To ask if anyone is living in Surbiton/Kingston in a flat with DC?

[HolyParc]

Posting here for more traffic.

We are thinking of buying in the area as we love it but we can only afford a flat or a maisonette. I know there is plenty of young professionals and families living in flats around there but was wondering if it's also common for people with older DC to live in flats and maisonettes or if there is a tendency to move away or upgrade to big houses (for those who can afford it, as it's very £££ over there).
Reason why I am asking is that I feel a lot of "pressure" from society to provide my DC with a house and a garden etc but equally I also want to live in the area as we love it and it's so well connected with work. Would my DC be the "weird" kid growing up in a flat whilst everyone else lives in houses with DC?

Very common. I’m not but friends have.

@Merryoldgoat thank you - also older kids, i.e. teenagers ? all the families I know have primary school kids and then move away to get a house later on

I wouldn't want my dc to be friends with people who thought they were "weird" for living in a flat anyway.

In short, no. We live in Kingston and at least 50% of my DC’s classes live in flats. Lots of flats here have gardens.

To privately rent a 1 bed flat in a reasonable part of Surbiton/Kingston is at least £1300pcm, to buy at the very least £300k. Hence why flat living for families isn’t uncommon in this area.

Tbh no, mostly younger and yes - move away as they get older.

I was in Teddington and had DS1 there but moved where I am now because I wanted space.

Where are you looking? Have you considered Tolworth?

@Hadebough I have lived in a flat all my life... reason why I am saying this is because of comments I received from colleagues and people I know when I mentioned I'd raise my DC in a flat

@Merryoldgoat I don't like Tolworth and its proximity to the A3 and Pylons... But I'd consider to be half way between Tolworth and Surbiton

What’s your budget?

I don’t especially like Tolworth but the bits between Ewell Road and Tolworth High Street are nicer.

Also Cranes Park is sometimes a bit cheaper and the ‘other’ side of Ewell Road.

Budget is £500K, £530K ish MAX. No extra budget for renovation so need a place that is in good condition. The only houses around there are very close to the A3, I don't like that side and would rather have a maisonette in Surbiton.

Yes agree. If that’s the budget I’d stick to maisonette too.

Yeah I,d give Tolworth a miss, what about Berrylands?

@MNetcurtains

The smell…

If you dont mind biking to the station you could buy this cottage https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/137694941#/?channel=RES_BUY

Alternatively one of the ones on lovelace road is near the park

@nonheme

Were you you prefer? This isn’t snarky! I’m genuinely interested. Few people talk about living in the suburbs.

My eldest is y7 and quite a few friends in flats.

There is a decent amount near parks too

???

@Merryoldgoat I never smelled anything around Berrylands and actually I find it as expensive as Surbiton. What are the smelly streets?

@MNetcurtains there are sewage works in Berrylands but the area is wonderful

But it’s very tiny, a maisonette would be more spacious than this (most maisonettes I have seen at least)

@nonheme well I don’t dislike it, infact we love it so much we’d compromise on house type/size to stay here. I know there are other places we could consider, we just don’t want to because of various reasons :)

@MNetcurtains that’s such an outdated and silly comment on Berrylands. They upgraded the sewage works in 2011 and the houses in berrylands are now comparable to other parts of surbiton in terms of price and affluence: many £1m plus and some up to £2.5k- mostly semis and detached. Can’t buy a house there for £500k

@HolyParc

Er… it’s not streets so much as vast swathes…

You can smell it even from Surbiton proper on a very hot or windy day.

Have you ever got a train that’s stopped at Berrylands?

OP - yes I’ve seen that many families, including those with older children, live in Surbiton

very few people can afford a spacious house in Surbiton/Berrylands

that said if you look at the roads of Ewell road - nearer Tolworth eg Douglas road, there may be smaller houses that are £500k plus

@Merryoldgoat what are you talking about??

there is the odd smell on a very hot day near the station

it doesn’t smell otherwise.

Have you ever actually been to berrylands