Homes in commuter towns – in pictures

This late-Victorian terrace with a 22ft lounge and 27ft eat-in kitchen, just over a mile from Kettering station is on the market for only £169,995. That would leave you £470,000 better off compared with a similar home in zone 2 London areas such as East Dulwich. All three bedrooms are doubles, and the garden is south-facing, too. The downside? The annual season ticket into London is a hefty £7,200.
Chris George The Estate Agent Photograph: chrisgeorgetheestateagent.co.uk

In Peterborough the generous garden and sun room that come with this home will appeal to buyers escaping the city as much as the £170,000 price tag. It may front on to a dull cul-de-sac of 1930s semis, but focus instead on the light and spacious interior - it has three bedrooms and plenty of room to expand.
Haart Photograph: Haart

Start your day with a brisk walk to Luton station and you should be able to afford a coffee and a copy of the Guardian for your journey into London. This solid-looking semi within a mile of the station offers two reception rooms and three bedrooms. A season ticket to London costs less than £5,000, and it's handy for the airport, which may or may not be seen as a good thing.
Connells Photograph: Connells

Wellingborough is 50 minutes on the train from King's Cross and has an average house price of £150,046. For £25,000 less you can buy this four-bedroom terrace less than half a mile from the station. The garden looks pretty, but you may want to put your own stamp on the interior.
William H Brown Photograph: William H Brown

In truth, a £180,000 budget won't realistically stretch to more than a two-bed house in Basildon, beloved of psephologists in search of the archetypal floating voter. The kitchen in this two-bed semi will strike some as cramped, but there's a separate dining area, decent garden, and two parking spaces. With train journey times as fast as 25 minutes into London, and the season ticket £3,748, the only way is Basildon.
Haart Photograph: Haart