Downsizing in Hammersmith: What You Would Actually Release
Selling at the £900,000 Hammersmith average and buying at £630,000 releases about £232,300 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £37,700 of it.
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to. There is no obligation.
Selling at the £900,000 Hammersmith average and buying at £630,000 releases about £232,300 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £37,700 of it.
Running the downsizing numbers in Hammersmith
Start with the gap. Selling at £900,000 and buying at 70% of that, £630,000, leaves £270,000 before costs. Costs are the part people underestimate.
Agent fees at 1.5% are £13,500. Stamp duty on the purchase is £21,500. Total £37,700, leaving £232,300 in hand.
Where the sale proceeds go
The commercial page for this town sets out the introduction itself: Equity release in Hammersmith.
Two routes to the same cash, priced
A lifetime mortgage at 65 on the same property would release about £306,000. Downsizing nets £232,300. The difference is that downsizing costs you the house, and equity release costs you the estate.
Over twenty years that £306,000 release grows to roughly £1,078,235. The downsizing figure does not grow at all, because there is no debt.
The parts of downsizing that are not financial
Council tax follows the property, not the person. Band D in Hammersmith is £1,520, and a smaller home may sit in a lower band. Check the band before you offer, not after.
Downsizing works best when you are not in a hurry.
What a move within Hammersmith looks like
The schools families ask about here are Brackenbury Primary School, Larmenier & Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Kenmont Primary School, St Paul's Girls' School and Godolphin & Latymer School. 3 local schools were rated Good or Outstanding overall at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection. Ratings age between inspections, so read the latest report before you rely on one.
On getting about: Hammersmith to South Kensington takes about 10 min.
By price, Hammersmith ranks 47 of the 320 London locations we cover, at £900,000 against a county average of £732,469. Band D council tax here is £1,520, against an average of £2,121 across the towns we cover in the county.
Is Hammersmith right to stay in?
Hammersmith is a bustling, well-connected inner-west-London district on the Thames.
The full local guide covers schools, transport and the market in detail: Hammersmith property and area guide.
Moving within London rather than out of it keeps you near family and known services. The average price across the county towns we cover is £732,469, against £900,000 here.
- A bustling, superbly connected riverside district
- Two Tube stations across four lines
- World-class culture (the Apollo, the Lyric, Riverside Studios)
- Famous independent & good state schools
- One of the lowest council-tax bills in the country
- A busy, urban district at premium London prices
- Heavy traffic and noise on the A4 flyover and gyratory
- Hammersmith Bridge closed to motor traffic
- Competitive for state-school places
- Flats and riverside schemes need lease checks
| Who it suits | Out of five | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Professionals | ★★★★★ | Two Underground stations across four lines (District, Piccadilly, Hammersmith & City and Circle) straight into the West End, the City, South Kensington and Heathrow, plus the Eventim Apollo, the Lyric and the riverside, a lively, superbly connected base for working Londoners. |
| Property developers & investors | ★★★★★ | Strong, liquid rental demand from professionals and students, excellent transport, major regeneration nearby and one of the lowest council-tax bills in the country make Hammersmith a resilient investment market, subject to lease and yield checks. |
| International buyers | ★★★★☆ | A central, well-connected, culturally rich district with famous schools and Heathrow on the Piccadilly line, a long-standing draw for international buyers, if at premium prices. |
| Families | ★★★★☆ | Famous independent schools (St Paul's Girls', Godolphin & Latymer, Upper) and Good and Outstanding state primaries, plus Brook Green, Ravenscourt Park and the riverside, strong for families, though it is a busy urban district. |
| First-time buyers | ★★★☆☆ | Purpose-built and period flats (often around £500,000 to £700,000) offer a way into a superbly connected district with famously low council tax, but house prices are firmly at premium London levels. |
Hammersmith is known locally for The Eventim Apollo. The Eventim Apollo, the art-deco former Hammersmith Odeon, one of London's most famous music and comedy venues and the district's defining landmark.
Practical detail for Hammersmith: the W6 postcode district, two Underground stations, District & Piccadilly lines, plus a separate Hammersmith & City & Circle line station (Zone 2); one of London's biggest bus stations and nearest A and E is Charing Cross Hospital, in Hammersmith (Fulham Palace Road), verify with NHS.
Hammersmith has history behind the price. In Medieval, A riverside village of market gardens, malthouses and grand houses on the tidal Thames, with the Mall as its heart.
Hammersmith at a glance
| Downsizing line | Hammersmith figure |
|---|---|
| Sale price, local average | £900,000 |
| Purchase at 70% of value | £630,000 |
| Estate agent at 1.5% | £13,500 |
| Stamp duty on purchase | £21,500 |
| Legal and moving | £2,700 |
| Total costs | £37,700 |
| Net released | £232,300 |
| Lifetime mortgage alternative at 65 | £306,000 |
Figures are local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own numbers before acting on them.
Ask about Hammersmith
Three details is all we need. You are told before anything is passed to a partner firm.
Your checklist
- A real valuation of your home, not the £900,000 average
- The council tax band of the property you are buying
- Total moving costs of about £37,700
- The equity release comparison, in writing, before you decide
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to. There is no obligation.
Check broadband before you make an offer in Hammersmith
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Hammersmith, so check the exact address before you commit. Ofcom's free checker shows which broadband speeds and mobile coverage are available at any UK property.
We can introduce you to a specialist who can combine your mobile, broadband and utilities into one bill. There's no fee for the introduction.
We don't provide these services ourselves. Switching household bills is not a regulated financial service, so FCA protections and the Financial Ombudsman do not apply. We'll only pass your details to the specialist if you ask us to. See our privacy notice.
Questions people ask
How much would I release by downsizing in Hammersmith?
Is downsizing better than equity release?
What are the costs of moving?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Hammersmith?
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