A BOOM in Swindon property prices is forecast for the next five years, with buyers set to descend on the town in a rush to get in before mark-ups soar.

New figures released this week rank Swindon in the top five areas set for the biggest jump in prices in the coming years.

Property website Rightmove and economic forecaster Oxford Economics joined forces to calculate a 40 per cent leap in prices for properties in Swindon on the market in 2019.

By comparison, the national average price rise will be 30 per cent, with London looking at a 33 per cent push.

Estate agents from the Swindon area are sceptical on the seller-friendly figures, but expect rises of some kind.

Ross Sutton, director at Richard James, said: “The figures announced do conflict with other reports talking about the market.

“Next year, with the election, it is expected house prices will level off to some degree.

“These figures are brilliant if you’re a seller, but this might not be sustainable growth.

“The houses may well go out of a normal buyer’s reach.”

Robert Skerton, director at Henry George, said: “We have all had people predicting these things before.

“I should e-mail them and ask for the lottery numbers. I’m not sure they will go up by that much.

“I take all these predictions with a little bit of a pinch of salt. I have seen people try to predict the property curve and come a cropper.”

Rightmove said its forecast is the most comprehensive house price prediction of its kind ever created, based on property and economic data rather than opinion and short-term market factors.

It takes into account both asking and sold prices, surveyor valuations and analytics from Oxford Economics’s global, industry and regional forecasting models.

The majority of fastest performing areas are all within easy commuting distance of London.

Towns such as Southampton, Luton and Brighton, with the home counties and outer boroughs are set to benefit from the ripple effect of a year of strongly rising prices in London.

Mr Sutton and Mr Skerton both agree Swindon’s strong transport links with the capital, and existing low housing prices will contribute to any significant jump in property rates.

“We sell a lot of houses in Wroughton from our office in the village,” said Mr Sutton.

“There are a lot of people moving from Newbury, Reading and Surrey because it’s a much better value for money area.

“And you can still make it to London in an hour.”

Mr Skerton said: “On my journey from Bournemouth to London, it takes two hours and at the halfway point is Winchester, where prices are 30 or 40 per cent higher than Swindon’s.

“If you want to be close to the capital, where you can buy a property for £130,000 within an hour, I don’t think there is anywhere.

“I’m surprised that since 2008 prices haven’t gone up more. Swindon is undervalued.”