Waterloo commute- where would you live?

[Latinatta]

Hello all,

Not sure if this is the right place for this but here goes! We currently live overseas but will be returning to the UK late next year. We used to live in London but are returning with a baby and hoping another won't be too many years away.

DH will be working in Battersea, so a train getting into Queenstown Road or nearby would work well.

We hope to get a mortgage for about £850K and would love to buy a house to see us through several kids, their (state) schooling, and many years working in London to pay off the house! So ideally a 4 bedroom with a garden, close-ish to a station so I can commute, near good schools, ideally more towards West London to be closer to family in the South West, but would prioritise getting the right house. Open to London/'burbs but would like somewhere with a good local feel.

On my (very random) list so far are:

Brockley (feasible but commute not great)
Wandsworth town (beyond our budget for what we want)
Windsor (long commute and also possibly too expensive)

Does anyone have any bright ideas? Keen to start researching areas sooner than later!

Thanks so much!

[zoemelb]

I'm working near Waterloo, and moving to Guildford (if things go well as we hope). Love the area every time we visited. Although Battersea isn'r that near Waterloo?

[Quartz2208]

Batteries and queens town road are Victoria commutes not Waterloo. Balham is nice, kingswood, cheam

[eurochick]

Have a look at the commutefrom website to get some idea of places.

[BewareOfTheToddler]

Queenstown Road is on the Waterloo line - Battersea Park is on the line to Victoria.

I have to confess, I've no idea about budgets in that part of London but I'd consider areas like Barnes, East Sheen, Teddington, Twickenham and Kingston, if I could afford them. I doubt £850k would go very far in the first two though!

[BewareOfTheToddler]

Definitely not Brockley though! You could look at places on lines that go into Victoria and change at Clapham Junction for Queenstown Road, but I'd avoid any other lines.

[JoJoSM2]

My neck of the woods is lovely. Sutton/Carshalton/Carshalton Beeches. It's zone 5 with trains to Battersea Park, also faster trains straight into Victoria, Blackfriars, the city and London Bridge at peak times. State schools are amongst the best in the country (selective and non-selective). It's also very safe and family-orientated. 850k would go very far 4-5 bed, possibly detached with a large garden and garage. Cheam, mentioned above, is also in the area. It's fab although a little more expensive and the trains are slower/fewer.

[Latinatta]

Thanks all- please keep ideas coming! JoJo will definitely look your area up- that's exactly the kind of place I would never know to loon for as haven't heard of it but sounds perfect! Thank you!

[thirtyplusone]

You want lines into Clapham Junction for Battersea.

Draw a line from Clapham through Kingston and there is your area. 850 won't get you much before Kingston but Claygate Surbiton could be a good place to look. Good luck!

[thirtyplusone]

Also try and make sure whichever station you get is on a 'fast' line. Some aren't. It's massively out of your budget but Barnes for instance, trains are awful and barely ever run on Sundays.

Avoid Putney way. Stay on the SW Fast line towards Kingston, Long Ditton.

[MummaTwinkleToes]

Hi another vote for Sutton, Cheam or even Worcester Park which is in a direct line to Clapham Junction and Waterloo.

[QueenStromba]

If you're willing to have a 10-15 minute walk to the station then Wimbledon is doable. It has the advantage that if the trains aren't running you can get the district line to Westminster or Embankment. You can get these within budget and there are more options if you're willing to get a bit further from the station.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-61002343.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48383391.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50589630.html

[Svalberg]

I wouldn't buy on Worple Rd as it's the main road joining Wimbledon & Raynes Park, but that's my dislike of main roads! The other two look as if they back onto the mainline railway for the 3rd and the tramlink for the 1st. Otherwise they're great looking houses. You'd get what you wanted in Morden/Raynes Park (by Cannon Hill Common or off Grand Drive) but as QueenStromba says, it's further away from the station (Raynes Park)

[E11Millie]

How about near me... 5 minute walk from a central line station in lovely area with parks and lakes at the end of the street but just 31 minutes to Waterloo (according to TFL and reality - do this journey often). Great local community with residents assocation organising loads of parties for kids and adults etc. - (Bushwood Area Residents Association). Neighbours are really friendly and know each other. Can get a lovely 4 bed house in the region of your 850K budget with proper garden. Loads of restaurants and cafes just five mins away on high street.

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/44529816?search_identifier=c30b6c30b1145cfc1d502de4b7a76a65

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Kent would work. Sevenoaks, Tonbridge etc. Trains stop at Waterloo east, a couple of minutes walk through an undercover walkway to Waterloo.

[SmellTheGlove]

North Kingston is great, though you may need to get a 3 bed and think about doing the loft in the future. You'll need to be careful with catchment areas which can be small, but 4 outstanding primaries in the area, and train to Queenstown road. Tone honest I'd start with the schools and work from there if you have young kids.

[WooWooChooChoo]

Epsom. It's such a lovely place to live. Great schools, lovely parks, the Common and Country Park. Very quick commute.

[Bellabelloo]

Haywards Heath. (Cuckfield and Lindfield are lovely villages). 30 mins into Clapham Junction. X

[MiddleClassProblem]

Twickenham but you'd have to be ok with the rugby day traffic and free concerts (hearing it from the stadium).

Also Teddington is lovely and not much of the same traffic problem.

[BellMcEnd]

How about Hayes or West Wickham in Kent? Great schools, lovely green parks. The Hayes train station goes direct to Waterloo East. It's zone 5.

[ChippyMinton]

Beware the Heathrow airport flight paths if looking west. Parts of Windsor are surprisingly affected.

[MiddleClassProblem]

Easy sheen and Barnes would be too pricy.

[SissySpacekAteMyHamster]

Surbiton. My DH drives to Battersea every day. He sets off early but it isn't a bad commute. Train is also a viable option, into Clapham junction and one stop from there to Queenstown Road.

850k could get you a decent 4 bed with large garden in berrylands. Probably a 3 bed in surbiton.

[MiddleClassProblem]

Oh yes, Surbiton. Basilico deliver there... (posh pizza priority)

[Chilver]

North Kingston definitely. River and Richmond Park on your doorstep but easy and frequent trains in to Queenstown Rd and Waterloo. Green and leafy but easily accessible to town and great amenities. Excellent schools (although catchment areas v. small) and good shopping (Richmond and/ or Kingston) and 24hr bus service from Richmond tube through to Kingston station for either option.

[SissySpacekAteMyHamster]

Oh we love Basilico