Relocating to reading - Torn between 2 houses/areas, would love your insight

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Hi there

We are considering putting in an offer on a house and are considering 2 - one on Tilehurst road (reading side of reading west station) and one on Shenstone Road. We love them both - Tilehurst has bigger proportions though.

I’d really appreciate your help with any advice you can give!!

I have an 18 yo daughter and my other half will commute to Canary Wharf a couple of days a week. We’re from London and prefer being closer to the town centre than the suburbs or a village. It’s also important that it’s as safe as can be (at least relative to London) when travelling back at night.

Babies may be in our future but ovaries don’t agree so not necessarily tied to schools but don’t want to completely rule it out.

Thank you so much!!

Hi I don't live in Reading but have family there. We are also considering moving next year or the year after as we have two primary school aged children (years 3 and 4).

Having visited Reading on numerous occasions and conducted some research on Mumsnet, Reading West seems to be on slightly rougher side of town.

Reading has excellent transport links and not as large as London, so if you are stuck between two properties, perhaps think about the long term. Look at the crime stats online for both postcodes, consider the good primary schools, perhaps look at one in each area, then look at their admissions policy; the one with a stricter (geographical criteria), may be located in a better area?

Having also researched transport connections to London, most areas of Reading are well connected to the main Reading station and with crossrail, London will be reached within an hour. If and when we move, I will be keeping my job in London and shall be commuting from Reading to West London on most days via train/tube and then driving a couple of days ago. My DH will be commuting to either central London or the City to work also.

The move for us basically to provide a better quality of life for our children, which we feel may be lacking as they approach their teenage years in London.

I hope this helps?

West of Reading is a bit less salubrious, but Tilehurst Road is nice - I wanted to buy a house there but it sold before I could get an offer in. You’re near Prospect Park which is good for walking. Both have good bus links to the station.

One thing I will say is that Reading West station, if that’s a consideration, isn’t great at night. It’s unmanned and there can be some unsavoury characters hanging about late on. I will get a taxi or the bus rather than use Reading West alone after dark. That said, it’s due to be redeveloped but I don’t know when that will be.