Relocating from up north-where to start

[girlinthefield]

Oh has been offered a job in CW. We have next to no London knowledge at all. For the first 6 months it’s likely he will work down there mon-fri to get a feel for the job, new company and what sort of hours he will be doing on a daily basis etc. We would then look to make a decision on whether to move. I would like to be within a 30-40 minute commute as I know oh may have to work long days. We would rent at first until we have enough equity in our house up north to sell and raise a London sized deposit. We have an almost 4 year old who will start school in September 2019. What would be the best areas to look at to live in?

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Will you be renting your place up north.

I don't understand why you are waiting to move. If you are going to rent anyway. Your dh will be spending money on rent/hotel/Airbnb for 6 months so why not do the move sooner. Not necessarily straight away but within a month or 2.

How quickly is your equity building up in your house up north compared to the amount of rent you will be paying long term and the amount London prices build up.

I know it is in the news that London prices are falling but not everywhere is this happening because of the lack of property for sale there are more buyers than sellers

[girlinthefield]

I guess we are waiting because having never worked in London before we assume it’s going to be extremely full on and I know that pace of life and that work/life balance isn’t for everyone. I don’t want to move our daughter to then move us back so I think oh would like to see how the job goes first.


My intention would be to rent our place out up here to build equity up and hopefully make some overpayments/save some money in the months that oh is working down there during the week as he will be put up at the company’s expense so he won’t have rent to pay down there at first.

[LIZS]

You will need to have a local address to apply for schools by mid January. Much will depend on your budget. CW is relatively easy to access, maybe Greenwich if you are happy to be urban and have ££££ to spend or stations on lines into London Bridge from the suburbs in SE London.

[girlinthefield]

@LIZS that’s our biggest dilemma at the moment. We need to apply for school up here if we are staying up here or down there if we are moving. It’s really tough as we don’t want to uproot to find it’s just not for us as we would then struggle to get her back into school up here as the competition for the best schools in our town is bloody fierce x

[LIZS]

It will be no less competitive in London. Can you not go down on an extended visit a few weeks in?

[girlinthefield]

I like the look of Greenwich but we are quite a way off having enough equity to buy a place down there. Another suggestion was to consider Kent and then commute in but I’m not sold on that idea. If we are leaving friends and family behind up north I would like to live somewhere where there is quite a bit going on so it doesn’t feel too lonely. London is really well connected to the north so we can get back home easily by train or even fly into Leeds airport but Kent is a heck of a slog by car and the drive is unpleasant.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

What about just into Hertfordshire along the Thameslink.
Might be less of a cultural shock and choice of really good schools.
Elstree and Borehamwood, Radlett, St Albans. Or Stanmore along the Jubilee line.

Also very accessible to the M1

[ferrier]

Depends which part of Kent you're in. Some parts are exceptionally fast into London Bridge (20-30 mins) and are not isolated at all!

If you want Canary Wharf then the SE side is the best side to be unless you can afford/choose to live very close by.

The drive to the north is unpleasant from all parts of London!

[eurochick]

The areas around forest hill and honor oak are pretty family friendly and an easy commute to CW.

[flumpybear]

Definitely Kent - I'd chose somewhere like Chuslehurst, Petts Wood, Hayes, Shortlands, but not sure about the route you'd travel

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Elstree and Borehamwood to Canary wharf 48mins

Stanmore to Canary Wharf 46 mins and you can save 10 minutes if when you get into Wembley you run across the platform and get on the metropolitan line you can overtake at least 2 trains then disembark at Finchley Road run across the platform back on to the Jubilee line

Also you are at Junction 5 of the M1

Under 3 hours to Leeds

[girlinthefield]

Thanks all that’s really helpful!

[PettsWoodParadise]

Lewisham is up and coming and on the DLR into Canary Wharf. If you want greener and leafier with good primary schools then Petts Wood (trains to Lewisham or London Bridge to change for CW) is Oystercard zone five and a great place to bring up a family.

People call it Kent but it is technically London, being in the London Borough of Bromley so kids benefit from the free travel when they are older.

If your OH changed jobs but in London it is also a great location to get to other parts of London with direct trains to Victoria, Charing Cross, Cannon St, City Thameslink.