Kent is known as the garden of England for its beautiful scenery and abundance of natural produce. England’s fifth-largest county by population with more than 1.8 million people, Kent is a popular county thanks to its gorgeous countryside, charming towns and proximity to London. If you’re searching for the ideal spot to buy here, start by reading our rundown of the best new build homes for sale in Kent.
Where is Kent?
Located to the south-east of London, Kent is perfect for commuters, while also enjoying some 350 miles of coastline. Large swathes of the county are within protected rural conservation areas. These include the Kent Downs and High Weald Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Kent provides superb rail links to London, with several of its major towns attracting plenty of commuters. The central town of Ashford boasts a high-speed rail link to London St. Pancras. There are also excellent road connections, including the M20 and the M2. The motorways span this large county and connect the M25 and London to the coast.
New build homes in Kent: 10 best developments
With its beautiful rolling countryside, extensive coastline and excellent commuter links, it’s no wonder Kent is such a popular place to live and work. Below you’ll find our ranking of Kent’s top 10 new build homes for sale. Verified residents have rated the developments on a variety of factors. As such, HomeViews can provide rankings based on the real-life experience of living in each one. Read on to learn more about the highest-rated new build homes in Kent.
*PLEASE NOTE these rankings take into account how many reviews a scheme has and how recently those reviews have been submitted, so may not match the overall star ratings shown. Buildings with a larger number of more recent reviews are given a greater weighting to reflect current building performance – as on our area guide pages.
What’s it like Living in Kent?
Kent has always been a popular choice with families, particularly those with commuters. The county offers excellent access to central London by rail or road, while it’s a relatively safe place with a great choice of schools.
Kent provides a mix of rural and urban living. The rural landscape is interspersed with the major urban centres of Maidstone, Ashford, Dartford and the large unitary authority of Medway. There are also a host of smaller towns and the historic cathedral and university city of Canterbury. History is never far away in Kent. The county has some of England’s most spectacular castles and stately homes. These include Leeds Castle, Dover Castle and Hever, the childhood home of Ann Boleyn.
Kent’s rural areas provide a variety of different settings. The typical image of the Kent countryside shows rolling fields and hills, filled with orchards, hop gardens and distinctive conical-shaped oast houses. The county also includes the winding River Medway. The White Cliffs of Dover and several beautiful beaches dot the stunning coastline. If you’re looking for breathtaking seclusion, consider the windswept Isle of Sheppey or Romney Marsh. On opposite sides of the county, both provide a peaceful escape to sites of environmental and ecological importance.
What are Kent’s main towns and cities?
Spanning approximately 60 miles from east to west, the county provides a choice of different areas to live in. Closest to London is Dartford, sitting inside the M25 and providing superb access to the city and the Bluewater shopping mall. The west of the county has the affluent, leafy commuter towns of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. Each of the towns has its own charm and excellent state and private schools. All three are within 45 minutes of central London by train, and they offer up some of the best new build homes in Kent.
The central part of Kent has the larger towns of Ashford and the county town of Maidstone. These towns, joined by the M20, are well-connected centres for industry and commerce in the county. They both provide an excellent choice of shops and leisure facilities. Medway is the most populous area of the county. Although it doesn’t fall under the Kent local authority, Medway is historically and geographically a part of the county. It is home to the most culturally diverse population in the region.
Towards the east of the county is Canterbury, with its two universities and historic cathedral. There are also trendy coastal towns in Whitstable and Deal, as well as the up-and-coming traditional seaside resort towns of Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs. The south-east coastal area of the county has the major port of Dover and the bustling seaside town of Folkestone.
What are the current average property prices in Kent?
Kent offers a range of options for home buyers. The different areas of Kent provide a choice to suit all budgets, while there is a wealth of new build homes for sale across the county. In August 2023, the average property price in Kent was just shy of £416,000. This is significantly higher than the current UK average of £286,000.
Terraced houses formed the majority of sales in Kent between early 2022 and 2023. The average price of a terraced house in Kent is now around £330,000.
Would you like to find out more about life in Kent? If you’re searching for property in Kent, take a look at our guide to the county below. From there, you’ll be able to find all the latest new build developments across the county. You’ll also learn more about the different benefits of living in this sought-after corner of England.
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to recognise high performers and help improve standards in the built environment.
