To want to move my family to London

[Miralala]

I've been offered a job in Zone 1 (mix of wfh and 5 hour return commute on diff days).

I really want to take the opportunity to live in London now, as live fairly rubbish city I don't like - however we have the 'ideal' life now with great schools, 3 bed semi, leafy suburbs, nice little high street and park 5 mins away.

We can up our house budget so could we keep any of that lifestyle anywhere in London for £700k? Absolute must is a nice secondary as kids are gentle souls and getting to secondary age, and son plays music, chess, etc - would be eaten alive in typical comp. I have no idea whether / where to start looking in London.

@NoNameHere12

People romanticise London, it’s not as nice as you think normally.

Well that’s a load of bollocks.

Absolutely don’t do it. Many people with families are moving out of London. For that price in anywhere central you will have a very small flat.

Orpington is in the Borough of Bromley. Bromley is the largest borough in London and almost all of it is in the catchment area of the grammar schools.

I think you'd be crazy to uproot your family if your children are settled in at good schools, in a good area.

How many days a week do you need to attend the office?

I can also recommend Bounds Green or Alexandra Palace, or nearly Bowes Park. Nice calm leafy areas, easy commute, and good schools.
That house in very leafy Muswell Hill looks like a real bargain too. You could cycle to Alexandra Palace station maybe for your commute if you lived there.

I live in London - not far from Holborn, and love living centrally, but agree you wouldn't get much in central London.
Several friends live in Beckenham, mentioned above by PP
If you're only traveling in occasionally, there's a really fast line that goes out to Cambridge from Kings Cross- stops include Royston, Letchworth at 30-40 minutes.

It was originally supposed to open in 2018, still waiting, but maybe this year - look at the crossrail route. It will stop at Farringdon and Tottenham Court road, either side of Holborn.

I totally get you motivation for moving and would do it if the things you've listed are what you are looking for.

we recently left London having lived there for 15 years. Worked in a secondary. Lived in Peckham, Brixton and zone 1 for the last 13 years. We couldn't afford a house and were in a small flat which our family of four outgrew. We had a reduced key worker rate - no way could we have afforded it otherwise. We left in part because of this but also because we wanted more of the great outdoors. We love walking, climbing, camping and so all these factors combined led us to the north.

DH and i both agree we woud have stayed if we could have had a house with a bit of garden. I would totally have moved to streatham, crystal palace, honor oak. I think South London feels more leafy. You need to go and wander areas ideally commuting out from Holborn so you get the reality of the journey and can envisage life.

I agree beckenham, bexley, sidcup is a step to far.

I think people tend to gravitate to north or south London and once you've figured out which camp you are in then you can go from there.

We did travel all over when we lived in zone 1 so if you want to take advantage of all London has to offer choose good connections. We also had times were we didn't leave our little area all weekend despite being 10 mins to house of parliament, kings road, Buckingham palace etc so you do want somewhere you like to just be.

On the school front I think folks are bang on in that London schools are more forward thinking and you will find lots of good options. Just do your research. Having worked in a suburban school in the north v London, I find the more diverse context means children are more outward facing, less judgmental. With this in mind don't anticipate your child to get eaten alive for being a softer soul.

Go for it. London is a fabulous and exciting city.

I'm in SE London, good schools but flipping pricey (Dulwich/Forest Hill). I live in a flat . I think if you're on the Central line look at Leyton, Leytonstone, Walthamstow, Stratford, all decent places within your budget.

Seeing Bounds Green mentioned above, my first flat was in Southgate, I lived there for a few years - direct piccadilly line into Holborn.
A few friends with children live in Walthanstow (prices were very good but that was a few years ago), switching from Victoria to Piccadilly line at Finsbuty Park is a really simple switch.

There's plenty of 3 beds in Streatham under £700K

Mainlines into Victoria and London Bridge plus Blackfriars etc.

If you're working in Holborn your nearest mainline stations are Charing Cross and Waterloo so you could work outwards along those lines - South east London for CC would be the cheaper of the two - something like this in Deptford?

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/60327483/?search_identifier=2997f2a5ca260b4ff360b242af796f58

I’m not in London but those 3 beds posted aren’t really 3 beds. Look at how the bed fills the entire third bedroom. For £700k I’m sure the OP house has much bigger rooms. It is hideously expensive in London.

@TwinkleToesForever

Bounds Green or Alexandra Palace area you can probably get a 3 bed semi for £700k. Good and Outstanding schools in catchment. Don’t listen to those who say you’ll be disappointed with London. I moved my whole family here 6 years ago from the market town/countryside for the reasons you describe and we’ve never looked back. Go for it!

