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Original poster

Moving to Cambridge (A good idea?)

98 replies

bellamysbride · 16/08/2010 10:58

Sorry I know 'moving to cambridge threads' have been done to death but I need some honest opinions.

We are trying to decide whether to move to Cambridge or stay in SW london. Our place is sold (due to complete in Sept). My DP will be commuting to London. We have family in east anglia and are keen to be close to countryside. We have a pretty good amount to spend and would like to be in a central location with four beds.

Will the commute be a killer? Is Cambridge a good place to live with a young family? Where should we be looking? Sorry questions, questions, questions!!

OP posts:

Bobbalina · 17/08/2010 19:16

Alternative viewpoint: houses in the streets near the station rarely have parking and generally have very small gardens. Parking around there is a pain.

I recommend Newnham as the most desirable area to live in - a 10 min bike ride to the station across the park.

ShadeofViolet · 17/08/2010 19:18

I agree about the parking, and also there are some crazy one-way systems in place.

coolma · 17/08/2010 19:42

parking anywhere in Cambridge is hideous sadly.

Lilymaid · 17/08/2010 20:14

A few more recommendations for meals:
Le Gros Franck on Hills Road near the junction with Station Road. French cafe by day (Mon - Sat) and popular with local workers but does dinner Thursday to Saturday - tres francais.
Yippee Noodle Bar for a quick noodle lunch. And the John Lewis does surprisingly good lunches.
When you tire of house hunting, go to the Orchard in Grantchester for tea and scones sitting on the deckchairs in the orchard.

perestroika · 17/08/2010 22:03

Thanks for all the recommendations!

Say, is it safe to leave the bike at the station while commuting to London? When my DH lived in Cambridge (long time ago) bikes would get stolen within a month from the station. Is that still a problem?

Bobbalina · 18/08/2010 07:03

Not if you ride a crappola bike and d lock it!

TrillianAstra · 18/08/2010 09:18

There are about 5,000 bikes at the station - it'll take them a while to steal all of them. Agree get a cheapy one if it's just for station hopping, lock it to something if possible and don't leave it there overnight.

Heartsease · 18/08/2010 09:23

Yep, buy something second hand and not too shiny. I don't commute but have often left my bike there until quite late (always locked to something) and I still have it. It's older then me though!

coolma · 18/08/2010 09:58

I have never been able to keep a bike for more than about six months and I've live in cambridge city since 1983! It's a cottage industry here

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 18/08/2010 10:37

Get crappy-looking bike and spray it a hideous colour.

Or you could get a folding Brompton and take it with you.

TrillianAstra · 18/08/2010 10:57

I've had my bike for 4 years now, lost a wheel once, the seat once, but never the whole bike (not yet).

beanlet · 18/08/2010 17:08

Buy a Brompton -- worth their weight in gold!

BTW -- there's residents' parking in all the streets near the station. We have two car parking spaces and our garden is plenty big enough. Of course, if you want a massive garden then you will have to move elsewhere.

Sorry; not a fan of Newnham either -- overpriced housing stock in a food desert.

TrillianAstra · 18/08/2010 17:34

I think they also cost their weight in gold

beanlet · 18/08/2010 17:43

too true Trillian. . .

hildathebuilder · 18/08/2010 18:04

I would also say I have never had a problem with residents parking near the station, have a very large garden, summer house, shed and veg patch at the back, small front garden and not enough time to look after them all.

But depending exactly where you chose to live there is as much chance of garden in the station area as Newnham.

Oh and have had the same bike for 5 + years which has never been nicked even after I had to leave it near parkers piece with a complete stranger to lock due to bein taken away in an ambulance. I regularly leave it at the station. Mind you if it was nicked it was only a cheapy so I'd just fet another one.

Bobbalina · 18/08/2010 18:46

Beanlet if you have the rare luxury of 2 parking spaces and a big garden near the station I expect your house would be beyond even the large budget of bellamysguide?

I know loads of folk living in this area, not one has 2 parking spaces, the majority have no parking at all - the only road I know with any size of garden is St Barnabas Road and that would surely be out of budget??

Mawson Road and Glisson Road always look chocka block and I wouldn't want to own a large car if I lived round there.

Agree food shopping in the station area area is far superior but for my money I would definitely choose Newnham!

beanlet · 18/08/2010 20:38

Nope! Bargain basement end of the market. And I didn't say our garden was "big" :) -- just big enough.

Bobbalina · 18/08/2010 23:33

Result!

cazzybabs · 19/08/2010 09:58

yes I'd like a house in Newnham or off Hills road (Hills ave/cavendish rd)

goldenpeach · 19/08/2010 20:36

Have not lived in Cambridge long but Newnhamn is the place. Why: Grantchester Meadows, Nature Reserve, Lammas Land (heaven for kids) and not far from centre.

Can't afford it, though.

Do bargain on price, unless you have competition even expensive areas are not achieving top prices. I still cannot afford them but I have seen reductions here and there...

hildathebuilder · 20/08/2010 07:22

be careful about bargaining on price. Do your homwork before you even think about it. I have a friend who has been outbid on several properties going way over the asking price.

there are some places where you can bargain but at the £750,000 mark very few as demand is outstripping supply for a 4 bed in that range (I'm afraid). And in my area the prices are higher than they were 2 years ago (again its silly and I'm sorry to say it but it can be true)

coolma · 20/08/2010 09:01

True, our neighbours house sold for a fair few thousand more than the asking price!

cazzybabs · 20/08/2010 11:14

Yes about house prices.... a friend bought a house. It was on the market for 750K and went to sealed bids over a million

goldenpeach · 20/08/2010 18:00

Not always. There is a house that started at 750 then was reduced till around 625K when it sold (not sure for how much yet). As it was bought for over 700 a few years back, I suspect they really needed to sell.

Only special houses go for crazy prices. If you have Property Bee, you will have noticed that reductions have started to happen since late spring.

We spend all our free time monitoring the market, sad but necessary. Lots of houses are also coming back after having sold.

beanlet · 20/08/2010 18:48

Everyone I know who has bought in the last year has paid way over the asking price and it's gone to sealed bids. Where are you looking, goldenpeach? Because that really doesn't ring true with my experience (and I too am spending all the time house hunting).

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