Can you help us to find an area to live in (South East)?

[londonlostsheep]

Can you help us find an area to live in?

If you have any knowledge of this part of the country, I’d be really grateful. We are going around in circles trying to find a place that meets most of our requirements:

⁃	Easy commute to Waterloo station, London. Ideally no more than 1hr if this is possible. 
⁃	Easily accessible to Hereford by train - ideally a direct line (or direct to a station that we can get a cab to / easily pick guests up from). 
⁃	Easy access to Heathrow or Gatwick. Ideally around 1 hr. 
⁃	A nice high street / cafe culture / sense of community / some culture / nice restaurants.
⁃	Suitable to raise a young family (baby + dog).

We have no links to anywhere in the UK other than Hereford. We’d like to be able to get there as easily as possible (via car and train) to maintain links with family and our only support network in the UK. However, we need to be near London for work.

We have considered:

Guildford: We love Guildford town centre. It’s a good commute to Waterloo. The issue is that there’s no good train link to Hereford (Guildford to Reading, then change on to Hereford) but this is still a front runner.

Oxford: We really like the town centre and it’s easy to get to Hereford via train and car. However, unsure whether commute will be manageable when considering travel to station + train to Paddington + tube to Waterloo?

Reading: We haven’t visited Reading yet. What’s it like? It’s good for transport to Hereford and a decent commute to Waterloo. Is it a nice city?

Part of the problem is that we don’t know any of these areas well so it kind of feels like sticking a pin in a map and hoping for the best! We will rent before we buy, which offers some flexibility, but I’m nervous to make the wrong choice with a small baby.

Thanks in advance for any help!

I would rely on the car to get to Hereford (is that an option?) and scrap that part of the search. Focus on a good commute to work and living in the right sort of town. It will make your choice much simpler.

Godalming is near Guildford and is gorgeous

Reading itself is a bit non descript, but some of the areas round about are lovely. Pangbourne is nice in West Berks, as are the surrounding villages with train stations (Aldermaston and Woolhampton, for example. Theale isn't bad either). Wokingham, on the other side of Reading, is also lovely. You're also only 25 mins from London Paddington from Reading station.

I'd def prioritise your daily commutes over airports and train to Hereford - especially as the train to Hereford is a bit flaky (its once an hour or less, but frequently is interrupted or cancelled the other side of Worcester and I wouldn't want to get on it with baby and dog). Fleet isn't particularly thrilling, but we have friends there and its been very commuter parent friendly

Have you looked in London for housing? Your budget isn't unreasonable tbh. Just some ideas for you%-

Kensington (need some cosmetic work):
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/156388613

Brixton: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/156396854

Whitechapel: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/156357428

Wandsworth: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/156368396

Windsor maybe? It has two train stations, one which goes to Waterloo and another which heads to Slough to connect onto the Great Western Mainline. One downside is you get noise pollution from Heathrow when planes are taking off in that direction.

I wouldn't scratch Reading off the list at all. Yes it's got run-down bits, but it's also got some really lovely bits - Caversham, for example - and it's got three different routes into London: to Paddington (v fast), Waterloo (slow) and the Elizabeth Line (also slow but gets you across London too). It's got a decent town centre and a world-class museum, if you like that sort of thing (which I do).

We were you ten years ago, looking for a location in the SE that would work for us as a new family, factoring in our commute and ease of travel to visit relatives on the other side of the country, and feeling like we were sticking a pin in a map. I can't help on the specifics, but I will say that we ended up compromising on the ease of travel to relatives and in hindsight it was definitely the right decision. Don't underestimate how draining a long/ difficult commute can be. As your baby grows up and you start to put down roots in your new location that's where you will build your future support network - I'm not playing down the importance of family ties but you can't realistically rely on people on the other side of the country for that in a practical sense. Before long you will be out of the super flexible baby stage and will have commitments and a social life in your new location so probably won't want to travel back as often anyway.

I agree that it is best to get to Hereford by car if you have a baby and a dog. Then live as close by train as you can to work (ideally with more than one mode of public transport in case one breaks down) since both parents are commuting.

If you drive to Hereford then Hayes, Bromley is easy commute to Gatwick and Waterloo. Good schools and community feel. Near London but feels semi rural.

Leatherhead is a good option. I had similar requirements when I was looking for a place. I have lived here for a good 2 years and I don’t regret and love it here. Good neighbours, close knitted community, plenty of river walks and countryside nearby Polesdon Lacey, Painshill, box hill etc . There is a waitrose, good schools , houses are spacious and well built .
London is just 45 minutes by train. Wasn’t sure when I moved about the commute and location but very happy now, Direct line to waterloo and London Victoria. Can change train from Epsom direct to London bridge or switch at Balham for Northern line. Heathrow and Gatwick are 30 minutes away.