The house is 12 miles south of Oxford, population 155,000, an ancient city known for top universities and schools, cultural offerings and a burgeoning tech community. Located in Oxfordshire county, the house is also three miles from Wallingford, a historic market town with restaurants, shops and recreational facilities. London, 60 miles away, is commutable by road and train. The train from Oxford to London Heathrow International Airport takes an hour and 42 minutes.

Market Overview

The market is split between Oxford City and the Oxfordshire country market and the Cotswolds. “Both markets have performed better than last year when comparing month-by-month figures,” Mr. Lochrane said. The number of new buyers is up. Market activity “was particularly strong over the summer,” translating into “some excellent transactions in August which is normally considered a quiet month.”

For the last two years, the market suffered “from a bout of nerves” with buyers concerned about Brexit, said William Kirkland, the office head for Knight Frank’s Oxford market. Worries included how the “economy would fare post-Brexit and how that would impact currency and mortgages,” and whether interest rates would be “pushed up and therefore houses come down,” Mr. Kirkland said. England is expected to leave the European Union on Oct. 30.

This year, “the practicalities of house-buying and the practical need of our buyers has overtaken their financial outlook,” he added. The market has been “much busier” with “buyers coming into the market “because life goes on.” The most active sector is from about $615,000 to $2.47 million (500,000 to 2 million pounds). Above 2 million pounds, buyers are more cautious because of hefty stamp duties, Mr. Kirkland said.

According to a report by Savills, for the first time in more than two years, despite ongoing “price sensitivity,” prices rose in London’s prime “outer commuter zone,” including Oxford in the 30-to-60 minute train ride group.