Could I ever afford a house in Richmond near a good school?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

and is Richmond education authority Richmond or Surrey.

Very confused.
Might have to find somewhere to live around there in a matter of weeks. Dd will start in Reception in 2013 and although we could rent (if affordable) on top of school would hope to be able to buy nearby at some point.

Also, is Richmond okay to live in with 3 kids and no car and a daily commute to Euston?

Many Tia.

Well, it rather depends how much you've got to spend... Virtually all of Richmond's primary schools are excellent. Secondary more patchy but 'acknowledged' good schools Twickenham/Teddington way and improving schools in Richmond/Sheen.

Trains from Richmond and other local stations go into Waterloo via Vauxhall, so Euston commute not too bad if you are near a station.

I believe Richmond is one of the most expensive boroughs in the whole country.

Where I live a 3 bedroom house is about £2000 per month to rent or £600,000 to buy - and my borough is nowhere near as pricey as Richmond.

My brother lives near Kew and his 3 bed 60s townhouse with 30ft garden is worth about a million.

Hmm bibbity, that's about 50% more than we'd be able to afford even WITH crazy mortgage. Are there any mad pockets i.e ex council.

That rent is affordable but only because we have sold our current house, but of course using that money will mean even less to spend when in came to buying. .

Life can be so difficult.

Starlight, does it have to be Richmond? I see that you need a commute to Euston - is there somewhere else you could live?

I would say that Richmond is more than OK to live with 3 kids and no car but, as bibbity said, Richmond is one of the most expensive places to live, so whether you could afford to live there would depend entirely on your budget. It is excellent for a commute to Waterloo, as there are several fast trains every hour, then it would the Northern Line tube to Euston.

Richmond is a local authority in its own right. If your budget does not stretch to Richmond, neighbouring Kingston may be a viable alternative.

You can definitely find places for under a million in the borough of Richmond. Have you looked on property websites?

DS might be accepted by a Special School in a neighbouring authority that would be very tough to win at tribunal so we have to find an authority with rubbish alternatives to increase his chances of being funded iyswim. It is highly complicated and to do with post ode lottery etc.

It definitely needs to be less than half a million...... And for that we'd be mortgaged up to our eyeballs with no holidays etc.

which SS, in which neighbouring authority? (PM if you don't want details on here)

is Kingston any good? piss poor provision, I believe, and fund out of area places reasonably well.

I think that budget will be stretching. You could try the isleworth side of Twickenham or whitton but I have a feeling the Richmond boundary stops around there so may be out of area.

Of course. Look in Twickenham and Whitton, something like this perhaps? www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-18229575.html

Yes there really are a lot of variations within the borough - it's not all Richmond Hill by any means.

You won't get alot for your money in Twickenham, a small house but with 3 kids it will be a bit of a squeeze and likely to be far from the station which will make commuting requiring a bus or 15/20 minute walk to get to the station.

Lots of people do what you are doing which is rent on top of the school then look to buy. This has resulted in a huge number of bulge classes and alot of children with no school place last year.

This would be within catchment for some of the good primaries, I think. But it's a flat and two of your children would have to share.

Some 3 beds in Ham on Rightmove?

Chestnut, my dd has suffered and been neglected enough due to the incompetence of the agencies involved in ds' provision. The least I can do for her is get her a half decent school. It's a guilt thing really.

Ham ex-LA is the cheapest with good primaries and grey court = good secondary, but a bus ride to Richmond or Kingston, then train to vauxhall then tube (vic line) to euston

north barnes has some reasonably-ish priced local authority properties - and they're lovely, big gardens, big houses. Fantastic local primary. Easy commute to Euston via Hammersmith tube. PM me if you want to know more.

Whitton is definitely more affordable and has chase bridge and nelson primaries as well as a catholic school (st Edmunds I think). Good train line, not as posh as other parts of borough but that's why it's cheaper. Lived there for 7 happy years with kids and only left as hated traffic and planes. Oh and parts of Whitton near the academy are good for getting into Waldegrave. But it's heaving on rugby days as the stadium is right next to chase bridge school.

Which other places in Surrey have you considered?

Guildford or Woking maybe, or are they too far out?

Thank you everyone. Dh will pretty much refuse a commute over an hour. He doesn't get paid much and has chosen a job like this deliberately due to ds' SN.

But I have some good ideas now ti research so thanks again,

Woking is 25 mins to Waterloo.

Very near station

Excellent local primary school

I think Woking is too far from special school but I'll have a look.

You have sadly chosen one of the nicest and most expensive areas in the country. If your DH will not commute I fear you are unlikely to get something in Richmond espcially near the fab schools. TBH - everyone wants this, great schools, lovely area, good neighhood (but are shocked by the price!) I would love to live in Richmond, DH likes the countryside so we live further out!) but despite both being high earners we dont have a hope in hell.....