{"id":2715,"date":"2021-09-05T16:44:41","date_gmt":"2021-09-05T16:44:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yopa.co.uk\/homeowners-hub\/?p=2715"},"modified":"2021-09-05T17:20:33","modified_gmt":"2021-09-05T17:20:33","slug":"whats-it-like-to-live-in-fareham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dy36-2.stage.yopa-dev.co.uk\/homeowners-hub\/whats-it-like-to-live-in-fareham\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s it like to live in Fareham?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The thriving market town of Fareham and the\nwider borough of the same name are located on the south east coast, on the\nnorth western edge of Portsmouth Harbour. The town is around 15 miles from\nSouthampton and 8 miles from Portsmouth, with excellent transport links to both\ncities and the wider south east coast via road and rail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A former hub for the tanning (leather) and\nbrick industries with a strong maritime presence, a settlement has existed\nlocally since the Roman era and the town retains a strong sense of heritage\ntoday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you know? <\/strong>Fareham is actually famous for manufacturing the bricks for London\u2019s iconic Royal Albert Hall. That\u2019s a pretty great accolade, to say the least.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Homebuyers will be pleased to hear that\nFareham residents are also a happy lot, with the town being voted the\nsecond-best place to live in the UK in the 2020 Halifax quality of life survey<\/a>\n(it was pipped to the number 1 spot by East Hertfordshire). This is thanks to a\nrange of factors including employment, earnings, affordable housing, health and\nwellbeing, education, traffic and low crime. Fareham also made it to the top\nspot of our own top 10\nplaces to retire in England and Wales<\/a> in 2019 thanks to great amenities\nlike U3A, council tax and life satisfaction rates plus \u2013 of course \u2013\ncompetitive house prices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past 12 months, the average property\nprice in Fareham was \u00a3341,510. Significantly more affordable than both the\nSouth East region (\u00a3461,020) and Hampshire (\u00a3386,613) overall and especially\npricey hotspots like nearby Soberton (\u00a31,011,333) Chilworth (\u00a31,004,000) and Droxford\n(\u00a31,000,961),<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fareham is indeed an attractive coastal\ndestination, but what\u2019s it actually like to live there? And, what\u2019s on offer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transport\nlinks <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fareham is a well-connected town with a\ndedicated railway station. It\u2019s possible to reach Southampton Central from\nFareham in under 20 minutes and Portsmouth in less than 25 minutes. Regular\nservices also run to London Waterloo, London Victoria (both services take\naround two hours), and Brighton \u2013 ideal for day trippers and city commuters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re travelling by bus, you\u2019re\nalso in luck because Fareham is home to an extensive network<\/a> that serves the whole region\nas well as Portsmouth and nearby destinations such as Gosport, Southsea, and\nLee-On-The-Solent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those travelling or commuting by\nroad, Fareham offers access to plenty of major routes, with the A27 and M27\nright on the doorstep. Southampton Airport<\/a> (in Eastleigh) is only 26 minutes away too and offers a range of\ndomestic and international flight options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schools\nand education<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fareham has a good selection of primary\nand secondary schools on offer as well as settings offering SEND (special\neducational needs & disabilities) provision which includes the Fareham Academy<\/a> and the Kingsgate School<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are 38 primary schools<\/a> within 3 miles of the town,\nwith many sporting an \u2018outstanding\u2019 or \u2018good\u2019 Ofsted rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have bigger kids embarking on\nthat next step in their educational journey, there are 13 secondary schools<\/a> within 3 miles of Fareham, with\nat least four sporting an Average or Above Average official rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those young adults looking for a\nfun and fulfilling higher education experience, Fareham College<\/a> is a vibrant modern campus with an excellent local reputation\noffering academic qualifications, vocational courses, and dynamic modern\napprenticeships. The University of Portsmouth<\/a>, University of Southampton<\/a> and Solent\nUniversity<\/a>\nare all within easy reach too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, and not forgetting those preschoolers,\nFareham is also home to a choice of certified\nplaygroups, nurseries, and pre-schools<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leisure and amenities <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re in search of everyday\nessentials, rare vintage treasures, or some serious retail therapy with a cup\nof coffee or lazy lunch thrown in, Fareham delivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fareham Shopping Centre<\/a> is home to a range of big retail names\nincluding Boots, Next, The Body Shop, O2, New Look, and Waterstones as well as\na small selection of local independent retailers. The town also hosts regular markets<\/a> with vendors selling all manner of items\nincluding fresh local produce, household goods and clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the big weekly shop, there\u2019s plenty\nof choice, too. In fact, there is a Tesco Superstore, Iceland, Aldi,\nSainsburys, Asda and Co-op all on the doorstep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you like getting active and working\nup a sweat, Fareham Leisure Centre<\/a> is equipped with a swimming\npool, modern gym, sports hall, and cutting-edge HIIT exercise suite. Red Spider Climbing<\/a> and nearby Rock Up<\/a> in Whiteley and Wild Wonderland<\/a> in Gosport are popular with the younger members of the family too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to soaking up the scenery\nand enjoying outdoor leisure time immersed in nature, Fareham offers access to plenty\nof nature reserves, waterside walks, and local parks<\/a>. There are also around six scenic\nbeaches all within walking or driving distance. The nearby Common<\/a> is not only stunning, but it\u2019s\nfamily friendly, dog friendly, and a place of Special Scientific Interest. An\nidyllic spot for a leisurely day out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some other must-see sights and\nlandmarks worth visiting in and around the Fareham region:<\/p>\n\n\n\n