To ask you where to live

[MovingOutofZone2]

Cross post with property. DH and I currently live in a flat in London. We’re planning on moving out, in search of a decent sized garden and an actual house. The thirty something dream.

We’re in our early thirties, no kids, but currently TTC. He works in the City, so needs decent links into Liverpool Street (or London Bridge). I mostly wfh.

We’re an interracial couple (he’s white and I’m black), so would like somewhere fairly diverse. (Recommendations from POC are especially welcome). Good schools, access to the countryside, and decent restaurants/bars/pubs.

Budget is up to £850K. If you were us, where would you move? We have no real links to anywhere other than London (neither of us is English), so pretty open minded. Probably staying South East, as a super long commute would make DH miserable + we still want to be able to see our friends.

I’ve a friend who works in the city and moved to Leigh on sea and they LOVE it

Marlow, cookham , Penn, Beaconsfield, outskirts of high wycombe beautiful countryside and so easy to get into London and nice and diverse. Windor is another one, Gerrard cross and Denham. Quite a choice and definitely recommend

I live in Wimbledon. I wouldn't want to move out. If you don't mind doing work you could get a terraced house here and convert the loft and extend out back (most have been done and cost £1.2m and up, but a few still remain unextended). You'd get a smallish garden but decent primaries and parks. South Wimbledon tube goes to London Bridge direct.

My lottery win would be to live in Wimbledon Village, I don't think you get a house in Wimbledon for 850k

Gidea Park and Upminster are nice areas with good schools, lovely parks and a short drive from countryside. Gidea Park to Liverpool St takes 30 mins. The district line starts at Upminster and there are also fairly fast trains to Fenchurch St. Ot if you want to go further out, I would also recommend Leigh on Sea.