ideas of where to live near London

[sheffmummy]

DH has just got a new job meaning we need to relocate.
We'd prefer to live outside London (assuming it will be a little cheaper!) We'd also prefer to live north of London rather than south as it will be easier for visiting family. We thought about an hours commute to work is manageable. He will be based right next to Vauxhall so probably kings cross/ marylebone best. We just have one ds (nearly 2) so we'd like somewhere family friendly with good schools. Anyone any ideas? Thanks

[lulurose]

We live in Enfield town (north side), ticks all your boxes and takes us 2 hours to get up to Derby to see my family.

Well connected to both Liverpool St, Moorgate and Kings Cross (all about 30mins)

3 bedroom Victorian terrace about £285 as a guide, near good schools and parks.

If you were going further out perhaps Hertford Town or Ware?

Good luck

[MuffinMclay]

Hitchin? Trains to King's Cross.

[sheffmummy]

thanks, I'll have a look at those places. What is welwyn garden city like? Have heard very mixed ideas

[CantSleepWontSleep]

I'd second Hitchin.

WGC a bit soulless and lacking in any sort of adult entertainment, but decent for shopping.

[MegBusset]

I live in Enfield too, it's lovely and has park, shops, pubs, restaurants, a decent selection of state primaries and lots going on for families. You want to stay on the west side of the A10, though.

The transport is very good, fast trains into town and easy access to M25. It is a bit of an undiscovered area so prices are (relatively) affordable. What's your budget?

[theirmum]

Have you thought of going a tad further out into Bedfordshire Leighton Buzzard is nice its 35-45 minutes to Euston and you can get a nice 4 bed house for £320,000

[taipo]

St Albans is nice. It has a fast train link into London, lots of young families live there and schools are good. Don't think it's cheaper than living in London though.

[Kewcumber]

If he's going to be right next to Vauxhall why not choose somewhere that has a line stops at Vauxhall - then you can live in London suburbs and DH will have a shorter commute? If you live west not that difficult to go north (either M25 or north circular which is much improved in recent years).

Crossing London from Kingscross to Vauxhall will add at least 20 mins - so you need a journey which takes 40 mins including drive to station.

How much do you have to spend?

[Walkthedinosaur]

Harrow, Stanmore etc are all nice.

[Lapsedrunner]

Agree with Kewcumber, you need to be on a line that stops at Vauxhall (all lines into Waterloo). For example the Windsor & Eton Riverside line goes to Vauxhall, as Windsor is the end of the line you virtually get your own personal carriage every morning.

[Lapsedrunner]

...but no cheaper than London....

[Kewcumber]

and how often are you going to go north - think carefully about subjecting your DH to a hours longer commute each day than he needs in exchange for a once a month saving of an hour in time going up north.

[Kewcumber]

£275,000 waling distance to syon lane station whcih goes into Vauxhall

Why not sell and rent for a while - you'll be a good buyer with no chain. You can also try and area before you buy.

[sheffmummy]

Thanks for all your ideas, kewcumber you make a very good point! I'll have a look to the west too. I know one or two people who live just north of london and psychologically would feel a little better knowing a few people but realistically I probably wouldnt see them that much!
Renting would be a sensible plan but I dont know whether I can face moving twice in a short space of time, but probably a good idea with current housing market!!

[mumblechum]

Windsor and Eton are both q. nice. Harrow's horrid. v.v. built up.

[mumblechum]

Would second Kew's advice to rent & try before you buy.

[theirmum]

I think Renting for a short time is your best bet at least that way you can move if the journey into your DH is a pain or you dont like the area without having to sell again! I would also say once your in an area you may find it easier to find somewhere you like Have you thought of somewhere like Dorking its 45 mins straight into Vauxhall very good schools, 10 minutes from the M25, really nice for kids and 5 minutes from the country! and you can get quite a nice house for around £300,000 I grow up in Dorking and have a 5 year plan to get back there so my kids can grow up there too!

[theirmum]

umm ok not the journey into your DH your DHs journey into work!

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Here's one you might like in Hitchin. Just gives you an idea of what's available. It's a very child friendly town - masses of toddler groups around, and some good schools.

[sheffmummy]

Thanks cantsleepwontsleep, Hitchin looks like a lovely place...we're definitely more of a market town family than a big city one!

[elkiedee]

But Vauxhall and Kings Cross are both on the Victoria line on the tube, so you don't need to rule out North London/Hertfordshire entirely.

There are very easy changes to the Victoria line from the Piccadilly line at Finsbury Park and from one of the train lines out into North London/Hertfordshire at Highbury & Islington. Other commuter lines from north and north east of London connect with the tube at Tottenham Hale, Seven Sisters or Finsbury Park although there are stairs involved so an extra few minutes on the journey - in the first two cases, the platforms are next to each other.

I'm not dismissing south London but Vauxhall is actually quite easy to get to from a wide range of places.

[Kewcumber]

don't need to rule anywhere out. My point is that why wouldn;t you considerthe placs easy to commute into Vauxhall before the more indirect ones. As a long temr the commuter I know the fewer trian and tube lines to have to rely on the less time you spend getting hours to work, getting frustrated etc. A friend of mine commuted form Brighton - everyone said "oh piece of piss such a good trian serivce" well she told me a good day is when all trains and tubes have no delays then it takes you 1hr 10 mins (in her case) at least once a week it was taking her 90 mins and probably once a month up to 2hrs. She moved back into London.

I live in the suburbs - if I can't get the tube line then I get a bus to a train and get in a different way - other colleagues are stuffed as they live further out and only have one way in and end up either taking a days holiday or working later the rest of the week.

[luvaduck]

I used to live in Vauxhall and it is V v well connected so easy to commute anywhere and teh victoria line is dead quick.
having said that i personally think the south west suburbs of london are the nicest, v green, lots open spaces etc. and close to M4 and M3 for getting out

how about kingston, virginia water, teddington???
all on rail link to vauxhall
heres the map with rail connections

here

otherwise suburbs in SW are lovely - bit more pricey - chiswick, kew, barnes, putney, richmond etc
st margarets

[Kewcumber]

Me too luvaduk (love SW London) but obviously I'm biased.

There are cheaper places in SW London - parts of teddington and Strawberry hill are nice and not as expensive as Kew/barnes Rchmond