To want to move to Sutton, South London

[YungMAMA]

Me and Dh are currently living in Hove, he grew up here and I grew up in the Sussex countryside. DH works locally as a mathd teacher, I commute into London. However, im increasingly frustrated at the long commute, often getting on for 1:30hr, 1:45hr.

I began looking at London but our budget of £450k means we are limited to less trendy boroughs. We ideally want south London for easy access to South Coast.

Yesterday we went to view the area as well as a few houses.Dh has said the areas we looked at were rough and that he wouldn't want DC to grow up in that area.

AIBU to think Sutton is an ok place to live. Can any of you on this site from that area give any insight. From research the schools are fairly good, I know its a grammar area with some of the Comprehensives being bad.

I moved from Brighton to Cheam and the difference in landscape and houses can take a bit of getting used to. The parks are great though and very close to countryside. We don’t have much need to go into Sutton centre to be honest, but it’s functional. The schools are more than just fairly good: excellent choices where we are, both for primary and secondary.
www.google.com/amp/s/www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/buying/new-homes/10-of-the-best-london-boroughs-to-move-to-for-good-state-schools-a125451.html%3famp

Sorry for duplication - thought it hadn’t posted!

I think that ideally we would move near a station. Anything within 40 mins to central London would be good. In regards to work, the thameslink stations are probably better so I guess that means Sutton, Carshalton and Hackbridge. The house we saw in Wallington was according to Google maps a 15/20 min walk from Hackbridge station through the park.

Cheam I have heard good things about but the prices do seem higher and of course no thameslink.

I think as well being in Oyster zones 4/5 would save me a lot as I wouldn't need to buy a season ticket which of course is very dear currently in Hove.

I think we should have another trip to the area at the weekend.

I wouldn't walk through a park in Hackbridge/Wallington in the dark.
Although to be fair, I prob wouldn't do that anywhere!

@Toomanycats99 so glad to see that Mr House is the Head, he was head of sixth form when I was there, brilliant bloke. Can’t praise them enough for their approach to mental health.

I’m also from Banstead and oh yes the travel still haunts me... To be fair the trains were decent but the buses were a let down, this was 10+ years ago though. Banstead is very suburban with a very strong vibe of “we think we’re middle class and therefore better than you”, closing down Greenacre probably dispersed a few of those cliques. Sutton isn’t bad, very average I’d say. Like ALL towns there are good and bad parts to it. Find yourself a nice house on a nice street and you’ll be sorted. Personally though I’d pick the coast and countryside any day. (I did and you couldn’t pay me to move back)

@SalemsMumHasGotItGoingOn

They are part of a mental health pilot at the moment.

My daughter has been working on something where she has had direct contact with him and she is amazed that he is so friendly and she can talk to him!

What the fuck is happening when nearly half a million is limiting people to ‘bad’ areas and ‘poky’ houses...

Have you tried looking between West Sutton station and Cheam? That should give some options in your budget (3 bed?).
West Sutton station serves Thameslink, although the direct services are slow, so more like 50 minutes to Blackfriars. If you change at Wimbledon (14 mins), Waterloo is 39 minutes from West Sutton station, with the change. Also, once at Wimbledon the tube and tram opens up more options too.

I know this one is sstc, but this sort of thing:
www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/52430057?utm_source=v1:5bWFDybfWx7C7AGpeagt7mP3PgcqjuqJ&utm_medium=api

@SalemsMumHasGotItGoingOn - Banstead does indeed have that vibe and if anything I think it's got stronger! The busses were indeed sketchy although they're a little more to time now. Don't get me wrong, it was a nice enough place to grow up but my DM says it's the unfriendliest place she's ever lived and I can see what she means.

Don't think closing Greenacre will have changed much as the site is now a prep- and an amalgam of Priory, Greenacre & Bramley. Cliques happen everywhere, any way. Watch you say about Greenacre girls, mind .

I reminder the hoo haa when a vape shop opened up in Banstead opposite Waitrose

@BigSandyBalls2015

Back in the day there were protests against the pizza shop being there - think they thought it brought down the tone!

Hi Op - just adding my two penneth worth as you say you've seen something in Wallington. My daughter lives there and in her experience, it isn't any more crime-ridden than other of the other local areas you mentioned: she loves living there and I know she feels very safe - even walking back from the station late at night. She commutes to the city via the mainline Wallington station and as a pp mentioned there are two trains an hour directly to London Bridge (25 minutes) and a more convoluted journey to Victoria which is 40 minutes. Be aware though that on the London Bridge train she rarely gets a seat as these are always packed (and as it's Southern, not always reliable!) Another positive thing I noticed when she was looking for a flat was that comparatively Wallington is reasonably priced, so if you've seen something there you like, I say seriously consider this as an area.

I can see that comments about commuting from Wallington to Central London aren't written by someone who uses our station. You are in LB in 30 min. Quite crowded though, near impossible to get a seat but OK as it goes fast. If you are commuting to Southwark, City or Charring Cross area you are going to be at work within 1 hour

I've lived in Wallington for the last 21 years. We have 2 v nice parks walking distance. Not sure if you have kids - primary schools are very good. Secondary - huge choice of them and a new one being built where Sutton Eye hospital was. My kids went to local Grammar schools (walking distance) but as they are grown up now I can't comment on how things are there now.

