to wonder if there are ANY houses for sale within commuting distance of London for a reasonable price?!

[MrsMcgee]

Someone come and help us find somewhere to live!
We are currently in Oxford which is 2 hours each way, my poor DH certainly cant do it long term and we want to move closer in.

The trouble is, everywhere within what is a reasonable commuting time and a nice area is about half a million for your average family home!

We are currently looking at Chelmsford, Ashford (kent) and are starting to think about Reading. We would love other suggestions of places we have missed!

We have a budget of about 325,000 and want a 4 bed ideally. Somewhere with fairly good schools and a few ducks to feed :o the closer the better. Am I a bit pie in the sky?!

given for best suggestion! :o

[edam]

Essex, possibly? (There are nice parts...)

[edam]

Also depends where in London your dh works - look at his nearest mainline station and check the route.

[JacksonPollocks]

You could buy IN east London for about that. For even 100k less...

Bet not the type you're looking for though.

[gateacre1]

what about bromley ?
good schools and nice houses

[LisaD1]

We're just outside of Woking, DH commutes to London daily and the train from Woking takes around 25mins.

We live in a 3 bed house with small garden and think it's valued at around £250k, we're looking to move into a 4 bed early next year with a slightly higher budget of £350-£375k. I think £325k is do-able but you may not get the dream house.

We have ducks to feed around a 10min walk away, there are lots of country walks to be had and not far to drive to get to them. We have good schools and not so good, same as everywhere. We live in a very quiet cul-de-sac and love it here.

[EggyAllenPoe]

Doncaster is in commuting distance.:)

why not get a mainline map and look at close stations?

off the top of my head -

Sevenoak, Maidstone...Horsham, Reading (ony 20mins and i believe still has Grammar schools).. depends where in London you commute to as so much time can be taken at the London end doing an extra tube/bus/walk

[TrillianAstra]

Reading just the title I think it rather depends on what you think is a reasonable price.

325k for 4 bedrooms somewhere commutable from London and nice? You're looking for cheap rather than reasonable I think.

[shakey1500]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30822388.html

Nice kitchen :)

[TrillianAstra]

EggyAllenPoe has a very good point - you can save or lose up to about 45 minutes each way by commuting into the right or wrong side of London.

[MadameCastafiore]

what about this - Coggeshall is really lovely.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30698939.html

[EggyAllenPoe]

well, my Dad commuted for 15 years from here, and £325k will buy you a very nice house indeed. But our catchment is rubbish, though only 1hr20 on the train to Victoria....

[Gastonladybird]

I would think sevenoaks would be a stretch on that budget but Bromley and area a good idea - am pretty sure you can do either Victoria or London bridge depending on where you are which makes for easy commute and does have parks/ schools etc

[AKMD]

Try Luton ;)

[Dozer]

Critical thing is where in london you are or may be working, can then look at mainline stations and work out where's commutable, ideally without the tube.

[supadupapupascupa]

you can be in KX in about 1.5hrs from Lincoln. Very cheap compared to further south, and fab city.

[etyksm]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-29466811.html

Springfield, Chelmsford, round the corner from my Grandparents, not sure what schools are like tho!

[Vicky2011]

Fleet & Church Crookham in Hants - comfortably less than an hour into Waterloo, £325K will get 4 beds in a decent area. Good schools too! Lots of lovely walks around.

[EggyAllenPoe]

so, which train station is the aim?

[Pfriend]

Bishops Stortford in Hertfordshire. Very good schools and fast trains (approx 30 mins) to London Liverpool Street.

[EggyAllenPoe]

Reading

plenty of ducks to feed, and near the train.

[MsGee]

North Herts - letchworth, hitchin, baldock

[EggyAllenPoe]

even more ducks in Sevenoaks

[EggyAllenPoe]

can you hear those ducks?
Maidstone

[EggyAllenPoe]

ok i don't know where you could find ducks, maybe buy your own with the change from your £325k?

Redhill

[nbee84]

St Albans has excellent schools but is on the pricey side - however your budget would get you a 4 bed in London Colney which is edge of St Albans.

London Colney

I moved from St Albans to Hatfield as you get more house for your money. The primary schools are good, secondary not so good though they have Bishops Hatfield for girls and boys are catchment for Verulam School in St Albans. The train line from Hatfield is good - I think better than St Albans if you need to get the tube. Both lines go into Kings Cross and it is a good walk to the tubes from there, with Hatfield you can get off at Finsbury Park and you are straight down the stairs to both the Piccadily Line and the Victoria Line.

Hatfield Hatfield Garden Village is particularly nice