.
The Questions Buyers Ask After They Move In — and How to Ask Them Before
Most of what buyers regret after moving in was knowable in advance — micro-location, connectivity, schools. Here is how to check it before you offer.
Schools, Crime, Flood, Air, Broadband, Market: The Six Things to Read on a Postcode Before You Commit
Every English postcode has a government data record across six dimensions. Here is what each one covers, where the data comes from, and what to look for in each — before you make an offer.
Surrey Affordability — Towns Where Average Sale Prices Now Exceed Eight Times Local Earnings
Surrey's price-to-earnings ratios tell a stark affordability story. This post explains how the ratio is calculated, what it means for buyers, and which Surrey towns sit at the most stretched end of the scale.
Air quality in Surrey: nitrogen dioxide near A-roads and the M25
How nitrogen dioxide builds up near Surrey's busiest roads, what the legal limit and the WHO guideline actually say, and how Home-Checker reports air quality for a postcode.
5 Best Surrey Towns for London Commuters Under £600k
Which Surrey commuter towns pair a workable central-London rail link with a median sold price near or under £600k? A data-led look at HMLR trailing-12-month medians alongside published rail timetables.
Crime Across Surrey: Analyzing 24-Month Hotspots and Trends
What aggregated Police.uk crime data tells you about Surrey's neighbourhoods across two years — how to read category breakdowns, which areas post the highest and lowest rates, and how to use this data in a buying decision.
Downsizing in Surrey: Top 5 Towns for Healthcare, Safety, and Single-Level Living
Which Surrey towns combine good bungalow and smaller-property stock, accessible GP surgeries, and low residential crime? A data-led shortlist across three filters that matter specifically to downsizers.
Best Surrey Towns for First-Time Buyers Under £400k
Which Surrey towns combine a sub-£400k median sold price with good broadband and the property types most relevant to first-time buyers? A data-led look across price, connectivity, and stock availability.
Surrey areas with the highest IMD deprivation deciles — what the LSOA data shows
The Index of Multiple Deprivation measures seven dimensions of deprivation at LSOA level across England. This post explains what IMD deciles mean, where Surrey's higher-deprivation LSOAs sit, and how to read this data as a buyer.
Surrey Crime Data: How Population-Weighted Rates Reveal the Safest Towns
Raw crime counts can be misleading when choosing a home in Surrey. This expert guide explains population-weighted crime rates, why they matter for buyers, and how to identify truly safe Surrey neighbourhoods using data-driven insights.
Surrey MEES Compliance: The Confirmed 2030 EPC Band C Deadline
Is your Surrey rental property ready for the 2030 EPC Band C deadline confirmed by the Warm Homes Plan? This guide analyzes the confirmed requirement, identifies at-risk housing stock across Surrey districts, and explains how landlords can future-proof their investments.
Why Some Surrey Postcodes Saw Price Falls in 2024 — and How to Read Them
Why did some Surrey postcodes see house price falls in 2024 while others held firm? This guide explains how to read HMLR Price Paid Data, the structural factors behind median price falls, and how to verify local price trends before you buy.
Surrey Primary School Capacity: Navigating the Oversubscribed Towns
Is your dream home within the catchment area of an oversubscribed Surrey school? This guide explains how to read primary school capacity data in Surrey, the 'Last Offered Distance' metric, and how to avoid the pitfalls of school place shortages.
Surrey Rural Broadband: Finding High-Speed Connectivity in the Countryside
Can you get ultrafast broadband in a Surrey village? This guide identifies where rural charm meets full fibre, explains the impact of Project Gigabit, and shows how to avoid the 'long-loop' copper trap.
Surrey's Value Gradient: Price-Per-Sqft Trends by Town
Why price-per-square-foot is the most accurate metric for comparing Surrey property value. We analyze five years of HMLR and EPC data to find the county's relative value plays.
What the Listing Won't Tell You: Reading Between the Lines of a Property Page
A property listing is a sales document, not a survey. Learn how to identify what's missing and how to verify the data before you make an offer.
Does Flood Risk Affect Property Value?
How flood zones, Environment Agency data and market research influence English house prices — and what a proper flood-risk assessment for a specific address looks at.
How Ofsted's 2024 Changes Affect School Ratings (and What They Mean for Buyers)
Single-word Ofsted grades have gone, replaced by sub-judgements and report cards. What the reform means when you are using school data to pick a neighbourhood in England.
What Crime Data Actually Tells You Before You Buy
How to read street-level crime data properly when assessing a neighbourhood in England — what the numbers mean, what they miss, and what a good area report should surface for a buyer.