# 32 BIRCHS CLOSE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LU

## Property details

- Slug: `78b12ba` (address key hash: `78b12bacbb2c8c3f808f676d5e4d62cd2437bd7f`)
- Postcode: LU7 9LU
- Transactions on record: 3

- Tenure: Freehold
- Property type: Semi-detached
- Floor area: 79 m²
- EPC rating: E
- Year built: England and Wales: 1950-1966
- Last sold: £355,000 Feb 2026
- Price per m²: £4,494/m²
- Local average: £373,582 (116 sales)
- Street crime: 8 incidents within 1 mile (Apr 2026)

## Latest sale

- Price: £355,000
- Date: 2026-02-27
- Type: S
- Tenure: F

## EPC Rating & Upgrade Cost

- **Current rating:** E
- **Potential rating:** D
- **Expiry date:** 29/05/2035
- **Current heating cost:** £1,110/year
- **Est. upgrade cost to C:** £10,725

### Recommendations
- A (£100 - £350)
- W2 (£4,000 - £6,000)
- X (£1,000)
- U (£3,500 - £5,500)

[View full EPC on gov.uk](https://find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk/energy-certificate/2616-1943-1851-1617-2414)

## Price history

| Event | Date | Price | Type | % change | Today’s value (HPI) | Transaction |
|-------|------|-------|------|--------|---------------------|-------------|
| Sold | 2026-02-27 | £355,000 | Semi-detached | +16.4% | £354,661 (to March 2026) | [View](http://87.117.209.195:8080/house-prices/4e75c29c-d2d8-8922-e063-4804a8c094d0) |
| Sold | 2019-07-01 | £305,000 | Semi-detached | +62.2% | £381,707 (to March 2026) | [View](http://87.117.209.195:8080/house-prices/8f1b26bd-4eb2-53db-e053-6c04a8c03649) |
| Sold | 2010-02-09 | £188,000 | Semi-detached | — | £381,476 (to March 2026) | [View](http://87.117.209.195:8080/house-prices/a2b9e384-3dcb-45fc-a879-df6c1dc6cf04) |

*Today’s value (HPI): adjusted using published house price index trends for the area and property type; not a valuation of the property today.*

## Sales History

*Recorded sales for this property. Data from Land Registry Price Paid.*

| Address | Price | Date | Type |
|---------|-------|------|------|
| 32 BIRCHS CLOSE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LU | £355,000 | 27/02/2026 | Semi-detached |
| 32 BIRCHS CLOSE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LU | £305,000 | 01/07/2019 | Semi-detached |
| 32 BIRCHS CLOSE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LU | £188,000 | 09/02/2010 | Semi-detached |

## Sold Comparables

*Same street and nearby sales within 0.25 miles. Data from Land Registry Price Paid. Last 5 years.*

| Address | Price | Date | Type |
|---------|-------|------|------|
| THE OLD MANSE WATLING STREET, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LP | £365,000 | 27/06/2025 | Semi-detached |
| 17 CLIFFORD CLOSE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9RQ | £300,000 | 08/08/2023 | Semi-detached |
| 39 BIRCHS CLOSE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LU | £390,000 | 12/05/2023 | Semi-detached |
| THE BLACKBIRDS 12 WATLING STREET, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LY | £316,000 | 02/05/2023 | Semi-detached |
| 31 WHITE HORSE CLOSE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LT | £315,000 | 09/09/2022 | Semi-detached |
| 35 CLIFFORD CLOSE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9RQ | £355,000 | 26/08/2022 | Semi-detached |
| 27 MANOR AVENUE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LW | £385,000 | 18/10/2021 | Semi-detached |
| 2 KILBY ROAD, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LX | £305,000 | 29/09/2021 | Semi-detached |
| 37 BIRCHS CLOSE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LU | £260,000 | 29/06/2021 | Semi-detached |
| 39 MANOR AVENUE, HOCKLIFFE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE, LU7 9LW | £302,500 | 28/06/2021 | Semi-detached |

**Area average:** £329,350 (10 sales)

## Capital growth trend

*Land Registry outcode average from sold prices: last 12 months vs 5y and 10y ago.*

- **5y growth:** 4.5%
- **10y growth:** 19.1%

## House Price Index (HM Land Registry)

*Official index for Central Bedfordshire; Semi-detached series; as of March 2026.*

