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Original poster

Where can I live in the South East? Budget £450k.

56 replies

Fedupofthepoo · 07/02/2025 18:07

Where can I live in the south east that has good transport links to London? Budget £450k. I need a 3 bedroom house.

I'm so fed up of the antisocial behaviour where I live. Bins overflowing as people can't be bothered to recycle, dog poo everywhere, flytipping all over the place, drug issues, illegal parking and dangerous driving very common.

I want to live somewhere that's just nice. Where people take a bit of pride in where they live. I need to be walking distance to a station.

Any suggestions for my budget please?

OP posts:
Snowmanscarf · 07/02/2025 20:26

Village near Maidstone

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157694093#/?channel=RES_BUY

nationalsausagefund · 07/02/2025 20:31

Eastbourne

Three bed

BuffaloCauliflower · 07/02/2025 20:31

We’re in Bracknell, recently moved from south west London and I really like it. An hour to Waterloo, nice town centre, right by Swinley Forest and trees everywhere, well designed to walk around with small kids, council clearly maintain greenery/green spaces. Very happy we moved.

ComealongSpring · 07/02/2025 20:32

Charlbury

I2amonlyhereforTheBeer · 07/02/2025 20:33

Plenty of places in Kent. You could live in Orpington for that budget. Train to London is less than half an hour for the fastest. If you want the coast: Southend on Sea which has recently got City status, or Shoeburyness in Essex.

HeddaGarbled · 07/02/2025 20:35

Royston, Herts

anonhop · 07/02/2025 20:52

I2amonlyhereforTheBeer · 07/02/2025 20:33

Plenty of places in Kent. You could live in Orpington for that budget. Train to London is less than half an hour for the fastest. If you want the coast: Southend on Sea which has recently got City status, or Shoeburyness in Essex.

You won't get much in Orpington on that budget if they're looking for a nice area where people take care of their community. Might find the odd thing but not much!

I2amonlyhereforTheBeer · 07/02/2025 21:04

anonhop · 07/02/2025 20:52

You won't get much in Orpington on that budget if they're looking for a nice area where people take care of their community. Might find the odd thing but not much!

Show quote history

Just looked recently in Orpington estate agents. You can get what the OP is asking for in and around Orpington. House prices have dropped a bit.

EveryNightInMyDreams · 07/02/2025 21:06

Southend and shoebury are both shitholes. OP said she wants somewhere nice.

I2amonlyhereforTheBeer · 07/02/2025 21:11

EveryNightInMyDreams · 07/02/2025 21:06

Southend and shoebury are both shitholes. OP said she wants somewhere nice.

... and close to London for that budget. Maybe some compromise needed. Southend is not bad at all. It has a beautiful pier a mile long. Agree Shoeburyness may be an acquired taste.

Original poster
Fedupofthepoo · 07/02/2025 21:14

Thanks very much for all your suggestions.

To answer the questions. I won't necessarily be commuting into London. I have the kind of public sector job that can be done anywhere, so I'll move jobs if we relocate. Dh is fully remote. I just want to be close enough to London to see my London based friends and family, and make the most of London.

Children are primary age.

I think I'd rather live someone to the north or west of London, as this would be better for visiting extended family.

I'll look at all your suggestions, thank you.

OP posts:
trappt · 07/02/2025 21:38

Reading

anonhop · 07/02/2025 21:51

@I2amonlyhereforTheBeer I think mostly in the Crays. There are a few streets in the Crays which are OK but generally I thought OP was saying she wanted to live in a "nice" area which I'd say is more South Orpington

I2amonlyhereforTheBeer · 07/02/2025 21:59

anonhop · 07/02/2025 21:51

@I2amonlyhereforTheBeer I think mostly in the Crays. There are a few streets in the Crays which are OK but generally I thought OP was saying she wanted to live in a "nice" area which I'd say is more South Orpington

Yes, I agree with South Orpington being better. I live around this area in a 3-bed with a large garden and the value of our house is about the OP's budget, so it is possible.

Regarding the comment about Shoeburyness. Yes, it is a bit of a shithole but the properties in the garrison area, close to the coast, are lovely. And easy train link into London.

What is more important: good transport links and a nice house, or an underwhelming house in a nice area? I guess that's the question.

Turmerictolly · 08/02/2025 09:46

Mmm, probably trickier to find nice within budget North and West of London. How about around Reading or somewhere like Didcot which is close to Oxford but has direct trains to London itself.

Turmerictolly · 08/02/2025 09:49

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/155117444

Clutterbugsmum · 08/02/2025 09:50

Not Leighton Buzzard. Yes it has good train links into London, but it's roads are gridlocked. Not to mention all the new houses that are being built but little or no infrastructure being put in.

EveryNightInMyDreams · 08/02/2025 09:57

Garrison is overpriced because it’s the only nice area AND it’s sooooo busy there. A massive estate already and then everyone from the surrounding areas descends every day to walk their dogs. No way I’d pay to live there.

disagree about Southend. It’s literally full of kebab shops and coffee shops and loads of homeless on the high street. Houses are all on top of eachother and on street parking.

only places worth considering around there really are Thorpe bay and Leigh, maybe Eastwood depending on where. But OP couldn’t really afford those areas with their budget. And really your main town remains Southend, so I don’t think their inflated prices are worth it either, personally!

notatinydancer · 09/02/2025 10:43

HereComesDecember · 07/02/2025 18:35

High Wycombe

Horrible

Branleuse · 09/02/2025 14:33

Have a look at wivenhoe, near Colchester. Its a little gem of an area, with a train station. An hour to Liverpool street.
Lots of lecturers from essex uni live there, and artists and poets etc, and the riverside is beautiful. Its very vibrant and has a European vibe in the summer