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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask where young families are moving to when leaving London?

161 replies

Yellowstickynote · 28/08/2024 10:57

DH and I live in SW London and absolutely love it. So much access to green spaces, wonderful bars & restaurants on our doorstep and so many friends in the area. Sadly, we own a 2 bed flat without lift access. We need more space, and heart is set on 3 house w/ garden, which is out of our budget if we remain in SW London.

We have Hybrid jobs (in office 1-2 days per week), so need good commuting links in to London (any London station is fine as can work from multiple offices). Most importantly, we want to move to a vibrant area which has plenty of things to do for young couples in their 30s, both with children and without. E.g. we love being near to green spaces and going to wine bars and restaurants. Some of the areas we’ve visited are lovely but so quiet and a much older crowd. We’d love to move somewhere that’s full of other young couples/families where we can make friends in the area.

Any recommendations welcome! Our budget isn’t the highest - don’t want to spend over 750k if we can help it.

OP posts:
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StillSmallVoice · 28/08/2024 16:35

Faversham is lovely, great community with lots of young families. London (Victoria or St Pancras) are not much more than an hour, and very easy access to Canterbury, Margate etc. There's always a lot going on.

Crikeyalmighty · 28/08/2024 16:34

@SofieM0 it's 28 miles from Nottingham too -

Crikeyalmighty · 28/08/2024 16:32

@SofieM0 I suspect it's not the vibe the OP is after- it was always pretty dead- and has Rampton on the doorstep . I do appreciate its taste and may suit others and yes it does have some old buildings and yes you can get a massive house-

Crikeyalmighty · 28/08/2024 16:24

@SofieM0 I'm originally from Nottinghamshire and nice little market towns are not exactly in abundance- best two I can think of are Bingham and Southwell- both nice , but not remotely handy for station at Nottingham - if I was moving to Nottingham would probably go to west Bridgford which is nice enough AND handy for station -

SofieM0 · 28/08/2024 16:22

KarenW · 28/08/2024 16:18

What market town was it near Nottingham? We are looking to move too, so am watching this thread with interest

Retford x

KarenW · 28/08/2024 16:18

SofieM0 · 28/08/2024 16:08

friends moved to a little market town near Nottingham. Loads to do for couples, some excellent schools and Grammar schools close by (so I’m told). We’ve had many a bottomless brunch here, plenty of green also as you’d expect! And it’s 1:15-1:30 direct to Kings Cross dep on which train company. But she works there so that’s maximum commute. walk to station but car parking is £4 a day and train tickets much cheaper - I know this only because I have been to check it out myself and off peak train from London one way was £23!. I’m in office 3 days a week in London so could make it work and I’m tempted. And you’ll get a massive house for 750k with land and maybe a pool!! Not for everyone if you have family ties in London but worth it for a lot of people.

What market town was it near Nottingham? We are looking to move too, so am watching this thread with interest

80smonster · 28/08/2024 16:13

Freddochips · 28/08/2024 15:31

Londoners are constantly pushed out of their hometown but to make matters worse we get no sympathy & often hated for driving prices up!

Yeah it’s interesting that no one joins the dots, if London hadn’t become so unaffordable- Londoners wouldn’t leave. They don’t ship out because the culture, transport and endless restaurants have grown tiresome. 😂

timetodecide2345 · 28/08/2024 16:10

Ilkley- that's why it's now unaffordable to local people.

SofieM0 · 28/08/2024 16:08

friends moved to a little market town near Nottingham. Loads to do for couples, some excellent schools and Grammar schools close by (so I’m told). We’ve had many a bottomless brunch here, plenty of green also as you’d expect! And it’s 1:15-1:30 direct to Kings Cross dep on which train company. But she works there so that’s maximum commute. walk to station but car parking is £4 a day and train tickets much cheaper - I know this only because I have been to check it out myself and off peak train from London one way was £23!. I’m in office 3 days a week in London so could make it work and I’m tempted. And you’ll get a massive house for 750k with land and maybe a pool!! Not for everyone if you have family ties in London but worth it for a lot of people.