- **1y growth (index):** 3.7%
- **5y growth (index):** 22.2%
- **10y growth (index):** 40.1%

## Rental Range

*ONS Price Index of Private Rents (Central Bedfordshire). Low / Realistic / Optimistic = conservative / average / best case.*

- **Low:** £1,118/mo
- **Realistic:** £1,242/mo
- **Optimistic:** £1,366/mo

## LHA (Local Housing Allowance)

*VOA 30th percentile rent floor for Northants Central (Apr 2025 – Mar 2026).*

## Rental Comparables

*Residential lets from OpenRent and Rightmove for the area. Bedroom counts vary — use the Beds column to compare like-for-like lets. Student lets are excluded.*

| Title | Rent | Beds | Distance | As seen on |
|------|------|------|------|------|
| 3 Bed Semi-Detached House, The Limes, LU7 | £1,400/mo | 3 | 0.22 miles | OpenRent |
| 3 Bed End Terrace, Augustus Road, LU7 | £1,350/mo | 3 | 0.34 miles | OpenRent |

**Average rent: £1,375/mo (2 listings)**

## 1% Rule

- **Rent ratio:** 0.39% (weak for cashflow)
- **Max investor price (0.8%):** £171,875
- **Target investor price (1%):** £137,500

*Monthly rent ÷ price. 1%+ = strong, 0.8–1% = okay, <0.8% = weak. Max investor price = rent ÷ 0.8% (Stoke-style target). Target investor price = rent ÷ 1% (strong cashflow band). Based on OpenRent comparables.*

## Rent-driven metrics

*Based on OpenRent comparables (median £1,375/mo).*

- **Gross yield:** 4.6%
- **Cost-to-rent:** 21.5×
- **Monthly cashflow:** £-186/mo (75% LTV, 3.95% APR (5yr fixed), 25yr term)
- **Cash-on-cash ROI:** -2.2%

*Gross yield = annual rent as % of price (no costs). Cost-to-rent = price ÷ annual rent (from OpenRent comparables); under 14× = strong, 14–16× = acceptable, 17×+ = compressed. Cashflow = rent − mortgage − 10% maintenance − £25/mo compliance; assumes 75% LTV, 3.95% APR (5yr fixed), 25yr term. ROI = annual profit ÷ cash in (deposit + 4% purchase costs).*

## Flood risk

- **Zone:** 1
- **Risk:** Low
- **Source:** Not in Flood Risk Area (no data)

[Check long-term flood risk (GOV.UK)](https://check-long-term-flood-risk.service.gov.uk/postcode)

## Street-level crime

| Category | Count |
|----------|-------|
| Vehicle crime | 2 |
| Violence and sexual offences | 2 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1 |
| Drugs | 1 |
| Other theft | 1 |
| Public order | 1 |
| **Total incidents** | **8** |

*Within 1 mile during Apr 2026. Source: data.police.uk (England & Wales).*

## Schools nearby

*Nearest open schools with Ofsted ratings (England). Closed schools are not shown.*

| Name | Type | Distance | Ofsted |
|------|------|----------|--------|
| Hockliffe Lower School | Primary | 0.3 miles | Outstanding — 16 Jun 2010 |
| Stanbridge Lower School | Primary | 1.5 miles | Good — 17 Nov 2022 |
| Toddington St George Church of England School | Primary | 2.4 miles | Good — 12 Jan 2023 |
| Beaudesert Lower School | Primary | 2.4 miles | Good — 5 Feb 2015 |
| Parkfields Middle School | Primary | 2.5 miles | Good — 19 Jun 2024 |

## FENSA Certificates

This property has 2 FENSA certificate(s) on record.

### FENSA Certificate #889290
- **Address:** 32 Birchs Close, Hockliffe, LU7 9LU
- **Certificate Issued:** 08/08/2003
- **Work Completed:** 01/04/2003
- **Items:** 5 window(s), 2 door(s)

### FENSA Certificate #612953
- **Address:** 32 Birchs Close, Hockliffe, LU7 9LU
- **Certificate Issued:** 27/04/2003
- **Work Completed:** 27/02/2003
- **Items:** 3 window(s)