Moving to heartfordshire - advise please!

[Singlemumof2boysemma]

Hi there

I’m a single mum to two boys and we’re moving to Hertfordshire. I’m originally from Teddington, SW London which is lovely but too expensive for me and we desperately need more space.

As I’m on my own, my budget is small. We need to rent initially, with the intent to buy eventually. I don’t want to keep moving around so would like to stay within a close area.

I looked into Stevenage as it’s within my budget and good links via the A1. I’m not looking at commuting to London, more finding work as (an executive assistant) in the area. I have my eye on GSK….!

I’m also looking at Welwyn Garden City, Hitchen, Letchworth and Hemel Hempstead. I know St Albans etc is the nicest but I can’t afford it. I can afford around 1500 a month rent. I just want a nice place for the boys to grow up with a community feel.

I’ve heard awful things about Stevenage which is really frustrating as you can get a lot for your money there :(

Really appreciate some advice please!

“Feels a bit council houses”? What a ridiculous thing to say. Most folk in council houses are hard working families who take pride in their home, caring for their children, not letting them roam wildly, and above all, paying rent & not on benefits. Some of those will have been housed due to terrible events & experiences, or illness. But go ahead, tar the good folk of Stevenage who live in council houses as violent, crime ridden ghetto dwellers as your posts imply.

Most council house tenants pay rent, they’re not all slobs on the sausage roll with their hands out begging for more money.

You did know that some trouble causing kids (& adults) come from privately rented & mortgaged homes don’t you?

Every town or village has its bad apples. Remember the violent Millwall supporters in the 80s? There were financial wiz kids in the City Millwall supporters who could afford to go to matches in the UK & abroad to have a bit of a fight, and you can bet your bottom dollar they didn’t live in council houses.

@mumsnet Can we please just ban the ‘council house residents are scum’ users on here please?

Sorry I didn’t mean to offend anyone. I’m just basing my opinions on past experiences.

I live in Hemel and love it, you just need to get the right area. The areas around the train station (Boxmoor/Chaulden) are very nice with plenty of outdoor green space and a villagey feel. Lots to do with kids nearby, and workwise you'd be close to Watford too where there are several big offices. Also easy access to M25 and M1 and quick/regular train to London.

Hitchin house prices are ridiculous (I also hate the place, pretentious and expensive but actually rough as a badgers arse). Bedfordshire would be my advice.

@hangrylady

Hitchin house prices are ridiculous (I also hate the place, pretentious and expensive but actually rough as a badgers arse). Bedfordshire would be my advice.

I have to say - I now live in Bedfordshire and I love it. The only reason I advised Hitchin was because the OP mentioned that he/she wanted Hertfordshire.

Baldock, Ware, parts of Stevenage are nice particularly around the Old Town, Biggleswade, Bedford, there are some lovely villages around too, depending on your budget. Only place to avoid really is the centre of Luton, which isn't to my taste.

Sorry, I realise Bedford is in Bedforshire but it is a good call, nice area.

May I suggest Broxbourne, hoddesdon and Cheshunt.? Good links to Liverpool Street, nice town centre .

@hangrylady

Hitchin house prices are ridiculous (I also hate the place, pretentious and expensive but actually rough as a badgers arse). Bedfordshire would be my advice.

I think it’s horribly overrated too. It used to be a lovely town with loads of pubs and music venues. Then it got massively gentrified and they chucked up loads of flats everywhere. Traffic and parking are horrendous, house prices are insane, and it definitely lost its friendly vibe. Hitchin gets recommended in every Mumsnet thread about moving out of London and I don’t get why!

Are you only interested in east Herts?

My parents live near Tring and have been there 40 years. It’s an old market town - very nice if you can walk to the town centre. The station is a bit outside the actual town is the only thing.

Ware is lovely although not as good transport links as Stevenage, however GSK are based there too!

@Singlemumof2boysemma

Aw thank you. I’ve seen a really nice house in broad water - it’s just the area felt a bit council houses!? Which I don’t mind, just want to make sure the other families will be nice. Not being snobby xx

Well it's New Town so the vast majority of housing will have been social rent to start with. I have a colleague who lives in Broadwater and finds it fine.

