Dh wants to move back to London. Is he bonkers?

[iwasjustwondering]

I would like to keep my anonymity for this thread hence the name change.

We live currently about 40 miles away from London (Dh's job is pretty near) Our house is nice and we have been incredibly lucky to buy in an area where to our amazement our houses value almost quadrupled (nothing we did, just very jammy) The area is rather quite, perhaps dull but we have settled into family life with a nice set of friends and a good local pub.

Anyway DH has decided he really really wants to move back to London, he really misses the buzz of the place and never really settled here. I think if it had just been him and I then I would have seriously considered it (however the last time I lived in London was 8 years ago whilst at uni)We have a 2 year old toddler to consider and we are trying for another baby now.

Would we be crazy to move back?
Would we get a decent sized house in a nice area for the money ours is worth? (670k)
Are the good schools packed out?
Am I bananas to be even thinking about this?

If you want to stay SE of London and have access to good schools at both levels in the state sector then look closely at Chislehurst/posh-bit-of-Bexley/Elmstead Woods. 670k would get you something 4 bedded round these parts, esp. Bexley which is less uber-desirable than Chis or EW IMO.
But, if you are looking for a properly ethnically and culturally diverse vibe with nice properties, then nowhere in outer SE London fits the bill .
Blackheath and Greenwich are both beautiful but 670k will NOT get you a large property there nowadays and moreover the secondary state situation in the whole of LB Greenwich is utterly dire unless you happen to be practising Roman Catholics
I am a Londoner born and bred but with Kentish heritage so have a love-hate relationship with the county. Great to visit, wouldn't want to live there tbh and I can fully understand why you want out of Canterbury, lovely city though it is.
London offers easy access to MASSES to do with children of all ages - so much in terms of culture and education, and it is a life I love sharing with my children (6 and 2). Yes it's dirty, yes Londoners can be rude, racist, criminal and grumpy (mostly all at once in SE London ) but it's still a very underrated place to bring up children. Do it!

I agree, secondary schools in my area are generally pretty bad - if we stay in London (and we are hoping tomove out soon), I would probably go private for secondary schools.

What about Clapham? - I think you could get a 4 bed house for £670 k there.

Ok so North ish better?

muswell hill crouch end???

Highgate??

Ooo am jelous

loads of neetters in sw london

Property prices much higher in N London overall though, and access to good state secondary education still fraught. The Fortismere situation in Muswell Hill for example
Dh thought I was nuts saying we had to get out of N10 before we had a family there and put down roots (loved it) but everyone I know there dreaded secondary transfer
You could be lucky of course Someone's kids must get a place, it's not a small school!

North definitely better - Crouch end is v nice! good primary schools too I think.

If I had the money to spend on a house and a job in London then yes, I'd move back, no prob. So no, not bonkers imo.

Thanks for the suggestion of Rightmove.
Nice house in Lewisham for 650k

I would define 'London' as anywhere that has an underground station.

SouthWest is best!!

Ekkk nice one in Muswell Hill, but tiny compared to ours ATM.

This is quite silly, I'm getting butterflies just looking!

SE19 is that Lambeth too?

yes yes and yes

No offence taken lady sherlock but we can be at Victoria in 20 mins, and thats not on a 'fast train'

i meant yes yes yes u would be crazy to move back to london. its no place to bring up kids

If you have that kind of money you can get something a reasonable size but depends on location. Personally we are in the throws of moving out of London to get more space, better schools (and a few personal reasons). But as they say "different strokes for different folks".

have a look at www.findaproperty.co.uk - that has lots of london properties for sale - see here (Crouch End)

Well my head is spinning ATM. Not sure which area best fits the bill and am searching the RM web site - a little lost.

Maybe it would be a little easier to ask for areas that would not be suitable for us?

DH thinks the east end a good idea what with all the improvements being made there.

Fantastic, thanks PollyA

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670K? er, yes, i think you'd get a 'decent' sized house alright. Or a bloomin' mansion.

haven't read the replies but for that money you could definitely get a nice house near a decent school. Maybe not in a really fashionable area but certainly nice. SW London - places like Raynes Park (close to Wimbledon) and out to Kingston you'd get 4 beds Victorian for about 600 - 650.

try Sutton, that has great schools, bromley too - both have grammars at secondary.

Beg to differ with Batters. Graveney School has been in the top 300 school in the country for the last 3/4 years. A very souht after school.

There are loads of lovely places to live within your budget and many with a village feel.

I love ;
Clapham
BlackHeath
Richmond
Wimbledon
Parts of Wandsworth.

I think I prefer south of the River.