Leaving London

[properg]

Don't get me wrong I know as secondary schooling approaches many people leave London but has anyone noticed it's more prevalent than usual? Lots of neighbours & friends left over the last yr but this week another 4 of my dcs classmates are planning to go over the summer & 2 are good friends of her/us. I think that makes 9 from the one class & only 1 has an sibling approaching secondary school.

It's making me feel a bit insecure for some reason & questioning whether we should be looking to go to?

whereever 'the sticks' are supposed to be that is...

I always found people in London incredibly transient.

@AbstractHeart The majority of my neighbours where I live (in London) have been on this street for at least 15 years. We moved in five years ago and are the newbies! So I think whilst your comment may be true of some parts or London, it certainly isn’t my experience.

@AbstractHeart that's what I am finding frustrating as I will be losing 2 good friends of myself & dc. Out of my NCT group all 5 others left before their dc started school so I think I thought once in early years it would calm down a bit. Plus I've lost 3 neighbours that I really liked too.

[quote gymbunny87]@QueefofSheena only a problem if you’re moving your children midway through school though presumably? Or am I wrong?[/quote]
A lot of primary schools have the tiniest catchments, so the prices in those areas are ridiculous. Where we are there are two huge new developments, neither are in the catchment of the schools that the builder brags about being outstanding. Unfortunately people only realise once they have bought. I’ve spoken to so many people who are on huge waiting lists and whose children go to school the other side of town where there are spaces in less popular schools.

My experience of the last yr is definitely different to previous years & I know a lot took advantage of the stamp duty saving.

I did it 10 years ago because I couldn't afford to live in catchment of good schools. The best schools were super selective grammars which would not have suited my children. Despite having never lived outside the M25 before this, I'm very happy with my choice and my children had a great education and had a great childhood.

Are you sure that the people you know don't have other worries like grammar schools, private schools, elderly parents etc?

It sounds boring.

Well that’s one thing we can agree on!

The people I know who moved all have had healthy budgets just wanted a bigger garden off street parking etc.

Off street parking - what a miserable reason to move house.

A lot of primary schools have the tiniest catchments, so the prices in those areas are ridiculous. Where we are there are two huge new developments, neither are in the catchment of the schools that the builder brags about being outstanding.

Tbf that's true for many parts of London so it's weird people wouldn't check. My dcs school has a furthest distance offer of a couple of hundred metres.

@QueefofSheena I’d have thought it only takes a quick phone call to the local ‘outstanding’ school to check your new home is within their catchment. It certainly always pays to do your research!

Are you sure that the people you know don't have other worries like grammar schools, private schools, elderly parents etc?

Schools are definitely a concern for one family, I need to catch up with my friends to find out more - class has been self isolating this week.

@Dongdingdong

It sounds boring.

Well that’s one thing we can agree on!

The people I know who moved all have had healthy budgets just wanted a bigger garden off street parking etc.

Off street parking - what a miserable reason to move house.

well said

Off street parking - what a miserable reason to move house.

I don't think I've said anyone has moved for that sole reason alone but perhaps in reality they have. Whatever it's their choice.

My experience of the last yr is definitely different to previous years & I know a lot took advantage of the stamp duty saving.

What they saved on stamp duty they’ll be shelling out in higher mortgage payments as vendors upped their asking prices accordingly - spread over a longer period of time though, granted.

Whatever it's their choice.

Indeed.

I'm not privy to all of their financial matters.

@properg there are high streets in z5 for sure. Maybe not as extensive but will have all the usual chains, not so much character and independent shops, nor as urban or vibrant as z2/3.

It's not the most exciting but pleasant enough, definite home counties vibe since we share borders, especially if you want off street parking and garden and quick drive to country parks and woodlands

know but they can be quite varied with some parts offering more then others. What I do appreciate about where I am now is having everything on my doorstep including nightlife. It's buzzy & people come to at as a destination if that makes sense.

Maybe I need to look around the outer zones though in more detail & consider them.