@Net123456

Ware is lovely although not as good transport links as Stevenage, however GSK are based there too!

Ware is expensive.

@DobbleDobble

May I suggest Broxbourne, hoddesdon and Cheshunt.? Good links to Liverpool Street, nice town centre .

Of those only Hoddesdon has a proper town centre.

Ware and Hertford are both lovely places and have great links to London by train (and Ware has a large GSK site) but I'm guessing they're expensive and if St Albans is out of budget, they might be too.

Stevenage is a tricky one. I used to live there and I hated it, but I lived there at a horrible time and in horrible accommodation and had a horrible part-time job where I had to deal with horrible people, so I was basically only really seeing the absolute worst of the place! If you weren't keen on Broadwater as an area, maybe have a look at the Old Town, which is a lot nicer than the New Town areas I think.

Welwyn Garden City is nice - some bits are better than others but it's certainly a more attractive town centre and nicer to walk around than Stevenage.

It might also be worth looking at Hoddesdon and Cheshunt.

Hitchin and Letchworth are both really nice - obviously do your research into specific areas in both but they both have good transport links, shops, schools etc. There are some nice villages around Hitchin which may be a bit cheaper if need be - Pirton, Offley, Codicote, Whitwell to name a few

Stevenage is grim but has useful facilities, i would not live there! Hitchin is nice but expensive, we could only afford to live in a grim area. Like others have said have a look at Bedfordshire...in particular places on the trainline Biggleswade, Potton (not on trainline but 5 mins drive from one), Sandy, St Neots (Huntingdon). Do you know how much rent you want to pay? And what you are hoping to buy somewhere for?

To add to the chorus of Bedfordshire, also some really nice places - with good London links if needed. Ampthill, Flitwick, Harlington to name a few

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119192825#/?channel=RES_LET
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/83295969#/?channel=RES_LET
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117899066#/?channel=RES_LET
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119515910#/?channel=RES_LET
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118877003#/?channel=RES_LET

Some of these are already Let but worth looking to give yourself an idea!

Some nice places there, but I would probably avoid Loves Farm area in St Neots. Some of it is a bit dodgy. I do like St Neots in general though. Its got good links to Cambridge for days out and shopping.

I live in Baldock (near Letchworth) and absolutely love it. There is a great community feel, good schools, its near the countryside, good commuter links etc. I've lived hear nearly my whole life and can't ever imagine moving away.

My mum and dad live in Loves Farm and have done for the past 11 years. I haven't seen any dodgy parts there and pretty sure they haven't although maybe we've all been blind to it!

Is nice and near the station too. There's also a whole new part Winteringham getting built there - lots of houses.

I used to live in Letchworth and then moved to Henlow in Bedfordshire about 5 miles away as houses much cheaper. Is about a 10-15 minute walk to Arlesey station.

Children both born in Stevenage hospital and I used to go to Stevenage quite often although haven't lived down south for over 10 years so things may well have changed.

St Neots lovely place to live. Also surrounding villages. Great Paxton, Little Paxton, Eaton Socon, Eynesbury. Lovely parks. Easy commute to London

I'm from Stevenage and go all the time as we still live close enough.

Areas vary but good areas are considered to be

Chells manor
Old town
Fairview Rd area
Todd's green
Bradbury end
Poplars
Great Ashby

Avoid pin green
Bedwell

School catchment for best senior school you need to be in old town for John Henry Newman (catholic) but takes from catchment

Other schools with good rep are Nobel (chells) and Marriotts. (Not sure on catchment)

It's been a while since I moved there tho so I'm not as hot on schools nowadays.

Primary. Ashtree is ok I believe St
Nics was popular but that's
Going back many years.

I go a lot to meet with old school
Mates and never feel unsafe Parked a few weeks ago in old town high street . (Pubs Resturants etc) felt fine in my own at night walking to meet
Up spot.

WGC has its fair share of rough areas too and it more expensive than Stevo

Avoid Hatfield!!!!
Knebworth may be worth a look

Hitchen is nice
Letchworth old people vibe

St Albans traffic horrible extremely expensive

Harpendon snobby.

What road in broadwater
I can help as I know the area very well?

Also think catchment for broadwater may be barnwell which is ok I think but not the best school. I'd really try get in the old town if I were you.