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Original poster

Nice place for grandparents <1 hour drive from north London

80 replies

puylentil · 29/08/2023 16:58

My parents (60s) are looking to relocate to the south of England to be closer to us.

Their rough requirements:

  • within 1 hour drive from north London (ideally 30 mins)
  • safe town, nice local walks, good rail links to London
  • budget of £500-550k
  • 3/4 bed with garden
  • ideally semi-detached
  • ideally some East Asian presence/shops (as they are EA)

Schools are not a factor obv.

I have explored the likes of Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Hitchin. They initially suggested Luton but it looks a bit rough to me? (I really apologise if that’s not so.)

Thank you!

OP posts:
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5
minsmum · 29/08/2023 17:05

How about St Neots, it's supposed to be lovely

Crikeyalmighty · 29/08/2023 17:12

Depending what their tolerance for flight path is then Windsor area might suit- lots of Asians and nice walks and not as pricey as somewhere like St Albans- it's about 40 mins drive to north London - problem is that's quite a low budget for many nicer areas for a 3/4 bed - maybe the areas around Watford too might fit

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134714519

Elleherd · 29/08/2023 17:15

Borehamwood - not 'naice' but nice racial and wealth balance generally. Not a perfect place, but IMO safe enough, got its own Langdons.
Head closer to Shenley, Radlet, etc if you want nicer, but gets a bit whiter and no Langdons.

lastminutewednesday · 29/08/2023 17:19

Ware or Hertford.

Crikeyalmighty · 29/08/2023 17:19

Also a bit further out- Bedford- not amazing but way nicer than Luton and very mixed population- good for thameslink to north London

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/138729962

Frodedendron · 29/08/2023 17:19

Have you looked at Letchworth? It's pleasantly green. Hitchin is nice, Hemel is fine but I wouldn't choose to live in Stevenage or Luton.

The northern end of the Metropolitan line will be stretching their budget but might be worth a look. Amersham will be out of range but Rickmansworth, Harrow, Watford might be possible and will be diverse.

Maidenhead, Aylesbury would meet a lot of your criteria but it depends where in N London you are, might be a bit too far out. Aylesbury looks far but has a good road links.

Leighton Buzzard is pleasant but quite White.

Do they definitely need 3/4 beds? They would have a much wider range of options for 2/3.

lastminutewednesday · 29/08/2023 17:22

Letchworth is green. But otherwise dead. Weird place.
Old Stevenage is lovely. The rest not so much.
Knebworth is nice
Welwyn garden city is worth a look.

Clutterbugsmum · 29/08/2023 17:23

Luton no worse then other town. Some areas are nice some are not.

Having said that Area's of Luton I would look at would be Stopsley , Round Green and Putteridge post code LU2 which is towards the back of the airport towards Hitchen.

And even in this area they struggle with a wide choice with that budget as a lot of 4 beds are now over £600k due to people moving out of London

This house is £550k https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/138618977#/?channel=RES_BUY

Check out this 4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale on Rightmove

4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Hawthorn Avenue, Putteridge, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 8AW, LU2 for £550,000. Marketed by Indigo Residential, Stopsley

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/138618977#/?channel=RES_BUY

Original poster
puylentil · 29/08/2023 17:23

Thanks all. Definitely 3-4 bed as they currently have an ENORMOUS house and don't want to downgrade too much. We are in N2 (East Finchley).

OP posts:
Clutterbugsmum · 29/08/2023 17:24

And we have a very mixed population as well.

lastminutewednesday · 29/08/2023 17:24

Potters bar is alright. Handy for Finchley.

Gooseysgirl · 29/08/2023 17:27

Royston! Short drive from Wimpole Estate which is lovely for walks. Not too far from Cambridge, good rail link to London.

Seafarer · 29/08/2023 17:31

High Wycombe or Aylesbury have good access to North London, a mix of communities & are in budget. Drive in on A40 or train links to Marylebone.

Luton’s town centre is pretty unappealing, sorry.

BlastedPimples · 29/08/2023 17:36

Berkhamsted or Tring.

Original poster
puylentil · 29/08/2023 17:39

I don't know all these areas very well, but have been to Berkhamsted and really liked it.

OP posts:
FantasticElasticBand · 29/08/2023 17:46

What do your DPs like to do? Outdoors - walks…, community events, church/temple/mosque(?) focus, arts etc..?

Hemel, Berkhamsted, Dunstable and the surrounding areas are a good choice. Quick trains into London. Short drive to N London. Access to Luton and even Southall isn’t too far a drive for a wider range of Asian shops. Easy access to M1 and M25 and Luton airport.

Ashridge Estate, Dunstable Downs and by the canal in Hemel for walks. Local theatres in Hemel Old Town, Tring & St Albans. The Rex cinema in Berkhamsted. Hospitals in Hemel, Dunstable and Watford.

Newgirls · 29/08/2023 17:50

Luton town centre isn’t smart but the surrounding area is nice - some lovely houses and villages. Airport can be noisy though!

SisterAgatha · 29/08/2023 17:55

Hertford is a bit rough these days and getting worse as all the old Tottenham/Edmonton lot move up there, it is known for the nightlife. Old Harlow is good, Hunsden or Sawbridgeworth. Stevenage - good and bad bits but in general if you say Stevenage everyone thinks “dump”. Bishops Stortford is a bit further but lovely.

Hitchen… I really like it! Hemel too, better than you’d expect.

SisterAgatha · 29/08/2023 17:58

Loughton too if the budget stretches. You may have to go a little further out on the central line to get a house in that budget though.

Crikeyalmighty · 29/08/2023 18:23

@puylentil I do too but it's not cheap and I get the feeling the OPs parents are still wanting a big house

Original poster
puylentil · 29/08/2023 19:12

I've sent them a whole load of rightmove links to get a feel for what's acceptable to them size- and standard-wise. They currently live in a 4-bed which doesn't sound huge but the dimensions are just colossal. The kitchen is the size of a London flat. Plus 2 living rooms and separate dining room. I worry how they will adjust to England, but the move seems inevitable.

Proximity to hospitals is a good shout from a PP. They will need that one day.

Their interests are nature, National Trust type places and walks. Chinese supermarkets and restaurants are a major plus. No particular need for community or church, though friendly neighbours who are open to non-Brits obviously a plus.

OP posts:
neonjumper · 29/08/2023 19:27

puylentil · 29/08/2023 17:39

I don't know all these areas very well, but have been to Berkhamsted and really liked it.

Berkhamsted & Tring is very white and has absolutely no diversity.

Original poster
puylentil · 29/08/2023 19:31

For context, they currently live in NI and it's near 100% white. I don't think they are looking for 'diversity' as such; somewhere very mixed like Brixton or Harrow would likely be a huge change and unsettle them. I think they'd benefit from some East Asian presence in the form of a Chinese supermarket or just some EA faces, but that's a nice to have.

OP posts:
Original poster
puylentil · 29/08/2023 19:33

93% white at Berkhamsted vs. 98% where they currently are - it's an improvement!

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