My eldest is year 4 and we are starting to see a lot of their friends leave. Most people are going back to be nearer to family. I Totally understand but it is really annoying! My youngest is in recption and basically I am trying to suss our who might actually stay so that I can focus energies on people who will still be around in 3 years! I also get really annoyed with people who justify their decisions by saying things like ‘well who would send their kids to secondary school in London’ when they know full well that that is what I plan to do (and just to the local bog standard comprehensive too!) London is a transient city and I’m just trying to get used to saying goodbye to people!

It's hard isn't it, one friend had sworn she was staying forever but she's let me down 😫

Hi OP

I am in London and muse about the pandemic exodus. Here is my thinking about staying / leaving:

• where do I have most opportunities work wise
• if my job is in London am I up for commuting, even if it's only twice a week and not being able to do school run etc.
• would it be good for my DH to leave London (career wise, health wise)
• am I up for leaving my friends and family
• am I up for starting again socially
• where is the best place for me to pursue my interests (arts and fashion)
• where is the best access to healthcare and specialists for my DC's health condition.
• am I keen to manage bigger house / garden etc

I know people will come on and say that arts great in other cities and healthcare etc but for me on that range of criteria London comes out on top.

@Itscoldouthere ah, you're v. close to us I suspect, we're down near Finsbury Park.
Yes, you're quite right, priorities do change. All those family centred beach, BBQ, bonfire days were great in the country - while they lasted, then we all just needed other things. And although it wasn't from want of trying but I always felt like a bit of an outsider... as did the kids. Now we've moved, they are both delighted to have a base in London, and having been away from it growing up, see it all with fresh and optimistic eyes. They can't get over its accessibility..
Anyway. Our new house here is half, maybe a third the size we had in the West Country, but it's been amazing to 'come home'.
I hope all goes well for you. X

We moved from zone 2/3 to zone 4/5 just before the pandemic. For us it was for secondary schools and for more space. Also, our previous (very trendy) area felt very transient, there is lots of fly tipping with mattresses dumped on the street etc. We just felt we didn't want to spend the next ten years in such an area!
Our new area is very green with good schools, little town centres nearby, decent connections into London and not too far from the countryside. And we have off-street parking! Whilst this never featured on my list of reasons to move I must say it's a joy

I think people have always moved for similar reasons. But I have found what the pandemic has brought about is people making more extreme moves to further away places, in the hope that WFH is going to be there for the long term! I have two friends who both moved abroad with their British husbands, on the premise that they can WFH. Another family moved seven hours away from London! They have all sold their houses! They are all loving where they live now but not sure what they are going to do when WFH finishes!
We had the opportunity to move to the South West a few years ago but decided against it because the long term job opportunities were just not comparable to London!

[quote gymbunny87]@QueefofSheena I’d have thought it only takes a quick phone call to the local ‘outstanding’ school to check your new home is within their catchment. It certainly always pays to do your research! [/quote]
Catchments change each year though. Last year for instance had fewer reception age children than usual in the area, so the catchment for a particularly good school was wider, but this year it’s much smaller. You would think people would do proper research but it just doesn’t seem to be the case. A friend who is SBM in a popular school gets calls and emails every day from hopeful parents, it’s very sad and the school’s hands are tied.

@Dongdingdong you're very invested argumentative in people not leaving London 😂

Off street parking is a fine reason to leave London. I now have a double garage and OMG it's great!

But seriously, I left London (and the UK 3) years ago when dc1 was in year 2. 98% of her class were foreigners like us (lots of Polish, Portuguese and Italian) and I'm surprised that we are the only ones who have 'gone home'.

@Dongdingdong

These places aren't cheap either for slightly more house than London suburbs.

Quite. Slightly more house for a shit commute, similar mortgage, worse quality of life and limited job prospects (unless you’re prepared to do the aforementioned shit commute - or have one of these fully remote jobs for life like the OP’s brother, in which case you could just buy a castle in Scotland and be done with it). Where do I sign up?

You know nobodies making YOU move, right? You can stay in London. Im not sure why you're so defensive.