London parents: is there a “village feel” safe spot under £750k?

[Kerrik]

We’re currently living in Walthamstow in London and, before our baby arrived, it suited us fine. But since having our little girl, I’m just not finding it feels as safe or as family-friendly as I’d like, and it’s really got me thinking about whether we should move.

Ideally, I’d love somewhere with more of a proper community feel, greener and more “villagey” in atmosphere. Somewhere with a nice high street with independent cafés, a decent pub for a Sunday lunch, and lots of activities going on for families. I don’t want to feel surrounded by towers of either private or social housing flats.

The catch is we still need to be within a good commuting distance of London (45min max) and our budget is around £750,000. I know that’s not huge in the current market, but we’d be hoping for a four-bedroom house, or possibly a three-bedroom in the right area.

I’m also very aware that we have one of the most expensive rail systems in the world, so travelling too far out just wouldn’t be financially realistic for us. (A friend of mine pays over £5,000 a year commuting from Chelmsford.) I hear St Albans is really nice, but it’s the cost of the commute that worries me.

Before anyone suggests moving much further away from London, both of us have London-based jobs and we can’t realistically find work elsewhere.

We’d also need good nurseries, schools, and general amenities.

So… does this unicorn place actually exist, or am I asking for too much?

If you find Walthamstow not calm / family friendly enough then most of these London based suggestions are not going to be what you’re looking for.

Essex stops on the central line might provide close enough links to London for low-ish cost. Personally I prefer St Albans and out that way. I think you’d be able to get something nice for your budget.

@NameChange30845654 out of interest what are the great secondary options? When I was younger SE was a bit of a black spot, I know Charter North is great.

Where in London do you need to commute to? Makes a big difference to commute time if you want a 45 min commute

Not if you want a 4 bed house for £750k!!!

A four bed house in any of those would be way over the OPs budget!

Totally agree with this.
I live in near Walthamstow in Highams Park and I’m blown away you don’t find it family friendly enough, really think you’re gonna struggle to find anywhere better in London on that budget.

There is a house in need of modernisation on linden Grove - a short walk from Nunhead Green for £625k its a 4/5 bed

Could it be that if you don’t like Walthamstow, you are basically not liking London ? Or is Walthamstow particularly grotty/ grottier than most places in london?

Lovely area but bear in mind that the monthly season ticket between Sevenoaks and a London zone 1 tube station is £528. It’s £313 per month from Orpington, which is on the same line but in zone 6.

Also the grammar system is great as long as your kid passes the 11+. DC1, who got a 1st from Imperial College and 4xAstar at A-Level (in a comprehensive) did not manage to even come close to passing the 11+. Clearly should have passed. No idea why they didn’t. But I guess this illustrates why grammar schools ceased to exist decades ago in most of the country.

Wanstead ticks a lot of those boxes. Close enough ti quickly explore :) Theydon Bois / Loughton / Epping otherwise at the end of the central line

Try Lee or Hither Green, Zone 3 and good transport links into the city.

Wanstead/aldersbrook (east) or muswell hill (north)

Epping. Though a nice 4 bed for 750k might be a bit of a stretch but probably just doable. It’s on the central line. Lovely high street. Lots of Cafes.

This is the most biazzre comment. Have you been to Theydon Bois or Epping in the middle of Epping Forest? Great spots to look at…

Another vote for Eltham and Sidcup - great schools, good connections, lots of green space and great high streets…

I'm out of touch with this stuff now as my children are in their 30s but I have the impression that the state schools in the SE4/SE13/SE6/SE23 area are all pretty good, at both primary and secondary. Not terrible, anyway.

People are randomly saying place names. Most if not all of the nice places named are beyond the budget mentioned. By a long way.

Epsom or Ewell Village. Epsom is best of both worlds- close to London but you can walk to beautiful countryside. The College Area feels very villagey.

Crystal Palace. A lovely vibe, lots to do and green space. But it has its share of crime like the rest of London, of course.

Our friends live in Walthamstow and it ticks all those boxes! But they aren't right by the tube
... nearer Wood Street really.

Maybe you've had enough of London? You'd get loads for your money outside London even in the south of England.

I really like Walthamstow but I did have a colleague & a uni friend who loved it as couples & with a toddler but not as the dc grew older. They found it too busy, congested & worried about dc out alone (this was a few yrs ago). One moved to St Albans & the other to Saffron Walden.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g London primary schools are great all over but I did think there were issues in parts of SE for secondary. However this could be just based on people I know & their bias, it was often an excuse for leaving London or choosing private.

Old Coulsdon. It’s even got a night bus 🤣 we’ve just moved from there and I’m mourning the loss of the baker’s and the village store being round the corner :( there’s lots to recommend it there, it’s got Coulsdon town and caterham nearby too and you’re so close to Purley way for all the big shop type places but you’re right next to Farthing Downs and we really enjoyed living there.

I came to say this. They're in zone 6, about 35 min to London and very leafy / family friendly.

The journey is definitely longer than 35 mins even if you lived on the platforms!

If you are Catholic though you would have access to one of the best secondary’s in the country.