This.

If you prefer "leafy life" maybr look further out.

Barnet going out into Herts is doable (you won't have your total pick of areas but there are several places you could afford). Schools are good, crime is low, commutes are easy(ish), life is pleasant.
Commutes are 1 hour door to door or less if you get it right..

Another option is to go to somewhere like Broxbourne or cheshunt both have nice quality of life, lots of families and decent schools.

I would start with where your job is find nearest hub (KX, Euston, Victoria etc) and work back from there.

I previously lived in z3 south East (other posters are right... Crystal Palace, Brockwell and Beckenham are nice - I loved the SE super green) sadly my job was z1 kings cross and the commute was 1h 15 😱 my DHs was similar and it was also a "bad commute" with bad/awkward changes.

Now I am zone 5 and we both take 1 tube only and the commute is 45 mins... its very civilised

I used to commute into London from South Ruislip. Think it was about 35 mins on central line or using the Chiltern Line. You can probably just about get a 3 bedroom house for £700k in South Ruislip however there are other parts of Ruislip/Eastcote to check although most are probably more expensive. Transport connections are good for London with multiple,e stations with Met/pic lines and Chiltern to Marylebone (Bakerloo line will then take you to Charring Cross) for Holborn. Schools aren’t bad in the area either and quite a bit of choice.

Just saw its holborn. Honestly.i wouldn't bother with SE that 45min Google maps commute is in reality a horror show.

Go for:
Something on the northern line (probablly finchley and beyond the then commute to tottenham Court Road and walk)
Something on picadilly North bound (bounds Green onwards is good and in range)
Somewhere that goes into Euston
Somewhere that goes into kings cross

If you are going into Euston or kingscross I'd aim for commute trains that are 40 mins ish or.less

Should have said 35 mins to Holborn.

@TheHoptimist no, from almost Hampshire (edge of Surrey), to Waterloo. 10 min walk to station, direct train to Waterloo. Quick walk to office.

Ah Holborn. I did used to commute to that area from SE London- change at Herne Hill for the Thameslink, but no idea what that commute is like these days and would need a bit of a walk. SE London is lovely though and it sounds like you don't need to be in the office every day? If you did fancy it I would recommend the Victoria-Orpington line- only about 17 minutes from Penge East to vic, you'd get a nice place for 700k and loads of parks and good community spirit. The Thameslink opens up more options as does the east London line.

Somewhere on the Elizabeth Line or connecting into it would help with the journey time as that will be open soon. So as suggested up thread, Walthamstow or further out on that line could work as you'd go into Liverpool Street then pick up the Elizabeth line. Or Buckhurst Hill/Woodford/South Woodford and switch to the Elizabeth line at Stratford. Historically the Central Line was helping but now with most offices having permanently expanded home working I suspect it will be much better.

@KindergartenKop

South west London? Richmond, Teddington, Kingston, Surbiton? Not sure about the schools though.

There are some good schools but sadly you wouldn’t get much for £700k. OP sounds like you have a good lifestyle where you are!

Do a search on rightmove with a £700,000 or £800,000 budget and ‘London’ as your area. I second Crystal Palace as a pleasant area for that kind of budget. No idea about schools though

How do your kids feel about it?

I think if they’re really settled where they are and happy then if I’m honest maybe it’s a little bit selfish for you to uproot them if it’s not a necessity.

I love living in London. Look at South East London, Brockley, forest Hill, honor Oak Park, sydenham.

Petts Wood, Langley Park, Orpington, Chislehurst and West Wickham are all in Bromley borough. There are small pockets to avoid but that'll be the cheaper areas. With your budget you can get a decent house in zone 5/6 near good schools with 25 commute to London & 40 mins to Kent in opposite direction. People move to Bromley Borough for the schools mainly from neighbouring boroughs like Lewisham and Croydon. Avoid Croydon as the schools aren't generally great and there's increasingly anti social problems.

Bromley also has the 11+ and grammar system plus the state secondaries are generally good or outstanding. Ones to avoid are Kemnal Technology and Harris Academy Orpington but all the others are good. Sounds like Bullers Wood Girls & BW Boys and Langley Park Girls & LP Boys would suit your children.

@Gooseysgirl

Chingford/Highams Park/Walthamstow all on overground to Liverpool St.

Would second this. It also gives you the chance to get on the Victoria line at Walthamstow. Lots of green space and family friendly.