As an agent in the Shepperton property market, I believe it is important to offer local homeowners a balanced and realistic view of both the Shepperton and national property markets.

Scrolling property portals is useful, but registering with an estate agency can give buyers a more personal, proactive search experience, especially when the right home is about to come to market.

When people talk about the property market in Shepperton, the conversation normally centres on house prices. Yet price is only part of the story. The size of a home matters too. A £500,000 home in one part of the country may offer significantly more space than a similarly priced home elsewhere.

For some homebuyers, the kitchen is the deal maker. For others, it is the number of bedrooms, the school catchment or the distance to the railway station. Yet for a sizeable group of buyers, the garden matters just as much as the house itself. Across Shepperton there are 90 homes with large gardens.