Surma properties Estate & Letting Agents in Brighton
Opening Hours
Monday – Friday: 9am – 5.30pm
Saturday: 9am – 5pm
Sunday: Closed
About John Hilton Estate & Letting Agents in Brighton
Our History – John Hilton Estate Agents was founded in 1972. The business was bought by Edward Skinner the then manager in 1988 and steered through the difficult recession of the early nineties when repossessions and high interest rates were rife and many independent agents ceased to trade. In the early times during the 70’s John Hilton’s were seen as being quite radical as being the first agent in Brighton to extend their opening times to Saturday’s which was frowned upon by many other local agents!
From the early nineties to somewhere around the mid noughties, Edward used humour and quirky advertising
to differentiate John Hiltons from it’s competitors which received a bit of a following at the time in the Evening Argus Property News! The 2008 Credit Crunch was a challenging time for the property market and so John Hiltons diversified into lettings and employed Jo-Ann to build up the lettings arm of the business. We now manage a significant number of properties from studio flats to large student houses across Brighton and Hove.
In 2013/2014 Edward decided to reward Marius’ loyalty and dedication to the business by making him a partner in the business. Edward has taken a back seat after many years of dedication to the business and Marius has taken over the reins. The business has continued to grow from strength to strength during this chapter so far.
About Brighton
Brighton is heaped in history and started life as an ancient fishing village. It was made a fashionable resort in the 18th and 19th centuries where Prince Regent built his seaside palace the iconic Royal Pavilion. It’s popularity further grew after the emergence of the Brighton railway in the 19th century which made Brighton a popular destination for day trippers from London.
Brighton as a town continued to grow in the 20th century to accommodate the mass tourism and stimulated numerous businesses to serve it’s visitors. Pre and Post war saw a significant increase of social and
private housing further expanding Brighton’s population. An important development was the founding of Sussex University in 1961 which has acquired a strong academic reputation, and also a certain reputation for radicalism and of course its vibrant cultural scene. Brighton remains a popular choice for students and the number of enrolments are increasing year on year.
In October 2004 Brighton and Hove was granted city status and in 2021 the Office for National Statistics estimated a population of 276,300 residents. Brighton and Hove remains a very popular tourist destination attracting over 8 million visitors each year with lots to see such as the Brighton Pier, the Royal Pavilion, Brighton Marina and the famous Lanes to name a few. With its diverse cosmopolitan vibe it is no wonder Brighton and Hove is such a popular destination, not only for tourists, but also for people looking to move to the city to live.
We constantly receive a large number of enquiries from people looking to move to the area from all over the country and especially from London. With strong transport links and direct trains into London Victoria (49mins) and London Bridge (60mins) Brighton is often labelled as “London By The Sea”. Brighton and Hove is also home to both Sussex University and Brighton University. There are good transport links from campus into town by train and 24 hours buses pass through Lewes Road which make the “Lewes Road Corridor” from Kemp Town to Coldean a popular location for investor landlords to acquire properties and a popular location for students to live.
About the Deans
Our newest Office opened in Rottingdean High Street in January 2022 to serve Rottingdean, Ovingdean, Saltdean, Woodingdean, Peacehaven and the surrounding areas and has both Sales and Lettings Departments and in its first year we are pleased to announce we are going from strength to strength.
Many of our dedicated work colleagues live very happily in one of the ‘Deans’ so this is an area we love and know well. If you love the Sea and the Countryside of The Downs and surrounding farmland but want easy access to a City then this is the place for you. This area is surrounded by The Downs where lovely walks are abundant and has the sea in easy reach with lovely quieter beaches than in its neighbour Brighton.
The whole area is full of history and interesting independent shops, restaurants and cafes. The oldest house in the area is found in Rottingdean and is now known as The Black Horse pub which was initially built in the time of Henry VIII. Smuggling stories in this area are rife with many tunnels that used to lead down to the beach, still in existence in houses to this day. The church in Ovingdean, St Wulfran’s was mentioned in the Doomsday Book and many famous people are buried in the churchyard there including members of the Kemp/Kempe families and also the first woman Barrister Helena Normanton. There is a yew tree in the grounds reputed to be over 1000 years old.
The famous Saltdean Lido built in 1937 is an Art Deco Grade II* listed building which was saved after an extensive campaign by local residents. Many famous people have or do live in this area including Rudyard Kipling to name but one.
The area is well served by good schools including Roedean which is a world famous girls day or boarding school, Our Lady of Lourdes and Longhill School and this area is within easy reach of Brighton College. Brighton City Centre is a short bus ride or car journey away and has Brighton Railway Station, with its direct link to London and surrounding areas. The area is semi rural on the whole but with plenty of amenities and eateries in close proximity. These residential areas are very popular with people who want a bit more peace and quiet than the hustle and bustle of a busy cosmopolitan city.
