where can i find a multicultural area on the outskirts of london, with a low crime rate, good schools, friendly people and reasonably priced houses and good transport links!

[sunshineakindat]

hi. i have 4 boys and would love to live in an area on the outskirts of london which is multicultural and green. I have moved so many times and want to find an area that i'm happy with before the boys reach secondary school age. I love art and would love access to some nice galleries. my husband works in central london so would need easy access to oxford street. We are black british and being in a multicultural area is important to us. I have white friends as well as black and would love an area that has a nice mix of everyone! we can stretch to 250000 for a 4 bed house which i know isnt much in london! good schools are a must! thankyou for your help. I hope someone can help me.

[merryberry]

sounds like nirvana.
am waiting for ideas with baited breath.
maybe you could define 'outskirts' clearly - in terms of commute? distance?

[Lauriefairycake]

Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Chesham

all lovely, very mixed communities and 28 minutes from Euston

I live round the corner from a great secondary school

You will just get a 4 bed in one of the good areas

and it's very green - the Chilterns are beautiful

[MrsMattie]

I think you want something that doesn't exist, to be brutally honest. Good schools, a good ethnic mix, outskirts of London and with 4 bed houses for under £250k? Sorry, my love - nah! (If i am wrong, I will be very glad. And may end up as your neighbour! )

[MrsMattie]

A 4 bed in Hemel for £250k. Where??????

[babyonboardarocket]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hither_Green

This is my area and I love it, a huge mix of people and a really community spirit. very close to Blackheath too and 10 minutes by train to London Bridge.

[flowerybeanbag]

You might need to be further out than 'outskirts' to get that tbh. I did a search on property finder here for 4 bed properties under £250k, not many at all.

[lulabellarama]

Ealing? It's the end of the central line, so easy to get to Oxford Street. Greenest borough in London, and very multicultural.
House prices aren't cheap, but if you go for the less fashionable bits, like West Ealing or Hanwell, then there are better deals.

[pingping]

Hertfordshire, Letchworth, Stevenage, Hitchin.

20mins from kings cross by train.

[lulabellarama]

Oh I didn't see the £250k for a 4 bed bit.

In the politest possible way - you're having a laugh.

[Ewe]

I don't know of anywhere in or around London where you can get a 4 bed for 250k!

Interested to see what people come up with.

[pingping]

Croydon but I doubt you can get a house that cheap there unless you live on Thornton heath and that is not somewhere you would want to live bit dodgy

[pingping]

PMSL @ lulabellarama

[daftpunk]

just about to say croydon... (yes, some parts are pretty awful)

putney? nice but expensive.

[Ewe]

You won't even get a 4 bed in Croydon for that.

[jette]

A 4 bed in putney for £250 000?!?!?!

[lulabellarama]

I only want a 3 bed, same budget, but I can't find that anywhere remotely nice in London.

[daftpunk]

sorry just read the op again.....didn't see the £250,000

yep..forget putney... (and croydon)

[Ewe]

Oh no, tell a lie, you can get one in Croydon.

Here.

Requires a bit of modernising though!

[Lauriefairycake]

www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-22439480.rsp?pa_n=3&tr_t=buy&mam_disp=true

www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-18567184.rsp?pa_n=3&tr_t=buy&mam_disp=true

www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-10959405.rsp?pa_n=4&tr_t=buy&mam_disp=true

three four-bed houses in Hemel - but these are all under 250 - you want to be looking up to 275 at the moment cos prices are falling

[Lauriefairycake]

www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-21483638.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy&mam_disp=true

one in a nice road in Chesham

[Ewe]

lulabellarama & OP

Here is a nice 3 bed near me this link.

You can get a 3 bed in the current market around 250k. Epsom/Ewell is good for London, 35 mins to Waterloo/Victoria. Lot's of green spaces and good for kids!

[pingping]

Shirley is really nice in Croydon thats a good price I am surprised that its that cheap.

[Ewe]

Is Hemel a shit hole or something? They are dirt cheap!

[silverfrog]

[Lauriefairycake]

it's one heck of a lot better than it was - tis very underrated in my opinion - I've lived all over and am a total snob and I like it here.

However, I wouldn't buy a 4 bed, I would buy a three bed in Boxmoor which I think is the nicest area in Hemel (it's all the location for me )

The last house of the three I posted in Hemel is in a nice road