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?

I have family in Hertford and Ware and I think both towns would fit your criteria. Hertford is a bit nicer and has more amenities but neither are crappy. House prices in Ware generally slightly cheaper but Hertford has the added bonus of two train stations so can get directly into Kings Cross or Liverpool Street.

Outskirts of Bath. M4 corridor. Just over an hour to Paddington . Good luck.

Debden, Epping, parts of Chingford - don’t know if it counts as out of London but you are near the forest

Southend? Leigh?

Can you still do Help to buy when you already owned?

Birchview, The Plain, Epping, Essex, CM16
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73715474.html

New development of an old building in Harlow?
fr.zone-secure.net/-/eDinburghHouse/-/#page=1
2 mins to station, opposite a farm, walkable to cinema, 40 mins to Liverpool Street...£4.6k season ticket per year

No advice but my husband is the same! I'm currently starting a business so our mortgage is low as it's based on his salary. Every house we see, he's like "if we picked up that house and moved it up the road, I would love it", but he doesn't seem to understand that if the house was up the road, it would be £20k more and therefore out of our price range!

He keeps vetoing perfectly nice houses because he can see a car park or warehouse out of the window, or it needs some work... He is chasing a white whale!

So, no advice, but thank you for the reassurance that it isn't just me suffering in this way!

lots of places but its impossible on the 3.5k train.

Crossrail is coming in Dec, meaning it’ll be under 20 mins to central London m.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/48041432?search_identifier=e88fea640d9a71d2cf7aa0a11af7002e

Dundee? 1hr flight to London.

https://www.tspc.co.uk/4-Bed-Detached-Villa-For-Sale-10-Adam-Drive-Dundee-DD3-0SS

Farnborough, closer to London on the Waterloo line than Basingtoke, the town centre is currently being regenerated, plenty of houses in your budget.

Actually Harlow is £3.6k season ticket with no underground - the £4.6 includes the tube 😀

And Edinburgh house will have a roof garden, no balconies though

Look at the virgin/west miss train line from Euston, MK, rugby, coventry, all fit the bill, but your season ticket costs will be higher. It’s 48 min to London from rugby with loads of development going on walk distance to station eg this which is about 10 min walk from station, and right by college, shopping park etc
Technology Drive, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71218055.html

Woking in sunny Surrey? Huge revitalisation going on there and 27 minutes from Waterloo. £3.2k for a season ticket

Article on London's most affordable commuter towns;

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42578164

You'd get the property if you moved out to Essex and would be happy with a flat rather than a house but the season ticket would be about 5k. You could live further south eg Thurrock but it's quite rough, if you look at Havering eg upminster the season ticket is cheaper because it's zone six but your budget won't get you a one bed

@resignedtoresigning season ticket from Leigh is around £4800 and that's just to fenchurch Street, you also won't get much within a mile of the station for £240,000, unless you look at a flat in Eastwood (Leigh by postcode) but then you're looking at a good few miles on the bus to a station which adds to cost and travel time

Dartford? No idea what it's like but the commute might be within your budget.

I would defo consider relocating as you need to factor in length & cost of commute plus if you have a DC future childcare costs. Plus if I was looking to buy now I would aim to future proof & ideally would skip the 2 bed flat & go straight for a house. Some neighbours/friends have relocated & although their jobs pay 10-15% less their money goes so much further.

Obviously if your 25 my advice is less relevant!

Nuneaton, in the Midlands :)

Originally, I was just checking for the sake of it, it has a large season ticket price of 7K ( I know - too much) but you can get a few amazing houses in your budget, its an hours commute and its not a bad area

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=POSTCODE%5E197146&minBedrooms=2&maxPrice=290000&minPrice=190000&radius=1.0&sortType=1

Good Luck though, its tough trying to find somewhere you will both like that fits the criteria.

Some of the places suggested are much too expensive for OP's budget. Haywards Heath, Hertford, Chingford, Epping are all pricey for anywhere half decent. You would get more house/flat for your money in Harlow or Crawley.

Reigate? Grays?

Northampton can get you 2 beds for your price range & into Euston in less than an hour on a direct train.

No idea about the cost of a season ticket though!