Where would you live outside of London for £550k?

[Pestoandsun]

Hi all

DP and I are looking at buying a house outside of London, commuting in to work a few days a week. I work SW London on Waterloo train line (about 15 mins from Waterloo), he works in the City. I would commute in about 1/2 days a week but probably could wfh longer term, he currently is in office 3 days a week.

We have probably around £550k to spend, ideally 3 bedrooms so we’d have room to have proper home office setup, we’d like to be somewhere with a bit going on, some pubs/shops. I’d like to have a small garden. Ideally walking distance (which could be 20 mins) to train station. It would be nice to be somewhere with quite a bit of green space around, good hiking. I don’t want to be right in the middle of a really busy big town.

We both much prefer period properties to new build.

Does anyone have any ideas or live anywhere like this?

Ideally towards Bristol or south direction if pushed. We’d be having children in next few days so probably good schools but don’t know much about that yet!

Thank you!!

Bishop's Sortford in Herts regularly comes up on lists of 'nicest commuter towns' etc. A bit cheaper than Tonbridge I'd say.
Lots of new builds but still loads of older properties around. Has fast train services to Liverpool St mainline station and Tottenham Hale for the Tube, (and the fast Victoria line) . It is also close to Stansted Airport but without the noise! M11 also close by for links to London and Cambridge.
Its main selling points for families and young professionals are the truly excellent secondary schools, lots of green spaces, pretty surrounding villages and decent shopping and dining.
I'd say you could easily get a 3-bed semi within your budget, we sold our older 4-bed, three recep, large garden in one of the nearby villages for around that!

Haslemere is lovely, and surrounded by National Trust land. There is lots of good walking, a museum, a musical society, the Haslemere Hall, a Leisure Centre with swimming pool, and occasional food or music festivals but I wouldn't say there was much to do on a regular basis.

Petersfield, which is a bit further out on the same line, has more going on, but obviously the train journey into Waterloo takes longer and is more expensive.

Guildford (also on the same train line) is bigger again, but pretty and it feels safe. There is plenty to do: there's a big arts centre, a theatre and Leisure Centre with ice rink and bowling , separate sports park, night clubs, the university and cathedral. It is closer to London so house prices are higher.

I would happily live in any of them, especially if I was not commuting into London every day.

I personally wouldn’t move to Bristol if he’s commuting in 3 days a week. Depending where you live you’d need to travel to temple meads or parkway and then from paddington to the city. It will be a long and expensive commute.

The South west train Waterloo to woking is good, has loads of nice places to live. Obviously you get more for your money as you go more and more out of London.

Esher, Hersham, Walton, Weybridge (tres posh - you don't get much for your money there!). West Byfleet?

Guildford, Godalming, Milford, Haslemere. All on Waterloo line. Lots of good schools. Guildford town lovely, lots going on. The villages less so, but everyone travels between them pretty easily. Very good for families.

I wouldn't live in Woking if you paid me! Soulless, now bankrupt. But we live just outside Guildford and drive into Woking to catch the train when needed, many, many, more train options than from Guildford.

Royal Lemington Spa is a beautiful town, and not too far from gorgeous countryside. Direct train into Marylebone station on the Bakerloo line (I think you meant Bakerloo line instead of Waterloo). Might even stretch to 4 bedroom there, or a really lovely 3 bedroom property.

It would be lovely to be by the sea, I don’t know how much more of a premium you pay for that though and thought you might not get as much for your money? But will research, thank you

Thank you. I think going into Paddington might be harder for me, as I really don’t like the tube journey from there to SW London (just personally!)

Southampton? Direct trains into Waterloo.
Within 20mins walk from Southampton Central look at Upper Shirley, Banister and there will be places in budget.
You will have the New Forest and Dorset coast to get out into.

Farnham. That's where I live and it's a beautiful market town.
Direct Waterloo trains every 30 mins.

How about Winchester?

@Pestoandsun you really don't want to come towards Bristol (we live in bath) and if you both need to be in that often, especially at normal office times- it could easily cost your budget £1500 a month (joint) - off peak here from bath is still around £70 return (every time)

I would also factor trains into your budgets too- once you are outside London zones it rockets, particularly if it's standard office hours - that's why people often go to cheaper places- that are ' in ' zones unless they have a local job to go to outside of London or they work fully remote or only need to go in once or twice a month etc.

Brighton, nice easy direct and frequent trains into London, and wonderful in the summer.

Chesham? If he works in the city then maybe look at areas on MET line as they have some fast services to HOTH station. You can always catch the jubilee from Finchley rd to get to Waterloo.

Basingstoke or surrounding villages. 40 mins direct to Waterloo.

I'm sorry but I've literally never heard Chertsey be described as "up and coming". It has the meads (underwhelming lot of fields near the river), a few parks, a Sainsbury's and St Peter's hospital. Other than that it's a town to avoid surely.
It's on the M25, it's got that going for it and close to Shepperton open water lake, Virginia Waters, Weybridge. But nothing of note actually in walking distance in Chertsey.

I say that as someone who lived in Chertsey for 24 years!

It's an attractive town, big enough to have what you want but still on the small side. Lovely countryside.

Look at Pewsey in Wiltshire or Chippenham. Both have mainline stations, you’ll get a 3 bed detached in former, 4 bed detached in latter.

Farnham looks lovely but I don’t know how far my money would stretch there! Have had a quick look on right move. One to look at though. Are the trains busy at rush hour times?

Absolutely, trains are such a drain on costs and between Bristol and london so expensive! A shame!

Have a look at Farnborough or Fleet. Small towns but plenty within driving distance. Great for families/schools etc

Dorking/Haywards Heath/Horsham could be worth a look. Dorking has trains to Waterloo, via Wimbledon and the other two have direct trains to Clapham Junction/Victoria

Anything else in that area of Surrey would be unaffordable for something in decent condition of a decent size. All I’ve seen is the newer batch of commuter professionals, which means it will be well on its way to gentrification.

I haven’t lived there but have spent lots of time in Weybridge where that budget wouldn’t get you a decent two bedroom cottage.

Have house prices risen in the last 5 years in line with what I’m saying ?

@BetterPlease I don't think that's strictly true, I posted 3 up in Guildford around that budget , one significantly less and one detached- none looked massively ''doer upper'

What is Farnborough like? I’ve read mixed reviews online…