To think there is nowhere within commutable distance to London that I want to live?

Reigate, Oxted, Sanderstead, Caterham, Coulsdon. These are the type of places you want if South of London. 30/40 min commute into London, can pick up thameslink for easy access to Farringdon. Mixed demographics but many/most people sound like the Royals.

It took me so long to type my list of questions that OP has answered them as asked by other posters. Ignore this.

St Albans, harpenden, even some nice villages around Bedford, straight train to Farringdon.

I also commented on schools in certain areas and bedrooms you would be likely to get in St Albans which the OP also didn’t ask for explicit advice on either. 😆

It’s very simple that the OP hasn’t asked for this advice. She’s asked for advice on areas and literally says she wants to work locally.

The OP said any advice is helpful and clearly commutes are an important factor. If she wants to dismiss my comment fair enough. You could have ignored my innocuous comment too but as I said it seems to have triggered you.

Plus she doesn’t work locally yet.

Telegraph Hill and the surrounds are lovely, and bits should be in your budget. It’s where I would live if I could afford it! Easy trains to Farringdon and London Bridge depending on which station you go to, good schools, seems to be lots of community stuff going on there too. I’ve got friends there and love visiting them. I live not a million miles away, but in a decidedly less nice bit 😂

Hertford or St Albans both nice but v expensive

Not triggered at all.

It’s very simple that the OP hasn’t asked for this advice. She’s asked for advice on areas and literally says she wants to work locally.

More fool the poster who's so put off by estuary English. Essex/esturary snobbery is why there are some lovely areas here that are quite undervalued by London standards.

OP, I live in Gidea Park. 35 mins direct to Faringdon on the Elizabeth Line. Being in zone 6 means very frequent trains until late, excellent bus services and reasonable season ticket prices. We have great schools, lovely parks, loads of baby and toddler groups, extra curriculars, holiday clubs, lovely restaurants and cafes, a David Lloyd Club with outdoor pool. Romford just down the road when you want high street shops, cinema, ice skating, soft play. Central London a short train ride away. You can be in lovely countryside within a 10 minute drive or on the coast in about 40 minutes.

You'd get a lovely house in a leafy area for your budget.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150679139#/?channel=RES_BUY

Could you not live in london

The op is a teacher so I assumed flexi hours and remote working wasn’t an option.

@Loopytiles exactly

@Didimum wowsers, I didn’t mean to trigger you! Read my post again. All it said was “I would think about managing 2 commutes with a baby as well.”. I think it’s something to be mindful of, I never said the OP couldn’t manage it.

I maintained the commute when it was bad (4 days a week) and with 2 people doing it and 2 small DC at the time found it rough. I know lots who tried similar but only a few other couples who sustained it: (acquaintances) it was always the woman reducing hours, getting a much worse paid local job or SAH.

loads of options.

How many days you plan to be in London, standard office type hours, your tolerance for duration and number of stages of a commute, budget and housing preferences. whether you want to pay a housing premium to be near station and/or school(s).

rail prices vary massively for different lines

We went home counties, total commute 90 mins one way and no stages by car or tube (1 hour with car/parking costs to get to faster rail line). It was bad with 2 people doing 4/5 days in London a week, fine with 2/3. Great housing but high premium for proximity to popular schools.

OK. That’s you. DH and I have always managed it, so do many of our friends. Just because you happen not to know of any, doesn’t mean people don’t manage it. It’s also really patronising to the OP when she has simply asked about nice areas to live – we can assume she is a competent adult who can manage what’s capable for her family without someone negatively interjecting.

Reigate is nice too but again train journey will be 40/50 mins. Stare secondaries can be an issue apparently, friend has moved because of this.

St Albans is lovely but won’t be 40 mins unless you are just talking about the train journey. Houses close to the station are £££ but you’d get a 3 bed

I'm a train nerd, as is my DD. Husband and son think we're weird.

Agree with the reigate suggestion, Haywards Heath has a great commute but it's not a market town.

@Teacherprebaby Everyone has to compromise so you need to work out what are your priorities.

Is it the fast commute, good schools, nice high street, close to a station, house size etc.

im in z3 on the tube & my commute door to door was 40 mins most days.

Absolutely agree. I couldnt afford to live in St Albans, but if I could, I would. I just go there for days out.

@Didimum The only people I know who both commute into central London daily from outside London have their parents around the corner who do a lot & the others have a nanny. Everyone else I know manages it by one working locally, p/t, both wfh, different shift patterns etc.