Buying in London: the top 20 cheapest postcodes in travel Zones 5 and 6

Developers’ main focus is switching from Zones 1 and 2 to Zones 3 to 6, where they can build homes at prices more people can afford.

By opting for an area a little further along a Tube line, you can get much more for your money and buy into a district where prices have yet to reach their full potential.

Zone 5 offers the cheapest properties in London on average, and for this reason alone it is worth exploring as price growth seems inevitable. “As stock is thin on the ground, open days have made a comeback across much of outer London," says Johnny Morris, head of research at Hamptons International.

Becontree in Zone 5 tops the list of best-value locations, having an average house price of £240,294 and an average commute time of 32 minutes to central London.

However, Zone 6 has more expensive homes — tending to be on the boundary between London and the "country" with numerous coveted locations, a more rural feel and beautiful scenery.