AIBU to be so worried about moving to the right area in Surrey I may not end up moving at all

[blunderandfrightening]

Moving out of London and preferred area is Surrey. The thing is I can't see us ever moving because we are so worried about getting the area right.
AIBU to think the choice is so vast that we will never move.

Where would you recommend in the Surrey area.

Good schools, pretty location but close to a station?

I don't think anyone has mentioned Thames Ditton - near Esher but a very different sort of place.

It might help to remember that there is no law to say that once you have made this move, you are not allowed to move again.

If it doesn't work out, you can always move somewhere else!

I'm in Surrey - just..... btw and I love it.

I'm from haslemere - the state schools are good there, my primary is one of the best in the country apparently. But I think op said they are looking at private schools - of which there are a lot in haslemere.

I live on the Surrey/Sussex border. Even if I had £1m I wouldnt moved to the Earlswood/Redhill area. It's not the nicest. Nor Horley or Salfords. What about Horsham in West Sussex has Christ's hospital school which one of the top in the country. Lots of lovely places in surrounding villages and you don't pay surrey premium prices being over the border. It's on the main Portsmouth to Victoria trainline. You can also get to London Bridge in around an hour.

Stratter5 - I thought I was a lone voice in saying I really hated Epsom - it seemed like a travesty to admit it on here because so many people seem to love it......very glad to be over the border now - although the driving and traffic are still appalling in TW, especially the 4x4 brigade!

We are on the Berkshire/Hampshire/Surrey borders and it is great here. I commute into Guildford for work but wouldn't want to live there. Farnham's lovely though, it's at the top of my short list for our forever home move in 5 years or so.

Unless you have particular ties to Surrey, I'd suggest Winchester in Hampshire like someone upthread mentioned.

I lived there for a few years, less than an hours commute to London and has really good state and private primary/secondary schools and a highly regarded 6th form college. Great transport links with buses/trains

I always thought it was a good place to grow up- plenty to do as a child and as well as teenagers.

Bit pricey for housing and I imagine the train cost to London is pretty expensive (same for places such as Haslemere though) but you've previously mentioned you have a good budget

Weighbridge and walton on thames v nice. Godalming and Farnham v nice. Train to waterloo around 45 mins but be aware its one line.

On monday and friday this week there horrific delays and cancellations. If that happened to you could working from home be a possibilty.

I always end up defending Woking on these threads. Traffic is admittedly horrendous, but I have lived there for over 20 years, have lots of friends, easily avoid the golf club set, don't find it at all depressing, etc. best things IMO are ease of access to limitless beautiful countryside for walking combined with convenience to get to airports/London/coast, good ethnic shops, diverse but genuine community, west end level theatre... Guildford has fancier shops but perhaps is a little more stockbrokerish - countryside south of Guildford is absolutely lovely and lots of lovely villages there, but commute worse from there. What are your top requirements on your wish list?

Epsom is an absolute hole. I hated it there. Horrible poky town, with nightmare traffic. Train journey ridiculously long given where Epsom actually is (closer in to London than we are now, but easily twice the journey length). Houses stupidly overpriced.

I am always surprised to read so many people actually like it there.

Alice, i lived in what used to be a village outside woking, i like woking just wouldn't want to live in the area around the train station, unless it has improved in the last 20 years

LOADS of pubs in Farnham (used to be a big hop growing area). Lovely villages nearby, eg Elstead, Tilford, although this might take you a bit far away from the station. (1hr to Waterloo)

Tilford is a classic village with cricket pitch on the green with pub and ancient oak right in the middle.

If not Surrey, I agree about Winchester - lovely.

PandasRock - Epsom is not a hole

I'm in Stoneleigh in Epsom and it is lovely. The schools are great, so many amenities and 20 minutes to London. Private and state schools, fantastic state secondaries (Glynn, Roseberry & Nonsuch) and the people are so friendly.

If you're looking for a "forever" move and not just focused on the short-term then remember that cross-rail will transform the commute from places in Berkshire and make them quicker than many in Surrey.

3-4 years before it opens so this may not be an option but, if it is, then look at Twyford and Maidenhead areas.

Do you want a real 'village' village? Or a bit of a commuter town? or a proper town?

it makes a big difference!

I live in a village, just minutes from two towns, so have the advantage of all of it.

I will PM you details.

Epsom so is a hole. So is Leatherhead. Epsom is Romford, stuck in the middle of Surrey. And Surrey is one great continuous Billericay. If I'm completely honest, I'd rather live in Essex. At least Essex is fairly honest about what it is.

Seriously Stratter5?! There are very ordinary parts of Epsom, but others parts are absolutely gorgeous, still a walking distance from the station. Leatherhead is great, again if you are in the right area - a friend from there recently told me how hesitant she had been about moving there, and now that she's there she never wants to move.

Haslemere is awesome. Fast train to London. Great little town in the middle of country side. 50 mins to waterloo, 4 trains an hour. Great state schools, loads of private schools. Loads locally with kids. Quick to get to loads of places in the car. We've been here four years and love it.

I've lived just outside Epsom, I used to ride up round the gallops. Epsom is awful.

I lived in Givons Grove. Epsom is a shithole. Leatherhead isn't much better.

Elstead is lovely - it's between Farnham and Guildford. It doesn't have a station but you can drive to Guildford (20 mins) or Godalming (15 mins) or Farnham (10 mins) or Farncombe (15 mins), Milford station (5 mins) or even Witley (5 mins) to get trains to Waterloo. Guildford trains are 35 -40 mins to Waterloo and all the others are about 50 mins. Elstead is a largish village with a good State primary and other good Primary's locally. For Private boys you have Aldro which is about 5- 10 minutes drive in Shackleford or Barrow Hills (10 mins drive), King Edwards in Witley (15 mins drive), The Royal in Hindhead (20 mins drive), Frensham Heights (15 mins), Barfield (5-10 mins) or there are more in Guildford. The Village is quite big with a Shop, a Vets, a Doctors, Chiropracter, Chemist, Florist, Hairdressers and a few other business dotted around. For shopping you can go to Farnham, Aldershot, Camberley, Guildford, Godalming. The coast is an hour away through the new Hindhead tunnel. The Village has a great community feel and there are plenty of annual events that everyone gets stuck into - Marathon, Pancake Race, Paper Boat Race, BBQ's. There are 2 pubs (and plenty more within 5 minutes drive), 2 drinking type venues (one in the Cricket Pavilion). There are 3 or 4 parks and masses of walking, cycling and getting out and about areas. The local common land has been used for filming of Macbeth and Skyfall. There are bus services to Godalming, Farnham and Guildford if your boys are old enough to travel on their own. It truly is a lovely place to live :) I have lived in Camberley, Godalming and Guildford for the last 25 years but moved here a few years ago and can't see me going anywhere else! We have a village facebook page - look for Elstead Village in facebook and it will come up :)

But you didn't even live in Epsom... It's nothing like Essex. Where I live is beautiful.