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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder if there are ANY houses for sale within commuting distance of London for a reasonable price?!

129 replies

MrsMcgee · 14/08/2011 20:05

Someone come and help us find somewhere to live!
We are currently in Oxford which is 2 hours each way, my poor DH certainly cant do it long term and we want to move closer in.

The trouble is, everywhere within what is a reasonable commuting time and a nice area is about half a million for your average family home!

We are currently looking at Chelmsford, Ashford (kent) and are starting to think about Reading. We would love other suggestions of places we have missed!

We have a budget of about 325,000 and want a 4 bed ideally. Somewhere with fairly good schools and a few ducks to feed :o the closer the better. Am I a bit pie in the sky?!

Wine given for best suggestion! :o

OP posts:
Valpollicella · 15/08/2011 22:39

But if Op's OH has to get to Waterloo, from Paddington then that's another 30 mins (at least)

Surely better on one of the SWT into Waterloo routes?

cece · 15/08/2011 22:41

We moved here about 5 years ago. I narrowed it down by;

looking for good transport links on map
visiting favoured places with kids and taking them to play in the park. I then struck up conversations with other mums to suss out what they thought of the area.

Good luck!

justpaddling · 15/08/2011 22:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cece · 15/08/2011 22:42

Had alook at the lovely houses near to Woking station and they are all £600,000 plus Shock

Original poster
MrsMcgee · 15/08/2011 22:43

Ok heres the top 10 (ish) in no particular order:

  1. Woking (Perhaps a bit too expensive).
  2. Petts wood
  3. Orpington
  4. Croydon
  5. Purley
  6. Redhill
  7. Basingstoke
  8. Farnborough
9.Guildford 10. Epsom 11. Sutton

We also likes Sevenoaks but its a bit ££ and Reading but it goes into the wrong station (cheaper though).

Any advice?!

OP posts:
GastonTheLadybird · 15/08/2011 22:44

Another vote for Ewell, or Epsom. I can get to Westminster in about 45mins door to door. Reasonably priced, big duck pond and very good schools - Wallace Fields if you are right side of village is superb. Secondary there are grammar schools (Sutton for boys, Nonsuch for girls) as well as good single sex state schools (Glyn and Rosebery).

cece · 15/08/2011 22:45

Guildford is even more £££ than Woking. Does have some good schools Primary and Secondary at Burpham /Merrow end of town.

If Woking is too expensive then can I suggest you look at New Haw or Byfleet or maybe West Byfleet (but again this can be £££)

cece · 15/08/2011 22:46

Oh and the main thing we compromised on was the fourth bedroom. Our house had 3 when we bought it. Subsequently when we had some more money we have been able to build an extension with the extra bedroom.

lisad123 · 15/08/2011 22:48

do consider herts, its within 30min of london, has plently of green space and some great schools

Suttonalia · 15/08/2011 22:51

Ok, have namechanged for this thread Grin

Sutton would be good.

Train from Sutton to Wimbledon, then to Waterloo - there in 40 mins. Or Sutton to Clapham Junction, then Waterloo)

For £325,000 you'd get a 3 bed detached (or possibly one less close to the station, not detached but 4 bed). Plus lots of open spaces and amazing catchment areas for schools.

Close to Kingston for going to the river to feed the ducks Grin. Very close to Box Hill etc for trips to Surrey country side.

VirgoGrr · 15/08/2011 22:53

You've probably stopped reading by now, but thought I'd shove in my two-pennorth.

We've just moved to Worcester Park, Surrey. 30 mins by train to Waterloo.
Nice & quiet, lots of parks. I hear the schools are good. I think its in your budget.

We're renting for now because we've come from t'north & not sure about areas either, but believe me, we've looked at every bloody house in SW Greater London in the last month.

GastonTheLadybird · 15/08/2011 22:54

Yes, unlikely to get a 4 bed in Surrey for your budget. Guildford is lovely but if Woking is too expensive for you, cross it off the list, it's the most expensive place on there. Epsom is a bit cheaper but not much.

Comparing Guildford and Epsom to Croydon and Farnborough is like comparing apples and pears. As places they have very different feel.

Herts is crap commute into Waterloo I think, stick to Surrey and Kent really.

Original poster
MrsMcgee · 17/08/2011 09:36

Sorry dd has a bug so i spent last night in the bathroom, Just got her off to sleep!

One thing we're thinking is perhaps it's a good idea to buy in a nice area with the hope of moving a few years down the line... It's harder to move area with the children in school etc.
Liking the look of Sutton there are quite a few train routes out so that's good. I'm wondering whether to cross reference by mumsnetters opinion or schools next - schools sounds like an infinitely long job!
Thanks for all the help :)

OP posts:
FakePlasticTrees · 17/08/2011 09:51

Well, I'm in Sevenoaks, it is nice, less than half an hour to Waterloo East, we've got a whole waterfowl reserve full of ducks, although you're budget would get you a 3 bed, not 4.

You could probably get this for your budget, and I know others on that road have extended, but you'd need to do some painting to just make it liveable from the outset. Upsides, it's less than 10 minutes to the station.

FakePlasticTrees · 17/08/2011 09:56

what about this? Also Sevenoaks - even cheaper, doesn't really need work, 3 bed with a garage you could go over. Walkable to station, walkable to the duck pond, walkable to a very good butcher!

same street

FakePlasticTrees · 17/08/2011 09:57

Oh and Tonbridge is the next station out on the same line, only an extra 15 mins on the train, but your money goes a lot further.

pleasenap · 17/08/2011 10:10

Worcester Park [http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-29447063.html 4 bed semi] less than mile from station, 30min to waterloo

twyford, berks - more likely to get 3 bed for that price, 25min to london on fast trains

Ruislip - mainline and central line into Marylebone 20min, then another 20min to Waterloo on bakerloo

ewell is nice, new malden?

Deflatedballoonbelly · 17/08/2011 10:13

Sevenoaks, Wrotham, Bromley, Chislehurst, Tonbridge, Orpington (not St Pauls or St Marys Cray)

MotherOfSuburbia · 17/08/2011 19:50

Ooh pleasenap - we looked at the Worcester Park one during our searches. Horrid! Other nice stuff around though...

VirgoGrr · 17/08/2011 20:39

Stoneleigh Broadway is the other side of the railway to Worcester Park and is not as nice. That one is 20k under the budget though, if you fancied doing some improvements.

DadAndy · 18/08/2011 13:39

you may have discarded it, but i'd second leighton buzzard
we moved there this year with 2 ds, and there's lots to do
i commute to the city, and can do it in an hour door to door
and house prices are very reasonable for what they get you

juveen · 18/08/2011 21:25

That will buy you a massive pile in Bedford 37 mins to Kings Cross .

MissBetsyTrotwood · 18/08/2011 21:29

One of the faaaamily just bought a place in Bearsted (near Maidstone) for that. Think the secondary school situation in Sevenoaks can be a bit difficult unless you've pots of cash. Not an expert on this though.

edam · 18/08/2011 22:25

Friend of mine is in Sevenoaks. V. nice but not cheap and v. Tory (which may be your kind of thing, but if it isn't, then perhaps not your ideal spot). Kent still has grammar schools.

eicosapentaenoic · 18/08/2011 22:38

www.commuterguide.co.uk/ London commuter guide website - we chose High Wycombe (Bucks grammar schools)