To ask what demographic Ealing is?

[neverkillamockingbird]

Hi,
Dh is being relocated to Ealing this year after years abroad.
We both come from middle class backgrounds and I was born and raised in maidavale.

Many years abroad and now I’m completely out of the loop.

What demographic is Ealing? Whilst visiting whilst looking for houses, I can’t seem to put my finger on it. We are thinking of haymills if anyone knows?

Schools are very important to me as we have 3 children, but there aren’t any grammar schools....

Should I go private?

Sorry I’m completely lost in this situation and it’s been hectic to try and research or buy as I’m oversees.

Any advice is very appreciated.

Sorry to meant to link to North Korean embassy in London

everyone unanimously agrees Chiswick is best

Everyone unanimously agrees Chiswick offers the kind of naiceness you seem to want. Whether that's "best" is up to you.

Can't help you with schools but have lived in many areas of Ealing (live in Acton now...we don't have a Waitrose....).

Haymills has made me laugh, it's like an estate agent saying East Acton Green or Southall Village . Haymills (aka Park Royal) would be fab in terms of probably getting a larger house for your money however it will be awful for traffic as any minor issue on the A40 it backs out. I'd want to be on the other side of the North Circ for that reason ie Pitshanger (which has always been a naice area, I loved living there!), but I'd also look at Northfields and perhaps even South Ealing (proper, not South Acton rebranded).

Chiswick is ok but I think it's taken a bit of a dip recently in terms of the high street and lots of shops closing...plus it's fringed with iffy places....are Kew and Richmond too far out for you?

What does your husband do and why don’t they provide accommodation if he needs to be available and close by?

Also Haymills is basically a posh (wanky) way of saying Park Royal.

The houses near Park Royal are cheaper than Pitshanger because it is not as popular. Fewer facilities and bounded by the A40, the North Circular and an industrial estate.
Chiswick might be more suited to you but not your budget. There are some amazing houses in Ealing but you’re looking at £3million + for detached on the nicest streets.
Pitshanger and Northfields are both great. There are quite a few local Facebook groups you could join to find out more but I would highly recommend refraining from using the phrase “rough as fuck”.
HTH

What iffy places is Chiswick fringed with, I'm confused? Do you mean Acton and Hammersmith? If Acton and Hammersmith are iffy I don't know what that says about most of the rest of the country!! Also surely Ealing is fringed with Acton?

Parts of Acton are lovely and definitely within your price range OP. How old are your kids? There are quite a few good primaries in the area.

Thanks everyone some really great advice.

Seems like pitshanger and Northfields win.

Houses in Park Royal (have now learnt it’s not called haymills as estate agents call it) are nice but agree perhaps the traffic may be an issue.

Seems like Chiswick may be out of my budget.

Sorry for ignoring the husband question... but don’t see how my husbands job affect any of you.

Thanks to all the helpful comments, appreciate them.

If you want to live near the Boden shop in Park Royal check out nearby Harlesden and Stonebridge. Right up your street!

“Sorry for ignoring the husband question... but don’t see how my husbands job affect any of you.”

You asked for advice. None of this affects any of us.
People asked because if you don’t have to be right in Ealing, you might get more bang for your buck elsewhere.....

St Stephen’s might suit you well. There’s a “project” house for sale on Wimbourne Gardens.
The one on Neville Rd in the Brentham Estate is in a lovely location just by the cricket grounds.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-79675799.html

There are some lovely big houses between St Mary’s Road and Ealing Common.

OP I would avoid park royal. It's not great. south acton, acton Central and anything calling itself north chiswick is likely in your price range. Chiswick proper can be pricey (you pay for the w4 postcode) west ealing is good as is northfields as PP have said. Ealing common is gorgeous but might also be out of your price range. Are you in a position to rent before you buy?

Sorry for ignoring the husband question... but don’t see how my husbands job affect any of you

Charming! People have gone out of their way to help you, why be rude?

It affects the recommendations you’ll get, op. Obviously
Don’t be an arse.

Some people have been helpful to the OP Argumentative. An awful lot of others have piled in to sneer and have a go.

It's a while since I lived there, but that bit up towards Park Royal, not much there in terms of a centre. Northfields and Pitshanger are nice little high streets, Ealing Broadway more of a small town centre. The Bentham Garden Estate up towards Pitshanger Lane is pretty. Some very nice big houses on The Avenue running up from West Ealing Station, where you will find a Waitrose.
Three trainlines (well, two Tubes and a rail line, plus Crossrail one day) from Ealing Broadway. West Ealing High Street was a little less full of naice coffee shops when I lived that way, but suspect some gentrification will have happened.

I’ve lived in the haymills estate and now live in Hanwell. Hanwell is on cross rail line and has pubs and restaurants. Most ealing schools are great and lots of secondaries and private schools. There is one restaurant in haymills and a dodgy bar. Traffic on north circular is awful.

Pitshanger, Northfields and between Ealing Broadway and South Ealing station are good areas where you could get a nice family home within budget. However, it's likely to be semi detached. I'd avoid Park Royal/West Acton/ "Haymills".

I can't believe estate agents are trying to pass off Park Royal as "Haymills" they truly have no shame.

Ealing is great, what a lovely place to be re-located to. Definitely a good place to have a family, lots of tree lined streets, parks and cafes. As a few have mentioned, it definitely isn't as cool or exciting as some other areas of London but that doesn't sound like what you are looking for.

Ealing is huge, so the specific location where your DH is working may well influence your choice of house if he really has to be on site in 10 minutes. I appreciate that you don't want to disclose his specific workplace, however it can take 30 minutes in bad traffic to get from Ealing Broadway to Hanger Lane which is less than a 2 mile journey. Also if his work is on the edge of the borough then you may choose to buy in the next borough over, a few have mentioned Chiswick and Kew, both lovely areas. If he is working down on the A4, Sky for example then they actually run a commuter shuttle bus which runs through Ealing - this may also affect your choice.

In terms of 'nice' areas that fit your description, I have a few to add onto those already mentioned, including The Common, South Ealing, Northfields, Castlebar Park, Drayton Green, Pitshanger and Perivale.

You need to be realistic. I think your budget may limit your choice quite a bit OP, possibly more than you realise.

Maybe have a look and come back with specific areas.

I can't believe estate agents are trying to pass off Park Royal as "Haymills" grin they truly have no shame.

I remember when Brentford when through being "North Kew" and "Brentford upon Thames" in estate agents. You know its really arrived when they over price the properties whilst still badging them Brentford.

I'm also agog at some of the places being described as desirable but budgets don't go far in Western boroughs these days.

@cortex10 that's exactly what I assumed
and fistbump @MissGuernsey - Harlesden it is! get a lot of square footage for your money there