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?

5k!! Forget Northampton

Sorry I am not in UK now, is the season ticket per annum and unrestricted meaning you can use it on weekends if you wish?

Thanks.

Where I am an annual ticket can be provided by employer and tax and NI equivalent will be deducted. Great deal. Is there similar in UK?

Bishops’s Stortford in Hertfordshire is a market town that has properties within your budget and seems to fit the season ticket criteria. About 40 min commute to Liverpool street. Amenities, restaurants etc are all pretty good and also convenient for Stansted airport.

Can't believe the price of the train.

Someone I know has just moved to Grantham. 65 minutes to King's Cross. This is ten minutes walk from the station.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68890604.html

A season ticket is £7k but just think how low your mortgage repayments would be on a house that cost £120k. Must balance out, surely?

I’m thinking North Kent, like Rochester or Sittingbourne. Not as nice are Chatham and Gillingham, but are very cheap for the South East. Obvious choice for Liverpool Street is Southend or Leigh?

Ah I see you've considered Colchester - I live nearby and it ticks lots of your boxes but the commute is hellishly expensive (as you say, £6k). Also when that line goes wrong you are stuck...

Otherwise it is a great place to live....

North Kent could work. You could get the £3.5K commute from Gravesend and the train goes into London Bridge. There is a growing number of priced out of London commuters.

Gravesend would tick most of those boxes. Also Dartford, Greenhithe, Strood are worth considering.

What about Kent and Essex ? Bargains to be had there and fast trains to city exist

Chesham in Buckinghamshire? It’s at the end of the met line, season ticket 2,700ish and some cheaper properties there

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55236906.html

Zone 5 leafy London you can just about get a 2 bed - Petts Wood doesn’t feel too much like London but has all the benefits within reach. Lovely community feel. Excellent commuter trains take half an hour into Cannon St, London Bridge, Victoria, Charing Cross or City Thameslink etc. This 2 bed maisonette is £285k www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70704719.html

I live 18 minutes from a city centre- a UNESCO heritage capital. unemployment rates lower than London. Booming IT, Financial,, Biotech, Arts. 15 minutes from unspoilt coastline. 15 minutes to Airport.
No University fees.
My 5 bedroomed house house with a garden lies in ancient woodland,

cost me £205K three years ago.
Life doesn't get much better than this.

Victoria Court, Tower Court Mews, Westcliff-On-Sea
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-66212101.html

Annual season ticket c. £3.5k. Have to be careful in Westcliff-on-Sea as some parts bad but this bit is nice and is close to station.

P.s season ticket is around £1,775 for the year from Petts Wood to National Rail London terminals. It also has oyster if you want PAYG. You can add tube travel to the season ticket or like most just use oyster for ad hoc bus and tube fares.

If it werent for the fact that you hate the flat and area its clear that your best option would be to stay until you have a steady income.

So the one bit that you could change is the 75% - why is he adamant about that, if you were moving to your forever home or a longer term home I could understand but it looks like this is a shorter term move and because of that really does need to be in an area that you can see prices remaining good and easy to sell.

That also means you can keep commuting costs and time down as well

Dartford might be doable for a small house or newer flat. Season ticket without tube is around 2.5k into London Bridge or Cannon Street

We live in Buckinghamshire and love it. Try visiting Chesham, I think it meets your needs.

OK I think before you get carried away looking at lovely houses you need to decide whether you and your dh intend to both work in London when you have a child.

Balancing a long commute with childcare is tricky (unless you have very flexible childcare, eg family or live in nanny).
Trains get delayed, sometimes trains aren't very frequent, timetables change etc.
Children get ill and need picking up early ad hoc - do you/dh have family who can help? Or a very understanding employer?

Also consider how you'll feel about your child being, say, 50 miles away from you and dp all day during the week.

I know lots of people who have left London once they've had kids. They all either have a SAHP or one parent working locally (and doing all the weekday childcare) or family nearby to do pick ups.

OP not been back

so many good ideas here, I'm looking at Rightmove as well!

Farnborough/ Aldershot/ Ash Vale

I live in Ash Vale, our 2 bed flat with balcony is worth about 235,000, and a season ticket is 3700ish per year.

Sorry I haven't replied today, I have been reading everyone's advice and suggestions though, thanks so much!

dameofdilemma really good points, a few that hadn't occurred to me. DH and I work in the same firm (not close together or anything, it's a massive company) and they are an excellent company in terms of allowing flexibility to working parents.

I think one issue really is that DH is desperate to get out of London, whereas I love living here. I've suggested looking at shared ownership in SW London where I used to live- yes money would be tight for a few years but we'd be making a better investment there- but he just won't consider it.

I’m not sure how good of an investment a shared ownership flat (I presume) is in today’s current climate.

Or any property investment given Brexit. All those that voted leave - thanks for driving down house prices!