Talk to me about Kent

[aytheweeun]

Looking for areas to move to. Currently we live in a small flat in SE London & looking to move to Kent.

We have a 3 yo DS and probably will have another. DH needs to commute to London four days out of five but I WFH.

We like Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks. Not completely sure of budget yet but is likely to be in the region of 475-550k. Would like 3 bedrooms with a garden but not fussed on terraced/semi detached etc.

Probably we'll try to sell our flat first and then rent in the area before we commit to buying.

Any suggestions of other places we might have overlooked?

Sevenoaks centre is a fair trek to the station, the station is in Riverhead. There is a massive Tesco there. Sevenoaks is nice, plenty of shops, Knoll Park, good schools. Chipstead is very nice and near Sevenoaks, Edenbridge, do you need to be near a station or public transport? what station will DH be arriving at in London.

I'm not writing them off, Titus. I have lived in both Surrey and Berkshire (grew up in Surrey - Haslemere), so I know what I prefer :)

Try places closer to Tombrishe if you want something more affordable. We got s lot more for our money and are very close to a mainline station

West Malling is nice and probably a bit cheaper than Sevenoaks but lots of coffee shops, places to eat and nice schools. Bearsted is also nice which is near Maidstone and I believe had a train line. Headcorn, Staplehurst and Marden are nice if you want to be more rural and on a London route. Kent is lovely place to live. Good luck with your search!

something like thiswww.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-78104909.html

Eynsford/Otford... lovely round there.

Sorry - Tonbridge !!

We have made the move you’re thinking of Op- SE London to T Wells. It’s nice here, shopping is a bit shit tho as half the shops in the town have closed but the parks and proximity to the sea and London are all good points. School-wise it’s extrenely competitive and you can miss out on your chosen primary by living literally on the wrong side of a road. And parents are panicking about the secondary schools years in advance as either you have to be a grammar kid or a church going kid to get in to the desirable schools. People are going to church just to get their kids in, it’s crazy.

We used to be in zone 4 and DH finds the commute from here too much for him now, it’s an hour and a half door to door rather than about 45 mins. Makes him v tired. We do for that reason alone sometimes wish we hadn’t moved.

Rochester is Medway but still nice just avoid the rest. I know folks in Whitstable\Faversham who drive to ebbsfleet to cut down the commute. Or Wye or other villages near Ashford (and still close enough to Canterbury?)

Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks- both lovely
how about Beckenham, a little closer so less of a commute

I grew up in Tunbridge Wells and although I trained in London and then worked abroad for 10 years, returned here 16 years ago and love it. I went to TW girls' grammar and so did my DD - no tutoring either. I wouldn't have been at all bothered if she'd gone to Bennett Memorial (non selective) or Hill View in Tonbridge (ditto).

I think your budget is realistic. There are expensive and less expensive areas. Parking is a bit of a nightmare for residents generally but that's not a specific TW problem. I reckon Sevenoaks is more expensive as it's closer to London. Our trains go to London Bridge, Waterloo, Charing Cross and Cannon Street so a pretty easy commute.

I really recommend it.

I think we are priced out of Beckenham to be honest.

Where in London does your DH need to get to? The Tube can add so much time and stress to the commute, so you can narrow down your search depending on whether St Pancras, Victoria or London Bridge/Cannon St/Charing X are most convenient. Ashford links up to all stations and has some lovely surrounding villages (are some less so lovely!). Wye is particularly good - has its own station and great schools.

At the moment he works in Mayfair, which he walks to from Charing Cross.

There are plenty of 3 bed houses in Beckenham up to 550k on Rightmove. Parts of Hayes, West Wickham, Keston, Farnborough are nice and quiet.

Both DH and I went to grammar schools, I don't have a problem with them

If you can't get your kids in you might!

I may decide to home school him.

Take a look at Dartford.

I've lived in both Tunbridge wells and sevenoaks and worked in schools there and I think it's a lovely area! We have moved to Sussex (Brighton area) but would have considered both these and Essex if DP had a fixed work (construction so moves around) I probably prefer Tunbridge wells as it's bigger by a bit, central station etc but Sevenoaks is closer, less comute and has all you need and some lovely areas that are maybe more affordable. Although that makes the walk to sevenoaks station a pain maybe. I used to walk to station from Riverhead (where we live and is lovely!) But is a good walk there and back!
Surprised at how negative people have been about it. You sound well researched but maybe go and look at smaller surrounding areas for affordabiliy?! Good luck

Don’t Take a look at Dartford. Except as a warning as to what to avoid.

Bexley, Wilmington, Bexleyheath, anything off the A2 in that area is pretty nice

I used to live in Staplehurst and it was fine. A walk to the station and about an hour to London. Plenty of community things happening. They are building a fair few new houses there now (as with most places around there) but still a rural feel.

Have you considered Maidstone, or the villages around. There’s three railway stations and you’ll get a decent sized house in a nice area on your budget. Sevenoaks can be expensive. Places such as East Farleigh, Loose, West Malling, Bearsted etc are all lovely.

Oh I second Bearsted!

Some areas of Dartford are fine @LostinShoebiz, no need to be like that