Tell me where to live (please)

[crackersforcrackers]

To cut a long story short, I have been gifted £20k that is to be explicitly used for a house deposit, so max house price must be £200k.

I'm currently in the South West and have always been bored living here so would like to move eastwards. I've always dreamed of living in London but I worry this would be a shock after living my whole life in the countryside. Reading is also an option as I've visited there and I liked it, plus there's a benefit of easily getting in to London.

Any ideas of where to live would be gratefully received, ideally no more West than Basingstoke and no more North than Oxford.

And just to throw in a cheeky poll
YABU= Don't live in London
YANBU= Live in London yolo!

For your budget, I’d look at Romford/Gidea Park or, for slightly cheaper, Chadwell Heath. People will tell you they’re rough/tacky, and it’s true that you wouldn’t move there for the lovely architecture and green spaces - but, the shopping and leisure facilities in Romford are great, it’s on Crossrail and you can even get the occasional fast train into Liverpool Street (15 minutes) if you time it right. You can still get one-beds for £200k.

I loooooove Deptford - that is a great recommendation! And you're not far from Greenwich and Blackheath when you're in need of some greenery.

What about Brighton ?
plenty of flats for sale around your price range or
look at this! (houseboat)
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119386496#/floorplan?activePlan=1&channel=RES_BUY

@WomanStanleyWoman

For your budget, I’d look at Romford/Gidea Park or, for slightly cheaper, Chadwell Heath. People will tell you they’re rough/tacky, and it’s true that you wouldn’t move there for the lovely architecture and green spaces - but, the shopping and leisure facilities in Romford are great, it’s on Crossrail and you can even get the occasional fast train into Liverpool Street (15 minutes) if you time it right. You can still get one-beds for £200k.

Not in Gidea Park, possibly a tiny studio. Romford itself - you can find 1 beds for £200k, usually with compromises (v close to railway track, electric heaters, needs modernisation etc) if within a mile of the station. Watch out for high service charges though. I'd avoid Harold Hill personally.

Anywhere in London is going to be a compromise for £200k.

I think you might end up with the worst of all words if you go for London - and I say that as a devoted Londoner. You'll have to live miles out to get a one bed for 200K, which means you'll still have to get on a train to do anything London-y. Plus you might well end up being miles away from your friends? I would think about where the people you like best live and then work off that.

Alternatively could you put the 20K in an ISA for a bit and house share in zone 2, scratch the London itch and then buy later when you're more settled?

@WomanStanleyWoman

Anywhere in London is going to be a compromise for £200k.

True!

This is in Earley, a decent part of Reading. Near the Uni but this road is professional types rather than students.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119039798#/?channel=RES_BUY