Relocate to Cambridge - Looking for 2/3 house to rent near Cambridge - early Jan 2017

[Kangli]

Hi

We are relocating to Cambridge early January 2017 (ideally the first week of January) as I have got a job in Cambridge, we are looking for a 2/3 bed house (with parking & ideally garden) to rent within easy commute distance to Cambridge, we have a two year old and our budget is around 700-900 rent per month. Does anyone has a house for renting or know someone who does? Thank you.

Kangli

Hardwick is one of the cheaper villages near Cambridge, it's not very picturesque but does have a good school, great gastro type pub and a random selection of village amenities (shop, cafe, pet store, etc). It'll take you a minimum of 45 mins to drive to botanic gardens in rush hour from there though, probably more like an hour. There really isn't anywhere to live other than very centre within walking distance if you want a commute under half hour in rush hour. Driving in Cambridge city centre is slower than walking!!

Botanic Gardens is less than 5 mins walk from station so anywhere by train would be easier if you don't want a 45 min drive or to pay more rent. Do you have kids/schools to consider?

Thanks everyone, that lovely place in Hardwick is gone anyway :( had to keep looking. If the traffic is so bad in Cambridge I think maybe I really should be looking at coming in by train. Someone mentioned Waterbeach earlier and I will try to look around there.

Whittlesford has a station also.

For Botanic Gardens the best commute will definitely be by train. Do factor in the cost of parking at the stations though as that can be almost as much as the price of the train ticket for some places.

The trainlines from Cambridge split just south of the city - so one line does Whittlesford (Duxford), Chesterford, Audley End (for Saffron Walden) and goes into Liverpool St eventually the other goes more west of the city and ends up at Kings Cross.

Duxford is both sides of the M11 - the main village is on the Eastern side and v close to Whittlesford, then there are houses near the officers mess (opposite the airfield/museum) and more new build houses around there. The ones near the airfield don't have much nearby so you'd need to get in the car to get to village type amenities unless you just need to make a quick purchase from the garage.

Would you consider Ely? There's a 2-bed semi, not far from the station, at £730 pcm. Trains to Cambridge are about 20 minutes.

If you are working near the Botanical Gardens then you'd be much better trying to live in Duxford or Sawston and getting the train in. Hardwick is fine, but the journey inti Cambridge woukd take ages as there's no dedicated bus lane for most of it, so the bus just sits in traffic.

Linton
Either P&R or a 25 min (posh) bus ride every 30 mins.

This may be controversial but for botanic garden I would work out commuting costs from say Whittlesford and instead add that to your rental budget.

Then I would look for a place in Cambridge, ideally Mill Road area but that is probably too expensive but Cherry Hinton or Similar might be doable. Then you are walking/cycling/short bus ride from everywhere.

Also it will be so much nicer for your freelance other half to be able to walk into town (as a fellow freelancer in a village I really miss being in town).

Hi helpful people! Thanks so much for all your kind suggestions. We have been looking for house around there like crazy for the last few weeks and finally found a really nice one in St. Ives near Marley Road and Ramsey Road. The house is lovely and it's a residential area which looks very quiet and peaceful, guided busway bus stop near the house into central Cambridge. Does anyone know the area very well? Could you give us some opinion about it? Is it suitable for little ones? Thank you.