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Original poster

What type of house can you get for £350kish within commutable reach of London

52 replies

dejags · 08/02/2006 20:36

A friend and family are moving to the UK. Her DH is working in London - they will have about £250k to spend on a house and hope to bolster this with another £100k.

She was asking me today what that would get her - as I haven't lived in the UK for a while I said I'd ask on here?

Must be no more than an hour on the train each way and must have good schools - she has junior school age kids. She has no preference of area.

OP posts:
Original poster
dejags · 09/02/2006 13:07

that's true Issymum...

OP posts:
MissChief · 09/02/2006 13:13

so what's Guildford like (apologies for hijack)we're after OLD, with garden, parking, great schools (state) for up to £600k. Any chance?

MissChief · 09/02/2006 13:15

..sorry, that was shameless! (but my own thread has died off...

LeahE · 09/02/2006 13:36

Agree with Issymum - the best plan is probably to identify the nearest main line station to his work and then trace that rail line out of London.

LIZS · 09/02/2006 13:50

Could get a 4 bed detached around here for that, in SL's "slightly posher" area, Surrey just north of Gatwick/Crawley (actually would she like ours LOL!!) -choice from around 260k upwards. Commute into Victoria or London Bridge, on London to Brighton mainline, is around 40-50 minutes in average - dh does is every day. Primary schools are good but better secondaries in next town (about 10 minutes away).

sandyballs · 09/02/2006 13:51

Where's that Liz?

Mascaraohara · 09/02/2006 13:53

Iota beat me to MK or Bedfordshire about 45mins on train

mommie · 09/02/2006 13:55

Coulsdon or Purley - good schools and good rail links to London. you can get a nice house down tehre for £250, and if its Coulsdon you are on top of Farthing Downs, which is great for kids

LIZS · 09/02/2006 13:56

Closest town is Horley , just south of Redhill.

MissChief · 09/02/2006 14:17

there's a good guide yr friend could buy
"Sunday Telegraph" Guide to Commuterland: Country Life Within Reach of London
It's outofdate now (97?), esp for property prices - read & weep about how much more house you could get for yr money a decade ago! Absolutely amazed no-one's done an update! Great for quick ref. where to live, schools, how long on train etc

MissChief · 09/02/2006 14:18

you know what they did!

Guide to Commuterland: Finding a Home Within Reach of London (2004) -
Amazon have got it, about to order myself now!

LIZS · 09/02/2006 14:19

We bought ours over 10 years ago but you have to remember that everything else has also move on relatively in price so there is no real "profit".

MissChief · 09/02/2006 14:22

lucky you! We didn't do too badly but moved up the ladder a couple of yrs ago so had to buy at £500k a property that in 99 cost under £200k!
I just feel sorry for those poor buggers starting out...

LIZS · 09/02/2006 14:45

Agree read that the average house price was 200k and now the average age of buying is into 30's.

FioFio · 09/02/2006 14:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

acnebride · 09/02/2006 14:59

another vote for the Telegraph guide, it is v accurate about Oxford which is just about a possibility if work is Paddington/Marylebone - prices very variable depending on small differences in area, and schools very variable indeed.

350K in the 4 streets around me v near the station would just about buy you a very nasty 4-bed with a small garden and unbelievably tired interior.

350K a few streets further away from the station would buy you quite a nice 3-bed in a cul-de-sac next to an enormous park, with a bit over probably depending on how 'done up' it is. 3rd bedrooms tend to be loft conversions which vary a lot.

MaryBS · 09/02/2006 18:20

Longthorpe, Peterborough:

www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-8925548.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy

Longthorpe is cyclable to the train station, which is 45 mins to Kings Cross, and is a VERY nice part of Peterborough to live!

bangersandmash · 09/02/2006 18:38

in bedford (very easy commuting to london) you could get this at the top end of the budget

Klauz33 · 09/02/2006 18:44

misscheif - you could easily get a house in good part of guildford for £600K. The one nextdoor to me has just been sold for £405K, it needs a total refurb but offers 4 bedrooms, easily could be more with loft extension, 100ft garden, walking distance to best primary,junior schools in Guildford. 1 minute walk to Downs, 10 minute walk to centre of Guildford.

Gem13 · 09/02/2006 19:01

Brighton? Although the DH would need to be working near Victoria/London Bridge to not make it a bad commute.

Milliways · 09/02/2006 19:02

Reading is 30mins on train from Paddington. Buses to station are very frequent & cheap over whole town.

try this link description

Milliways · 09/02/2006 19:04

Sorry about link - choose Tilehurst, search £225-350k, get quite a range.

Ellbell · 09/02/2006 23:44

I used to live in Tilehurst, Milliways!

MissChief · 10/02/2006 09:29

quick hijack to say big thanks to Klaus (remember you from other thread! )

fisil · 10/02/2006 18:29

MaryBS - that's where I grew up!