How Crossrail is boosting house prices along the route four years before launch Report predicts house prices in areas near stations will rise by 20-25% But data show values in Brentwood and Shenfield over the past year have already risen 13% By Laura Latham Crossrail, the new rail route that will connect Reading in Berkshire to Shenfield in Essex, might not run a full service until 2019, but it's making its presence felt in local property markets. The Property Impact report predicts house prices in areas that have access to Crossrail will rise by 20 per cent in suburban locations and by 25 per cent in central London. Estate agents along the route have seen greater numbers of investors, including overseas buyers, who want to get into the market early to benefit from price rises and increased rental demand once Crossrail is up and running. Retreat: A detached home in Mountnessing, Essex, with easy access to central London, priced at £1.6million with Jackson-Stops & Staff One area likely to see a boost in demand is around Brentwood and Shenfield, where the eastern end of the line will terminate. According to Rightmove, Land Registry figures show capital appreciation in this area over the past year was 13 per cent. It's popular with City commuters because of its fast rail access to Liverpool Street, but Crossrail is expected to open up options for Shenfield and Brentwood residents. The new service will take about 40 minutes to reach Liverpool Street, not a significant improvement on present times, but the benefit lies in faster journeys into central London. Crossrail services will take less than 50 minutes to reach Tottenham Court Road or Bond Street and will be direct rather than requiring a change of train. Jeremy Smallman, of local agency Jackson-Stops & Staff, believes Crossrail will increase demand for £1million-plus homes in Shenfield, but will also draw more buy-to-let investors to nearby Brentwood where prices are lower. 'Shenfield is made up of family homes, with a large number of detacheds and semis,' he says. 'There isn't the supply of flats or smaller homes that investors or first-time buyers look for. £15bn to get across London: The Crossrail route connects the counties west of London and Essex to central London and the City 'With prices predicted to rise by 20 per cent, now would be a good time to consider buying, but most people still feel Crossrail is too far off, so we haven't seen the same demand as other locations. But that may change nearer the time. The attractive estates and good schools, as well as the transport links, make Shenfield popular with professionals. Two to three-bedroom flats and small houses start from £360,000, with four to sixbedroom properties selling from upwards of £1million. The most sought-after location in Shenfield is the Hutton Mount estate, a private enclave of larger homes which are priced from £1.2million to more than £3.5 million. Richard Parry, director of local sales and letting agency Parry Cohen, tips Hutton, further east from Shenfield station, as an option for those priced out of more sought-after locations. Hutton is offering one or two-bedroom properties from £180,000, with threebedroom semi-detached homes from £350,000. Prices in Brentwood, which effectively merges with Shenfield and where Crossrail will also stop, start from less than £200,000 for a one-bedroom flat. Disruption: The Crossrail construction site at CentrePoint in London's West End Parry says he's seeing more buy-to-let inquiries for properties there as returns can be about 4.5 per cent, depending on purchase price. A two-bedroom apartment rents from about £1,000 a month and a three-bedroom property for around £1,800. If you can't find what you want in Shenfield or Brentwood, another option is the local villages, which are within a ten to 20-minute drive of either station. Parry recommends buyers look at Blackmore, Fryerning, Stock and Ingatestone, where three-bedroom homes sell from £350,000, four bedrooms from £650,000 and rising to more than £1 million for a five to six-bedroom home. Terry Holmes, director of estate agency Beresfords (beresfordsgroup.co.uk), says his firm has seen 10 per cent increase in buyers this year. There has also been a rise in buy-to-let investors, some of whom live locally and are buying a second property. Almost all cite Crossrail as their motive. 'There has been a pick-up in interest due to Crossrail,' says Holmes. Many buyers come from London and are looking for better value and a nicer lifestyle. 'They're starting to realise that with Crossrail, they can move further out of the city but retain the same journey time into London.' On the market... around Shenfield Brentwood A four-bedroom, semi-detached period house is for sale with a conservatory and a paved driveway for two cars. Balgores Hayes (01277 216800). For sale: Properties in Brentwood (left) and Hutton (right) are attractive buys Hutton This spacious three-bedroom, semidetached chalet-style house has space for a fourth bedroom. It's in a popular area and is perfect for commuters. Beresfords