Should we stay or should we go? Move back to London?

[threeboysandaguitar]

We moved out of London 13 years ago to a small cathedral town when our eldest was secondary age. We moved for the schools and naively thought grammar would be the best option for educating our three DS. It didn’t quite turn out that way and they all went to different schools. We are now at a crossroads. Our youngest is applying for sixth form and we find ourselves looking to London as an opportunity to make the move back. I am now working there 3 days a week and everyone is keen to return (elder two are at uni). DH is a musician and up for the move although he is more established here with his work. Is it a mad idea? Should we stay in a town that’s pretty, with easy living but uninspiring and a bit of a God’s waiting room, or should we head back to the city? We have made some friends here but also still have some in London. It would be a wrench to leave our lovely townhouse - it would be smaller if we move. Should we stay or should we go?

It sounds like you want to come back! So come back.

SW London, SE or possibly NW (Willesden) where we were before

No further than that - about 1 hour 40. A bit far but commuting just possible.

Thank you - That’s so cool - my son is a skater! He already spends so much time in London - as you say, there’s so much for them to do. When you move out with small kids it’s actually such a short window -
in just 10 years they want to go back.

Although it’s my idea of hell, you should return to London

I'm in SE London. Its better than SW London. Which in turn is better than North London. I'm a South East London Nationalist though.
Forest Hill and HOP Honor Oak Park are cheaper than East Dulwich and practically the same place. And we are on the Windrush Line unlike East Dulwich.

@Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit are you having a giraffe? You've got your order of preference upside down 🤷‍♀️

@Davros
I think not, and your user name would imply that you are indeed part of the forces of evil in the universe and therefore you would feel at home in North London.

What I love about London is that nearly everyone fervently believes that their neighbourhood is the best which rather suggests there are a LOT of great places to live in London. I’ve lived in North, South and West London and loved them all for what they gave me at different points in my life.

I’ve lived in NW London (with and without kids and West London pre kid). North London beyond Hampstead is a bit alien to me as is East and South East - need to explore it more. Feel South East might be a good middle ground after having had a spell out with all its green spaces. That said, when we visited, we ended up with 2 parking tickets from Lambeth Council in 24 hours for apparently driving in a residential street - didn’t even notice the signs. Could get very expensive. They seem to be particularly bad for it. Not sure how you avoid that apart from never driving.

@Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit 😹

I know people who did the move back from a similar spot when their kids started secondary school because they all realised that they didn’t enjoy walks in the country and that life was funner in the city.

come back if you have the means.
theres more to do
music and theatre and lectures etc etc
the leisure centres and libraries
the hospitals are better

London is great .

South East London is still cheap but you need to go Penge, Crystal Palace, West Norwood for better value now. Many State Sixth Forms are selective anyway so as long as the commute is good via bus or train apply to lots now and see what happens. You don’t need catchment for most of the best schools. There are also grammars in Orpington/Bexley and Bexley. Kingsdale is excellent and large at Sixth Form and selective. Also look at Graveney. You do need to decide on area now and put in the application forms if your DS is in Year 11.
Personally I would rent a two bed flat initially and see how it goes. The stamp duty on 1.35 million is huge!

Your budget would get you this nice-enough house in central Teddington, close to the station and in easy reach of Esher VI Form college (and a couple of school VI Forms too). Do it!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/153901598#/?channel=RES_BUY

Never driving is a great option in se London. Great transport and rammed roads.

Definitely move back. All 3 of your children will appreciate it, not just the youngest. So many more job opportunities in London and rents are ridiculously high so your older ones will be able to get established whilst living at home. If you are looking at sixth forms in SE London, look to the Charters, tho they do have both an academic threshold and a distance boundary, Kingsdale (need 7s and above to get in), Haberdashers, St Thomas the Apostle, Dunraven and Graveney.

Thank you for this - and for everyone’s contribution. It has been so helpful for me. Much appreciated. Vote seems in favour of London - which confirms what we were
thinking. Not an easy decision
and a big one.

Or you could move to somewhere more central where you don’t have take an overland train whenever you go into London.

there’s plenty of places in zone 2 where this budget will mean being able to walk, bus or ride to the theatre or museum etc

I would move back too -

Thanks @MumonabikeE5 - missed Esher College - only discovered it last week. And they do Fashion. Lots of other good options though. Thanks for the RM link too!