Please help! looking to relocate from London!

[mary443]

Hello all,
I am new to this site and would like some help. I and my husband are looking to relocate from London and move to a bigger house. I work in chancery lane and looking for an area with 30/40 minute train journey into London. We also would like to have access to good primary schools and a nice neighbourhood that we can spend our weekends there. So far, we have looked at Crawly, Brentwood, Sevenoacks, St.Albans (this area was over our budget, looking for 4/5 bedroom for 600k) but as we don't know anyone from those areas we don't know much about them and we read different opinions online.

I would appreciate if you could help us with our search to find a city close to central London.

Thank you.
Mary

Letchworth?

Cheam, Carshalton, Wallington, Rickmansworth

Hertford/Ware

Bromley, Orpington

Reigate - although the train takes approx 45 minutes

if you are looking at Herts, Welwyn Garden City/surrounding villages. It's 15 mins from St Albans but 10-20% cheaper. Really lovely location. Fast trains to London from Welwyn North are under 20 mins journey time

Letchworth, Hertford and Ware are also good suggestions from pp

Personally I'd suggest you avoid Stevenage and Hatfield

4 bed in Petts Wood for £600k. Great community feel, still London, zone 5, edge of green belt, good shops and restaurants, good primary school. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52215867.html Or you can get more space in a townhouse style property in Crofton £450 for this 5 bed, compromise is the architecture and the longer walk to the station. 30 mins to Charing Cross or trains also direct to Blackfriars, Victoria, Cannon St.

Sorry link for 5 bed is here www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67794037.html

Sutton or Carshalton (lived in the latter and went to Chancery Lane for 10 years - it's an OK commute). Cheam is also possible, but not sure what you'd get for your budget.

Another recommendation for Reigate!

Avoid Crawley-it's a dump!
Try Horsham, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Reigate
For inside the M25 I'd consider Bexley village, Bromley, Beckenham is lovely too

I used to live in Sevenoaks and I was told you need to pay or pray for decent primaries. Also I doubt you’d get a 4 bed for £600. Our 2 bed flat was about £500. The high street is shit too - unless you are in the market for tweed hats and leather gloves! And there isn’t much going on for kids. It’s all very snobby and a bit retirement/nappy valley.

Where in London do you need to get to? Getting across London is half the battle so it's easiest to live near to a line that get a you into a station close to work. Or at least with easy access.