Where to live in Berkshire?

[Timmette03]

We are relocating to the area and will need to be within approximately 30 minutes drive of school in Woolhampton. Any recommendations of nice areas would be really appreciated alongside any to avoid, we will need to rent before we buy? What is Reading itself like? We will be coming to visit but just to get an idea of what I am looking at online. We have a school sorted and no commute needs to be factored in. Would really appreciate any help.

Reading is brilliant - nice range of shops, restaurants, stuff going on. The uni has a lot going on for residents as well as being a lovely green space. The buses are great and apart from being expensive so are the trains. However, if you want to drive to Woolhampton in less than 30 minutes it's not for you. Is there a school bus?

Hungerford is lovely. I was born near there but you have to pay HAT (Hungerford Added Tax) and there's only one supermarket.

If you are renting, could you not stay in Woolhampton or one of the nearby villages. They are all nice.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/172045985#/?channel=RES_BUY

This was posted on here recently. Not at all far from Woolhampton!

How old is your child? If they are nearing teenage years I wouldn't want to live that far out in the countryside. Tilehurst might be a good shout as it's at the end of the famous number 17 bus route (into Reading) but 21 mins to Woolhampton.

When we came over on secondment to decide whether to relocate, big boss said to DH, 'FFS, don't take her to Bracknell if you want her to say yes, take her to Reading!' (We had no idea of the Reading hate at that time).

So we went to Reading, the bastard's plan worked, and here we are. I'm really quite fond of Reading. It has good facilities and restaurants. Shopping isn't what it was when we first came here, but that's everywhere, isn't it?

Caversham is nice (okay, I'm biased), as are Newbury and Thatcham, as well as Pangbourne. I wouldn't go Tilehurst, myself.

If the school is Elstree then look at Newbury and the surrounding villages - most of the families will be based around there and very unlikely Reading.

Sorry I should have added Pangbourne, Goring etc to the north of the M4. And when I was referring to Reading, I mean more central.

DC is 10 but I am not worried about teenage years this move is only for 3 years. Thank you for all these tips and advice, I’m going to research all of them.
I did look at that house linked to it’s very pretty. We currently live in the South East and our “big” city is not great, I’m hoping Reading will be better it’s substantially bigger.

Burghfield and Mortimer have a nice vibe (I live there) but unless your DC is going to local school it may be a bit isolating. Burghfield Common has no local pub if thats important. I would head over to Padworth/Aldermaston/Brimpton Woolhampton way or stick to north of the A4 ie Beenham, Bucklebury etc as you have the budget for it.

The house a PP posted has been on sale for aaaaages and shares a driveway, I think, as I discounted it in my future lottery win search.

Another thing to consider is the border with Hampshire. It actually runs down the centre of the Padworth Road out of Burghfield Common.