Where to live?

[HouseHunta]

Hello. We’ve been researching and exploring for months but cannot settle on an area. We’ve even tried property consultants but it’s hard with no area in mind!

We are looking to leave our home in central London and move to the suburbs. We want a large detached home with a nice garden and want to really feel like we are in the countryside even though we aren’t.

Our parents live near Watford and Northwood and we both commute daily to Canary Wharf. We want a relatively easy journey to work (so just changing trains once) and also to be within perhaps 30-40 mins of our parents in Watford/Northwood.

Can anyone help us find a home or narrow down an area? We love places such as Oxshott and Cobham but they’re rather far from our parents. Someone suggested Chalfonts but the journey involves changing trains 3 times.

Any help please?

i have been in kent for 8 years now. love it. good transport links, loads of lovely villages around maidstone, good schools and cheap house prices. plus we can get down to the coast in 30 mins. happy to suggest areas

Thank you! But Kent to Northwood seems very far?

What kind of budget do you have? St Albans is lovely and you'd change trains once at Farringdon to get to Canary Wharf, it's also near Watford. There are various different villages within in it, such as London Colney, Sandridge, Colney Heath, Tyttenhanger, all at different price points.

Budget??

How interesting! I looked at St Albans because of the train into farrington and then the Elizabeth line which would work well. But I couldn’t find the “country” feel, it seems quite built up on Rightmove.

£2-£2.5

The main part of St Albans is, but Sandridge, Colney Heath and Tyttenhanger in particular sound like what you're looking for. Park Street village might also be worth a look, you'd have to drive to St Albans station in the mornings though.

Thank you for this, I’m going to look them up. Ideally we wouldn’t want to drive every morning given it’s 5 days a week.

How about Hertford or one of ghe villages along the Hertford line.

Ooh I know nothing about these areas. Can you tell me a bit more or give me some names to google?

Had a look and it all seems too built up.

Haslemere - train to Waterloo, tube to Canary Wharf. About 1hr 5 mins drive to Watford.

Think you actually need to go and visit these places instead of dismissing based on RightMove pics though.

Sadly too far from our family. But it is a lovely place!

Harpenden?

It's unlikely you'd get somewhere right out in the countryside but walkable distance to a railway station don't you think?
Those areas suggested near St Albans are not considered built up?
So am a bit puzzled as to what you are envisaging.

I suppose the houses near Oxshott that we’ve seen were about 15 mins walk to the station and also very rural. So it does exist!

It sounds like you’re going to need to prioritise either being close to the parents OR an easy journey to work OR living in a countrified area. I’m not sure you’re going to get all 3.

Which is most important to you?

Ah okay. Ridge (also in Hertfordshire) might suit, it's a small village so you'd have to drive to Borehamwood station (not far, 10ish min drive), and then it's the same train route you'd take from St Albans. But it's in a green belt so tonnes of open green space, village pub etc. There's a 4 bed with lots of land listed atm with a sky view that gives you a nice idea of the area and space. 4 bedroom detached house for sale in Cross Oaks Lane, Ridge, Potters Bar, EN6

Oh this looks gorgeous and exactly what I meant!! Right I think I’ll go explore the area tomorrow!

Broxbourne, st margarets, rye house, ware are villages on the Hertford East line.

Wendover ? https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/156618119

Tring https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/160472138

Beaconsfield https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/160655642