Where should we live?! Surrey borders

[Maybemabel526]

We want to move from Wimbledon Park further out to get a house with a decent garden for a dog and eventually kids.

I commute 4 days a week into the City so want a commute under an hour door to door (trains around 30 mins into Waterloo or into another station for access to the City). We want to stay South for family ideally but not fixed on that.

I've been considering Thames Ditton (doesn't seem that green but we like the hockey club and river though trains are slower), Esher (the station seems quite far from the village so not ideal, would need to live near station which feels a bit soulless), Claygate (looks like a good option potentially?) or Oxshott (haven't visited yet going next weekend).

We've also considered going further out say near Brookwood or Sevenoaks or Balcombe in East Sussex.

Does anyone have any thoughts on any of these places or any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!!

What about Oxted? Trains into London Bridge or Victoria, takes about 45 minutes.

Looks like an area worth looking at - seems it works train wise and looks nice and green, though close to m25 (is that an issue?). Thanks for the idea! What is the area like would you recommend it?

Budget?

Between £1.2-1.4m, quite keen to buy something that needs work but not fixed on that

Oxted/ Lympsfield are lovely!

Brookwood/ Pirbright

Brilliant for families- Plenty of woods and countryside and plenty of easy access really good local amenities.

Leatherhead (and Fetcham, which is just outside Leatherhead). Lovely part of Surrey and great for trains into London. Down the road is Cobham..gorgeous little town, but possibly only for lottery winners or Chelsea WAGs!

Thames Ditton seems a great choice. A good friend lives there and her boys have done really well at the secondary plus great social life for whole family. SIL also lives there and loves it.

Tonbridge may suit you? Good trains to London. Good schools.

Sevenoaks is lovely also, but known to pricey.

@Maybemabel526 I don’t live there, but some friends do - it seems a lovely place to be, and close to lots of countryside, easy to get to the South coast as well as up into town.

I had a brief look on zoopla earlier, and there are some nice properties available in your budget.

This one looks lovely

Pretty close to the station

We have other friends who live in this road, and it’s really nice - very quiet, green and leafy. Near Master Park as well, plus all the shops/restaurants.

Thames Ditton is lovely, close to Kingston, nice place for children to grow up, plus if you already like the hockey/rugby club you have a ready made social life!

Thank you everyone for the ideas. Good to see some positive votes for Thames Ditton and another vote for Oxted. That Oxted house looks beautiful @BIWI! I haven't looked at Leatherhead before so will check that out.

I thought Brookwood looked very tired and drab, the last time we went through it. Pirbright is better.

I would look at schools first tbh. Do you need state? If so presumably you won't want to move again (stamp duty/upheaval) so will need to be pretty strategic.

I commute 4 days a week into the City so want a commute under an hour door to door (trains around 30 mins into Waterloo or into another station for access to the City).

How long is your current commute? You are going to struggle with the above unless you live very close to a station

I find Oxted too sleepy personally and you have to use the car alot.

East Moseley is nice but ££££ & unsure re schools.

Honestly no idea about schools at this point, would imagine state but probably 7/8 years till we plan to need school but I agree we need to plan for it.

Currently takes 45 minutes, yes would ideally want/ need to be within 10 mins walk of the station wherever we move so as not to add too much to commute

Claygate is lovely. A real villager feel, tennis club, cricket, commons. Trains are 35 mins

Villagey…

only two trains an hour to London though, which can be a bit annoying!

More like 50 mins to London but Reigate is a great area with access to beautiful countryside, very well regarded schools and the town centre has fab restaurants and shops

Currently takes 45 minutes, yes would ideally want/ need to be within 10 mins walk of the station wherever we move so as not to add too much to commute

That's your issue, 45 mins and you are in z3? You will really struggle to get an hour door to door commute outside of London.