Need guidance with suggestion on where to live in Kent

[ayogicmind]

Hi to all mums (and dads if any),
We are a family of three - my husband, myself and a 5 year olf daughter. We presently live in South Croydon but looking at the unpopularity and how infamous Croydon has become over a period of years we desperatly wish to move out in next 1-2 years as my little one is just about to start school here and think this is just the right time.

We have a few priorities with good schools and presence of any grammar schools being on top of the charts. My husband and I both work in London so the next priority is commute and we are fine with a travel time of 1.5 hrs door to door.

We will prefer a locality that is greener, relatively quieter compared to the bustling Croydon and has comparatively less crime. We are looking for a 4+ Study kind of a detached or semi detached house (new build and old) and not really fussed about the presence of any night clubs or movie theatres or huge shopping centres around. Any locality that can offer basic amenities like GP, Hospital, Play areas, parks any grocery store and has educated and courteous white collared job professionals living in the area will fit the bill. Obviously, holidays and weekends we expect to go out so travel for shopping is not a problem at all.

I would really appreciate your recommendations as at the moment we are utterly confused where to begin our house hunt from. Additionally, if can think of any other cities/town in any other neighbouring counties around London then please advise.

Many Thanks,
T

Tricky to know if this is within budget but that sounds like Chislehurst would be ideal for you, Sevenoaks if you don’t mind being further out.

Bromley, Chislehurst, Bexley, Sevenoaks, Sutton, Cheam all fit the bill.

Massively depends on your budget. I lived in Croydon (until 2020) and houses prices vary massively - even on roads where houses three doors down could have a £1mil price difference - so it’s hard to work out your budget based on where you currently live

No way are you getting what you want - as a semi - in Sevenoaks for less than £800K…at least not one that doesn’t need a tonne of work doing. Maybe Riverhead, but no way Sevenoaks.

Hi there @Calmestofallthechickens
Budget is around £700K and this is the maximum we can do! Not even a bit more...

Thanks @Turmerictolly Sutton and Cheam aren't Kent, right?

Hi there @Killingoffmyflowersonebyone
Budget is around £700K and this is the maximum we can do! Not even a bit more...else we will be ripped off!!

Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells,

Only Sevenoaks on that list is in real Kent.

OP- are you thinking real Kent or are places like Bromley where they are in London boroughs but snobby local residents still put Kent on their addresses thinking they live in the 50's.

Both are nice and fit the bill tbh.

If you live in Croydon a lot of these areas are close enough drive to have a wander.

Sevenoaks is nice and close to lovely countryside Bromley has some nice areas and good schools but is ultimately suburbia.

Anywhere in the Weald - Cranbrook, Goudhurst for example.

Hiya @Calmestofallthechickens
Just wondering is there any connectivity from Riverhead to London VIC or Paddington.
Ta

Sorry, missed that you were looking at Kent. I was listing the grammar school areas that are nice.

Thanks, OP for clarifying the budget!

£700K won’t get you much in Sevenoaks tbh. Not really either in Tonbridge or T-wells (at least not the nicer parts with good commuter links - you’re talking 20 min drive to the station)

Riverhead is near Sevenoaks - not as nice (but where is) but you can drive ten mins up the road to Sevenoaks station. So links are good.

Villages / greener areas around Maidstone like Weavering , Bearstead , loose , Sutton valence . Maidstone itself is a bit grim like most towns but you are 30-40 minutes from Bluewater or Ashford outlet for shopping and there are plenty of supermarkets on the outskirts and an M&S and Next just by Junction 7 of the M20 . Maidstone has some outstanding primary schools and 4 Grammars ( 2 boy /2 girl ) . 700k should get you a reasonable house easily .

Have a look into East Sussex-particularly Lewes

How about Chelmsford area? 35 mins on train to Liverpool Street. So approximately an hour commute if you add travel either end

Friends bought a 3 bed semi detached there 2 years ago for £420k. It needed some work but they have knocked down garage and double story extension and out back for less than £200k (about £150k but they did lots themselves) and now have a large 4 bed.

@Floralnomad Is Maidstone a good town to live? There isn't anyone in our circle who is aware of it so depending on your feedback. Is it safee compared to Croydon? What's the ethnicity profile there, if you know? any areas that we must avoid?

How is Canterbury and Whitstable w.r t. Living in those cities and the conditions that I have set?

Thank you,
T

Whitstable and Canterbury are both nice places to live and fit your criteria but, the commute is longer than you wanted.

I'd suggest Sevenoaks too, Riverhead is quite nice and easy to get to the station.
Sutton Vallance (though don't know that much about it) or West Malling would be my choices outside of Maidstone but close by

I would do some day trips and see where you like. Hildenborough, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. They are further out than Sevenoaks but cheaper. Train from Tonbridge to Waterloo/Charing Cross is about 40 mins.

Depending on where you are commuting to, Canterbury is not much more than an hour to St Pancras on the high speed.

Traffic in Whitstable can be awful, and it has a lot of air b&bs. Nice shops and restaurants though.

Faversham is lovely, with a great community vibe and you could easily get something within budget. A lot of people commute to London from there.

Personally with a 5 yo I wouldn't move into the Kent grammar system. Your kid may not make it and it's a brutal process. You would be better off on the Kent border eg Bromley / Chislehurst etc where lots go to grammar but still has good non selective options, need to be careful on catchment though.

You'd also have Newstead / St Olaves if you wanted to go down that route.

West Malling just outside the M25. Easy to get to coast and back into London
Headcorn a good town further out with train station

If you are interested in living by the sea:
Folkestone, Sandgate, Deal, Sandwich, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Margate and Whistable (expensive and crowded in the summer).

Folkestone is the closest commute: direct train to London, about 50 minutes to Stratford or kingsCross.

I live in Deal and it is a lovely small town.

Faversham, Canterbury are other options.

If you want to stay closer how about Beckenham? nice high St, park and leisure centre or nearby Penge.

No trains from Kent will go into Paddington. Whitstable and East Kent will be more likely King’s Cross.

Maidstone East and along that line will take you into Victoria.

West Kent (tonbridge / Twells / Sevenoaks) are London Bridge, Waterloo east, Charing Cross or Cannon Street.

Whitstable goes to London Victoria