Firsttimetrier · 28/08/2024 15:50

Comedycook · 28/08/2024 11:06

You could still live in London on that budget.... you'd just have to move to a less fashionable part. You can easily get a nice house in SE London for 750k

Agree, you could move to Leyton @Yellowstickynote and I would say it ticks the majority of your boxes!

Epping not too far for green space
Leytonstone/Leyton both have good restaurants and wine bars, independent shops
The most family friendly area I’ve lived in in East London.

Freddochips · 28/08/2024 15:48

Who knows if it will happen & if it does it will be decades away but the Crossrail 2 route has some of the areas in SW London mentioned on here which may be handy for your dc in the future.

Freddochips · 28/08/2024 15:46

You won’t find any areas that rival Balham with your budget. However you may find somewhere that will change & evolve. Balham had nothing there when I was a dc.

Yellowstickynote · 28/08/2024 15:43

Comedycook · 28/08/2024 15:38

Im not sure quite what it is you want op? Do you want to stay in London ideally or do you actively want to live in a different type of environment? Because if it's the former, there are many places in London where you can buy a family home on your budget

We did look at some options for remaining in London, but we didn’t find any areas that appealed to us taking in to account our budget and feeling safe, good access to green spaces and amenities etc. That’s not to say we’ve explored every possible area, so we remain open minded and will be looking at some of the suggestions on here.

Our thoughts were that our best bet is to leave London to get the most for our money in a good area.

OP posts:
Freddochips · 28/08/2024 15:41

Leigh on Sea is lovely, friend moved that way. We strongly considered it but decided to stay nearer parents who are getting older.

Jessieshome · 28/08/2024 15:40

Essex! Well that's was the classic move in the 50's for east Londoners (admittedly thought that was rather a very long time ago 😄 )

Upminster, Cranham, Hornchurch. You'd be maxing out your budget in Upminster, but the commute is incredibly easy and it is very leafy. I love Upminster, some good secondary schools too.

Freddochips · 28/08/2024 15:38

@RedRedRobot aren’t the best secondaries faith or a lottery though in West Norwood?

Comedycook · 28/08/2024 15:38

Im not sure quite what it is you want op? Do you want to stay in London ideally or do you actively want to live in a different type of environment? Because if it's the former, there are many places in London where you can buy a family home on your budget

Ratisshortforratthew · 28/08/2024 15:38

Comedycook · 28/08/2024 11:06

You could still live in London on that budget.... you'd just have to move to a less fashionable part. You can easily get a nice house in SE London for 750k

This. Stay in London, just go SE

Freddochips · 28/08/2024 15:36

@susey my colleague bought a 3 bed in Tooting last yr for 700k, there were quite a few they looked out. Yes it was closer to Mitcham then the Heaver estate but still Tooting.

RedRedRobot · 28/08/2024 15:36

Examples of houses in your budget in West Norwood 15 minute drive away from Balham! (Or ten mins on train or less, trains every 15 mins)

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150126188

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150538322

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151747013

Freddochips · 28/08/2024 15:34

@Yellowstickynote I would think carefully about secondary options, commute times and convenience & what will life look like when your dc want to start doing things independently.

Saga21 · 28/08/2024 15:33

If you would consider SE london we moved to Charlton.
15 mins on train to london bridge. Short bus to jubilee line at north greenwich or Elizabeth line at woolwich

Charlton slopes has a great community. Lots of excellent nurseries, primary schools and a couple of outstanding secondary schools close by.

A couple of nice pubs in blackheath standard and a shortish walk to blackheath itself with lots of restaurants.

A quick look on right move has a few properties on at 750k at the moment

susey · 28/08/2024 15:33

foxglovesandharebells · 28/08/2024 12:08

I'd stay in London. Whereabouts in the SW are you at the moment? You can get a 3 bed house with garden and easy access to wine bars and green space etc within your budget if you look somewhere like Tooting. Plus you'll be much closer to your friends and not paying a fortune to commute.

Maybe ten years ago...

GingerPirate · 28/08/2024 15:32

St Albans.
A lot.

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