Advantage of living in W is that you are 5 min drive from Purley Way, Croydon or Sutton for shopping, few High street shops in W though, few more are being added in the Square. I know that schools are dying for Maths teachers so your DH won't have problem finding a job.

I like the fact that late the evening Friday or Saturday when I am coming from London I can get Northern Line and then 154 or 157 so that aspect of socializing is pain free.

like the fact that late the evening Friday or Saturday when I am coming from London I can get Northern Line and then 154 or 157 so that aspect of socializing is pain free.

Massive benefit for me too

@Toomanycats99 they were truly fantastic when I was there (left in 2011), my mental health was appalling and they did everything they could to support me. Don’t know if Mr Gardner is still there but he was great too (first impressions he’s grumpy as hell but he was one of the most supportive), so glad your DD likes it there!

@MrsToothyBitch I too attended Greenacre (before Greenshaw) and the snobbery and bullying was outrageous! Hopefully the new school in it’s place is an improvement.

Majorly outing myself as it’s unusual to have attended so many high schools but slightly further afield is the Royal Alexandra and Albert School (Reigate) and that’s an absolute gem, even better you can leave the kids there!

I’d vote for Belmont, it’s as far out of London you can be whilst still being in it, London Victoria is 25(?) minutes away and the M25 is literally RIGHT THERE. You’ve got Banstead Downs right there and before anyone points out the prisons, they’re out of sight and actually living near a prison is considered very safe.

@BigSandyBalls2015 people still look disapprovingly at the vape shop! And all the charity shops, chain coffee shops, dominoes & subway... and the proliferation of opticians and hairdressers!

@SalemsMumHasGotItGoingOn - I'm sorry you had such a bad experience! When were you there? I was 1994-2006. I was a bit of a geek so was teased a bit myself although never outright bullied/aware of a bullying problem. I never noticed it being snobby in the yrs above & directly below me but think the next couple of years below that had a few mini Regina Georges- doesn't take many . I had someone in my year who left Greenshaw due to bullying actually. She initially tried it on with a few of us & my form mistress stamped it out immediately!

@MrsToothyBitch blimey you were there a while! I was there 2004 - 2008, I was asked to leave quietly and not return for sixth form

Whenever a question about Sutton is asked, advice is given to consider Cheam or Epsom instead.. knowing all very well this baffles me. Cheam is dull, really nothing much there except a leisure centre and park, both of which are also available, with more facilities, in Sutton. Epsom is equally dull, with not much except a shopping street, with very similar shops to Sutton.

Sutton has excellent transport links, easy access to the tube, 2 mainline services, buses etc. It has theatres, recently refurbished cinema, excellent parks and swimming pools. Carshalton has lovely pubs and cafes, gorgeous ponds.

House prices and crime rates are at the lower end of London scales. There are no ‘rough’ areas, whatever that means. I will happily walk home, from the pub etc at any time of day or night.

It’s a really a nice, normal, convenient place to live.

@SalemsMumHasGotItGoingOn - if you were in yr 11 in 2008, I know most of your year & it wasn't a very nice one! I was 2 years ahead of you & had known some of that year since they were 4. And if it was still PMW as head, she did that to quite a few ppl over the years (not me but ppl I know of, were you considered a sinner?). Plus Yolanda as head of VI form (which was why I left)- you dodged a bullet!

Know Sutton well. HARD pass.

@JeezyPeeps

“I'm really confused by this comment.“

My Nan always used to use ‘salt of the earth’ as a nicer way to say rough round the edges.. just asked DH and he’s never heard of it being said like that, so must be one of those weird family phrases that make absolutely no sense to anyone else!

Sutton, a bit rough around the edges, but I like it!

I've lived in Wallington pretty much my whole life, and it is not a crime center at all, in fact it's so quite they closed the flipping police station, twice! Roundshaw that's a different story but every where has there rough areas. Wallington has 3 of the best grammar schools in London so hardly consider it a bad area

We lived in Shirley for 4 years and South Croydon for 2. We moved to Wallington 2 years ago and we are miserable. The council tax is OUTRAGEOUS (£800 more a year than Croydon - same bracket) with zero reason. We have been burgled twice, had the car stolen from our driveway, neighbor across and to the side burgled, and I’ve witnessed an alarming amount of anti social behaviour. Both in Sutton centre and Wallington high street. This borough has dropped rapidly in safety and reputation. I would move back to south croydon/Warlingham/Selsdon/Shirley in a heartbeat.

Hi. Have lived in South Sutton for 17 years. SM2 Cedar Road area. Very convenient for station (5 minutes) & shops it suits me perfectly.

For your budget you should get a semi detached in Mulgrave Road or similar or a large 3 bed maisonette on the Cedar Road side. Decide what is right for you and your family. I grew up outside the M25 and travelcard area. Having a night bus end in Sutton is another advantage for me. Good luck with your move.