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 can quite honestly think of very little to redeem Epsom. And I've lived in some proper shitholes in my life, including being homeless in the most deprived town in Europe at one point - even that had more redeeming features than Epsom.

I truly hated living there.

Oh, one good point - I had a fabulous dentist there, who I still travel back to see (and thank the lord when I can leave Epsom again each time).

Crikey - if you think Epsom is a hole you wouldn't last 5 minutes in some parts of London.

PandasRock - do you realise that the just said you'd rather be homeless than live in Epsom?! Hahaha...

Most people who bash Epsom probably just can't afford to live here....

Yep - Epsom's paradise compared to most parts of the country.

I think you'll find I said the most deprived town in Europe (as it was at the time I lived there) had more redeeming features than Epsom.

I can more than afford to live in Epsom. Thankfully I can also afford to choose to live elsewhere.

Guildford and Woking are polar opposites....

Despite Farnham and godalming both being lovely I would be loathe to live much further out than guildford if you need to be in London regularly.

Guildford has good fee paying schools: RGS very academic but excellent with other good but less selective schools nearby. Good restaurants: but nowhere near as "social" as weybridge or Richmond and nice selection of shops so rarely a need to venture too much further afield.

Very few family homes in the 900-1.2m range and what is available goes like hot cakes. Although if you're budget is a lot bigger then you'd be fine

I think you'll find where I lived was considerably nicer and more expensive than Epsom.

I'd wager not more than my house Stratter5... And not nicer.., especially as you describe it is 'a hole'.

Umm, it's not a competition

And yes, Epsom is a hole. I am allowed an opinion, and my opinion of Epsom, having shopped there for two hellish year, is pretty fucking low. And that's not factoring in what it's like on big race days

St George's college in Weybridge might suit - but they might have changed their criteria since I knew about them! They used to be very sport-focused.

Weybridge is very nice but one of the most expensive areas in the country.

East Horsely is lovely

Look, any place could be considered a hole if you don't have happy memories there.

I have a number of friends in Epsom who LOVE living there. They have lovely houses in areas that suit them - completely different feel to the different areas.

It's smaller than Guildford, but it is a big town I'm afraid. There are areas that don't necessary FEEL like a big town, and there are a small number of hilly areas around there and you can find places with beautiful views.

But that can be said of most of Surrey, really.

Where I live we have the most amazing view, we are hard pressed to get new guests back inside because they stand there for ages admiring the view.

Not 5 minutes away by car are areas that I wouldn't want to live in at all, FOR MYSELF. Others love them.

Each to their own.

Jaded... It is what you make it...

And it is beautiful. When I walk my daughter down our lovely tree lined street full of lovely houses and friendly people... to our offstead rated outstanding primary school 400m away, I feel very lucky to live here.

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Oxted is nice. I live in Warlingham which I love. Lots of old people but lovely community and village green. Houses not that easy to come by though and sell fast. Good transport to London and bus ride to croydon which is in the process of a massive regeneration with a Westfield being built soon.

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Gomshall is lovely, agreed!

Lovely :)

You seem to be taking this very personally; there's decent parts in most towns/areas. You love where you live, I hated it with a passion. You'd probably hate where I live now, but I love it because it's stunningly beautiful, the schools are outstanding, and I'm five minutes from exquisite and practically empty beaches.

Definitely, I adore Cornwall

I love Surrey and Cornwall!

I've lived in Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex. I have to say where I live now is my favourite - Farnham in Surrey, it's the first place I've lived where I really feel part of the community. Like all counties there are good and bad parts, which is why threads like this are great for highlighting the good bits.

There is only one big race weekend a year in epsom.

If you have DSs only and going private there is a lot of choice of prep schools around guildford but far less for secondary RGS and not much else round Guildford, weybridge would offer a greater choice of school.

I know Surrey well and my top three would be Molesey for proximity to London but village feel, Guildford for schools and quaintness and Dorking for market town feel and countryside. Many pockets of Surrey are gated ghettos if you are spending mega money to buy a larger house and you will be getting in the car just to buy a pint of milk. if you want to get to know people chose a walkable area.