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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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whowhatwhen · 28/08/2024 14:50

We moved out to a village just outside Oxford. Bus to Oxford is 24 hours and train into Pads is under an hour. Love it!

FrillyKnickersAndNoFurCoat · 28/08/2024 14:47

Mustreadabook · 28/08/2024 14:05

Hillingdon, ne london. Or Harrow. Lots of tube stations, 30 or 40 minutes to london. You’d get a 3 or 4 bedroom house for 750k. Lots of green space and not far from the greenbelt. Some bits more lively than others.

Good in schools in borough of Harrow. Good restaurants and cafes in Hatch End and Pinner. Fast trains to central London. You'll find 3 bed houses from about £600k+.

80smonster · 28/08/2024 14:36

Brighton, it’s expensive but the schools are great and it has culture and transport links aplenty. I reckon you probably get what you pay for. Worth spending an extra 50k to not have to move again IMO.

Uglyducklingswan · 28/08/2024 14:27

Chelmsford is bursting with young families, green spaces etc. 35 mins to Liverpool St. £750k would get you a three maybe small 4 bed in town or something much nicer in the suburbs and you can bus into the station in ten minutes.

Paver · 28/08/2024 14:16

West Malling (Kent)

foxglovesandharebells · 28/08/2024 14:07

Yellowstickynote · 28/08/2024 12:25

We are in Balham. We haven’t seen anything decent in the Balham/Tooting area in our budget unfortunately!

Balham is admittedly much more expensive than its neighbours, but £750K should get you something with 3 beds and a garden in a decent area nearby where you don't have to start all over again with friendships. On your budget there's no way I'd give up a London lifestyle I really loved just to commute in from an almost equally expensive suburb. Remember you can always extend/upgrade a house, or work your way up the property ladder too - this doesn't have to be your forever home.

Yellowstickynote · 28/08/2024 14:06

MsCactus · 28/08/2024 13:47

I just moved to Bromley from SW London and we love it!!! Our budget was a bit more than yours though (1m) and we got a five bed detached house with big garden on a leafy street. Commute into the City for work is 30mins

For 750k I imagine you could get a 3/4 bed detached or semi here

Sounds great! I’m not at all familiar with Bromley. Would you say it’s an area with lots of other young families and plenty of restaurants etc?

OP posts:
Mustreadabook · 28/08/2024 14:05

Hillingdon, ne london. Or Harrow. Lots of tube stations, 30 or 40 minutes to london. You’d get a 3 or 4 bedroom house for 750k. Lots of green space and not far from the greenbelt. Some bits more lively than others.

PorridgeWobbler · 28/08/2024 14:03

Yellowstickynote · 28/08/2024 12:25

We are in Balham. We haven’t seen anything decent in the Balham/Tooting area in our budget unfortunately!

Have you tried Kingston?

Takeoutyourhen · 28/08/2024 13:56

South East commuter belt - Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, all in Kent then into the East Sussex border. Grammar schools too if that’s on your horizon for the future.

Teacherprebaby · 28/08/2024 13:53

Yellowstickynote · 28/08/2024 12:25

We are in Balham. We haven’t seen anything decent in the Balham/Tooting area in our budget unfortunately!

You are in the most expensive area of South London, looks further but still within south London, there are plenty of places for that budget!

Sarah2891 · 28/08/2024 13:51

There's lots of nice places that fit your description in Leigh on Sea for that budget.
It's a good place to live in my experience. Easy train journey into London.

Adeil · 28/08/2024 13:48

Despite it's crappy reputation Peterborough would fit your description. Plenty of stuff to do, train into London is less than an hour, and green spaces everywhere. Open countryside literally 10 minutes from the centre.
Not to mention you could easily buy a gorgeous 5 bed with an acre garden for that kind of money. 🤷

MsCactus · 28/08/2024 13:48

MsCactus · 28/08/2024 13:47

I just moved to Bromley from SW London and we love it!!! Our budget was a bit more than yours though (1m) and we got a five bed detached house with big garden on a leafy street. Commute into the City for work is 30mins

For 750k I imagine you could get a 3/4 bed detached or semi here

Chislehurst is also pricey but lovely, has the pretty villagey feel of Richmond imo

MsCactus · 28/08/2024 13:47

I just moved to Bromley from SW London and we love it!!! Our budget was a bit more than yours though (1m) and we got a five bed detached house with big garden on a leafy street. Commute into the City for work is 30mins

For 750k I imagine you could get a 3/4 bed detached or semi here

Wimbledonmum1985 · 28/08/2024 13:43

cr4postcode · 28/08/2024 12:41

You can definitely get something around Mitcham on that budget. We are 5 mins walk from station then 5 min train to balham. 20 min train to victoria. Plenty of young families around. Reputatuion isnt greatest and Mitcham town centre isnt that great either, but we are close enough to tooting/streatham etc it doenst matter, and never felt unsafe or anything.

Mitcham is far from green and leafy though unfortunately. Its poor reputation is deserved sadly.

MyLordWizardKing · 28/08/2024 13:42

Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. There's a train direct to Marylebone which takes 1 hour. Plenty to do with children, surrounded by green spaces and National Trust properties, restaurants/nightlife is improving depending on what you're into!

TheBeesKnee · 28/08/2024 13:40

Move down to Morden South/Sutton. 30 minutes tube to central London, really well connected, Wimbledon is close by, etc

You'll have Morden Hall Park and the Wandle for your nature fix. Lots of local playgrounds.

There's plenty of free events by Sutton Children's Centres.

You'll get a nice semi/terraced house for that budget.

Goldbar · 28/08/2024 13:35

You could afford what you're looking for in Morden, I think, which isn't a huge move from where you are.

Alternatively, further out I've always liked the look of Dorking. I have two friends who have recently moved to Tonbridge and Sevenoaks and both seem very happy with the moves.

EllieLeo · 28/08/2024 13:08

I’m in Kingston and £750k would get you a 3 bed house that needed some work in the ‘nice’ bits near good schools.

SeulementUneFois · 28/08/2024 13:06

Peonies12 · 28/08/2024 12:09

So do I, and we spent just over half of that to get a 3-bed house with a garden.

Edited

@Peonies12

  • yes, why would an area like Tottenham not suit do you think?
There seem to be 3bds houses there for 800k - beautiful to me period houses... Does the area have a bad reputation?

(Sorry I'm foreign and don't live in England ...)

RainintheDesert · 28/08/2024 13:05

A colleague of mine has moved from Camberwell to Camberley, and likes it, but she complain the trains aren't brilliant.

Friends of my ex moved to Market Harborough and like it a lot. It's historic and pleasant and the trains are quick.

YesItsMeYesItsMe · 28/08/2024 13:01

They’re all in Guildford & villages surrounding 😁

Genuinely everyone who lives here either moved from London or grew up here - which bodes well that it’s a nice place to grow up and hopefully our kids will stay close! 😁

Seasmoke · 28/08/2024 13:01

cr4postcode · 28/08/2024 12:41

You can definitely get something around Mitcham on that budget. We are 5 mins walk from station then 5 min train to balham. 20 min train to victoria. Plenty of young families around. Reputatuion isnt greatest and Mitcham town centre isnt that great either, but we are close enough to tooting/streatham etc it doenst matter, and never felt unsafe or anything.

Around Mitcham cricket green is lovely. Big houses etc.

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