Formby is one of the most affluent areas of Merseyside and boasts Shireburn Road, the most expensive road in the whole county, amongst its offerings. Buying a property here means you will be rubbing shoulders with some of the area’s premiership footballers. But what else is on offer for residents in Formby than just expensive postcodes and sports stars?

Average Formby house prices

BUY: 1-2 bed apartments – £80,000 to £155,000
3 bed houses – £155,000 – £485, 000
4-6 bed houses – £225,000 – £2.675 million

RENT: 1-2 bed apartments – £350 PCM – £1,100 PCM
3 bed houses – £695 PCM – £950 PCM
4-6 bed houses – £850 PCM – £6000 PCM

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Who lives in Formby?

Formby is largely a residential area, with leafy suburbs and National Trust areas being the norm. The quiet nature of Formby Village is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Liverpool city centre making it more suited to older people looking to retire, than young professionals who are not ready to settle yet. The village has a close-knit community feel so if you like knowing who your neighbours are, this is the place for you. With higher prices of property in Formby may be an unlikely area for younger house hunters to find themselves looking, especially as one and two bed apartments are few and far between.

However, it’s a very popular place for families to settle, with seven primary schools to choose from in the area including Freshfield Primary School, and two high performing secondary schools; Formby High School and Range High School.

Living & working in Formby

Formby is in a good location for those looking for those looking to live an easy commute away from cities in the region. It is half an hour’s drive to Liverpool city centre and just over an hour’s drive to Manchester.

Many of Formby’s residents work in Liverpool and regular trains are just over 30 minutes from both Formby and Freshfield stations, to Liverpool Central via Merseyrail. Therefore, commuting wouldn’t be too difficult for those wanting to switch living in the city for somewhere quieter and greener but still easily accessible.

Formby is also close to Southport, the seaside town is just 18 minutes away by train which widens the opportunity for work and leisure in the area.

Amenities in Formby

Leafy Formby Village has plenty of restaurants, bars and shops, with a mix of national chains such as New Look and independent stores to keep residents occupied in the area. A Waitrose supermarket is also based at the heart of the village, and a Tesco Superstore also serves the area away from the main retail area.

If you enjoy spending time outside then Formby has much to offer in this regard. The award-winning beach and coastline has beautiful sand dunes and pre-historic footprints, perfect for long walks. In addition, the National Trust nature reserve in the area looks after the rare red squirrels and natterjack toads that populate Formby and for those interested in nature, this is a big pull factor.

Other leisure attractions include the famous Formby Golf Club and Course and the independent Formby Ladies Golf Club set amongst coastal sand dunes, as well as Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa, making the area attractive to any keen golfer. In addition, Formby Pool Trust operates a successful leisure centre, featuring a gym, swimming pool and café.

Prime properties

Future development in Formby is minimal but there are lots of different properties available in the village and surrounding areas to suit different buyers’ needs. Buying is the norm in Formby over renting, as properties available for sale are more widely available.
Many of the one and two-bedroom apartments on offer are within retirement developments, with notable sites including Hilary Court and Three Tuns Lane.

In terms of houses, there is a gluttony of three-bedroom properties offering a perfect home for families, and large houses complete with six and seven bedrooms and whopping big price tags. Twentieth Century semi-detached and detached houses are mainly available, with some beautiful arts and crafts style 1920s homes on offer amongst the mix of more modern offerings.

What the residents say…

Adam & Iwan

We’ve both lived in Formby with our families for our whole lives. Formby is a bit of a bubble, everyone knows everyone because you socialise with the same people by going to the pub and things. It needs a skate park though, one was supposed to be built a few years ago and then it never happened, so that would be good.

Liz

I’ve just moved back to Formby, I was brought up here and have come back after living in London. I live in a flat with my husband and children. It’s a very safe place to live which I like, and the village and the pinewoods areas are both lovely.

Raymond

Formby has been my home for the past 40 years and I live in a semi-detached house. Formby has changed a lot to what it used to be, it’s grown obviously now and maintained some of its charm. The swimming pool has made a difference to the town too.

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