Our new residential magazine looks at what's happening in your area: ‘Last year saw periods of strong trading.'

The Surrey market has always been closely aligned with London, and last year saw some periods of strong trading. The ongoing economic climate meant homes were seen as much more of an investment than ever before. The south London buyer was still prevalent, for example with young families migrating to the country, but there was greater sensitivity about value for money and longer-term investment implications. The country-house market benefited from overseas investors seeking a safe haven for their money, and we also saw a number of domestic investors looking to buy in the country, pushed out of central London by overseas purchasers prepared to pay huge premiums.

This is a rapidly changing economy and unchartered territory for the property market. Estate agents now need to show a level of business intelligence that the market has previously not seen. We thrived last year on putting would-be purchasers together with would-be vendors to great effect, and there were occasions where properties sold for premium prices with competitive bidding - Ripley Place, in Guildford, sold just a fortnight after launch for over the £1 million guide price. Easy transport connections to the capital mean the stretch from Guildford to London has long been known as the 'wealth corridor' of the A3, but the opening of the Hindhead tunnel enhanced Haslemere and Farnham as prime commuting locations, too.

One of our challenges over the coming months may be the emergence of a second credit crunch, where borrowing freezes up and the market stalls. However, property is now more competitively priced than it has been for many years, and interest rates are set to remain low. As a five-year-and-beyond investment, property is far more than just a safe haven - it is also the shrewdest investment available.

Read the full magazine: &homes - Surrey