To relocate near London with a young(ish) family

[Newmovewhat]

I live just outside Birmingham and for the past few months have been going into London often.

I can’t help but feel that the diversity and culture is just much more abundant there. There is also much more to do in terms of theatre/museums/shows etc

iIt has made me want to move to or near London . Can anyone please share their experience?

My children are in year 9 and year 4, I’m thinking of making the move when the eldest finishes her GCSEs or maybe sooner ?

Can anyone suggest pros and cons and also what areas I should look at ? Idielaly they will be close to London with good schools. House budget would be about £800k but we don’t mind renting for a while.

Thank you

When you say "close to London", what do you have in mind? Do you mean, outskirts zone 5/6 still on the tube for easy access or commuter town Home Counties? Because if the latter, being "close" to London but not actually in it, means you won't really be getting the London diversity or culture. Unless you plan to commute to work in the centre or regularly get the train in (which is expensive!). I say this as someone who grew up 20 mins train from London then lived and worked there for my 20s, now moved out but "near".

You're going to need to narrow it down a bit...

You need to do it before your daughter starts year 10 or once she has finished her GCSEs.

Will you be working in London, where do you need to commute to?

Private or state school?

How close is 'close'?

Do you favour N E S W for transport links to see family / friends? Driving to Bristol for example is a lot quicker from W than E?

I don't think you'll gain much but being "close to" London either. You may as well save your money and visit on weekends, it's easy enough by train from Birmingham.

You could move here
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136268195#/?channel=RES_BUY

or

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E85276&minBedrooms=3&maxPrice=800000&propertyTypes=&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=#prop137521883

And be close to a range of excellent primaries, Dunraven sought after secondary / sixth form , a range of other good sixth form places, quick bus to Brixton for tube, cinema, theatre, market, etc, or walk to the high Rd for Train, cinema, small theatre, cafes etc. Counts as ‘in London ‘ rather than ‘near’.

Also not clear what you mean. In London is very different to near and even within London there’s a very different feel to all of the areas. Good schools are throughout the city but catchment areas can be really small for the most popular meaning your £800k doesn’t go as far.

Might help if you list what’s important to you - green space, transport links, decent High Street, if you want to be really close to the West End as there’s a range of options, closer your £800k isn’t going to go a far and you’ll struggle to have a home with a garden. Zones 3-4-5 £800k is a decent budget for a lot of areas. It really depends.

This for example is near good schools, near overground station and about half an hour from Covent Garden. The area itself is quite mixed. But you go a bit further north to Chingford it’ll be less diverse. North West to Tottenham a bit different again.

https://www.stowbrothers.com/property/ickworth-park-road-walthamstow-4/