To think the place DH wants to move to doesn’t actually exist?

[AngeloMysterioso]

DH and I are desperate to move for a number of reasons, but mostly because we hate our flat and we hate our neighbours even more. DH is also desperate to move out of London.

We can’t take my income into account for a mortgage as I’m currently on a short-term contract with no guarantee of a permanent role, which has obviously had an impact on our budget. Our current flat is shared ownership, which I’m happy to do again as we’ll only be in the next place for a few years, until I have a steady salary and we can go somewhere better. However DH is refusing to consider it unless we can get a 75% share which isn’t going to happen.
Otherwise the criteria is this:

• Budget: £240k outright or £300k Help to Buy (in which case it has to be a new build)
• Ideally a house, or a flat with outside space/a balcony
• Minimum 2 bedrooms as we hope to start ttc reasonably soon
• Within 1.5 miles of train station; I can’t drive and DH doesn’t have a car so needs to be walking distance
• Max 1hr train journey to London; we both work in the City
• Max £3.5k annual season ticket; we currently pay £1960 in Zone 4
• Ideally not a crappy area, but obviously anyone would say that!

DH is turning down virtually everywhere I suggest as the commute is too expensive/we can’t walk to the station/it’s a rough or rundown area. There just doesn’t seem to be anywhere that fits the bill, at least I haven’t found anywhere after many evenings searching!

It doesn’t exist, right?

You’d get a two bed house on the south coast, but longer than an hour to London and no idea how much a season ticket is.

Bracknell worth a look. As someone said upthread, it’s transformed in the last year with a great new town centre. Lots of new flats just being finished in the next few months. My DH gets to edge of the city, from Waterloo in 1.5 hrs door to door. Season ticket c £3.5k

Royston in Hertfordshire. Not sure about season ticket cost though.

Which station does your dh need to get to in London?

If DH is the one desperate to move, and is also the one vetoing everything because they don't meet his criteria... why isn't he the one doing all this legwork?

Luton? No idea on commute costs.

My job wouldn't pay nearly as much outside London, DH could potentially relocate but we'd be event more reliant on his salary than we already are and that would probably drop a fair amount too. Plus all our family and friends are here

There are some new builds in Milton Keynes but they're not within 1.5miles of the station, you could ride a bike and you would be able to use the redways so wouldn't need to go on the road. Some of the estates within walking distance are nice others not so much. I think most of the houses in wolverton are within 1.5 miles of wolverton station and there are some newer houses there which are near the leisure centre. Theres Bletchley as well round mk. I don't know how much the season ticket is from any of them though

Leigh on sea?
Laindon?

Easy commutes - although unsure how much they cost but very good service and nice areas too

Hayward’s Heath, Burgess Hill, Crawley, East Grinstead, Horsham (at a push)

One of the villages off of Hitchin/ Stevenage? They're lovely places to live and the houses are cheap. Not sure on the commute cost though.

I have no idea at all about houses/ areas around London but it seems like a lot of your search criteria is being dictated by not being able to drive/ not having a car. Might be a thick suggestion but could you, like, learn to drive and get a car? Would that make the search easier? I'm not taking the piss, I dont drive either or live near London so I don't know.

Season ticket Milton Keynes to Euston is over £5k
Leighton Buzzard around £4k

Yes, I hope he's putting some effort into searching too, seeing as he knows exactly what he's looking for .

I would have thought any distance up the East Coast Main Line would be too expensive for season tickets.

Can he cycle to the station - widen the search area?

Does it have to be properly outside of London? Lee would meet the rest of the spec.

Can you not find something in Lewisham / catford / croydon?

Season ticket cost is your main issue, the rest is very do-able. I'd echo others up thread who have said Leighton Buzzard/Bletchley/Milton Keynes. But you're looking at £4.5-5.5k.

Basingstoke

Not Bletchley 😱
Parts of MK are lovely.
Leighton Buzzard is not somewhere I'd recommend to be honest. Although some people love it.

Aylesbury.... you’ve got the new estate near Aylesbury vale train station

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60642448.html

For example. And Hampshire is lovely place to live.

Problem with HS1 from Kent to St Pancras is the cost - well over £3.5k.
The slow train is cheaper - about 1hr10 into London Bridge from Ashford. Plenty of housing available though and now we have the Little&Often buses from the outlying developments into the town centre getting to the station is much quicker. Roadworks are a bit nightmarish at the moment but that'll calm down eventually.
Ashford itself is in the midst of a huge overhaul, plenty of new housing stock coming on line both outlying and right bang in the town centre, 20 minutes to hipsterville coast towns, 20 mins to beaches.

He's looking as well!

We both work in the city, so main termini without having to get the tube would be Liverpool St, Fenchurch St, Cannon St, London Bridge.

We're sort of spoilt with the journey where we live now, it's less than 5 minutes walk to the train station and 25 minutes into the city. Unfortunately flats and houses round here are skyrocketing!

Or Waterloo plus Waterloo and city line..,, go for basingstoke! :)

Basingstoke, Hook, Leighton Buzzard, Hemel, MK? There's loads!

Although I grew up in Basingstoke and it's not fantastic - it's ok but go for Old Basing, Lychpit or Chineham, or outskirts if possible - so much nicer x