Ok-is Godalming really the great place to live it seems??

[MissChief]

Fallen in love with Godalming, love its character and history, love the surrounding countryside. Planning a move some time soonish and this may be a serious contender. Bit worried though as hear the local secondary schools aren't so great?

We need 3 bed+, great STATE primary/sec schools, quiet and ideally a character property - Edwardian/Victorian or inter-war at a push, also ideally with off-road parking. Our budget is up to £550k, maybe £600k absolute max. Any chance of this within walking distance of Godalming town centre? What is G like as a place to live??
TIA!

Off topic but Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet are there at the moment filming

Intesting bit of tat for you all

DH had to stay there for work, ended up being there for 9 months.
He liked it.

thx - yes, noticed the film crew around but had no idea it was for such an A-list film!
Bumping up for weekday MNers..

Am just choking at the thought of paying half a mill plus for a 3 bed with off street parking
and dodgy schools!

I have no idea about Godalming, but have you looked on upmystreet.com ? That should give you an idea of property prices and favourable locations.

Godalming isn't that expensive you could get something for 400k Don't know about schools although dp or his sister went to a private school there

makes me choke too! dh works round here tho', probably always will so stuck with crazy property prices...

Here in Lincs we get a detached 4 bed, with study, master ensuite and dressing room, double garage, fab gardens, top notch primary schools and grammar secondaries plus top rated comprehensive
For less than half what you need to spend
We used to live in Hants
So know well about stupid prices!

can see why you moved, but like loads of people we're kept here by employment needs - location/range/salaries..
Vicious circle I guess, have to live here to be near work - have to work here to pay the mortgage!

I live about 3 miles from godalming, and the secondary school here is fantastic, it is a beacon school. I havent heard anything about them being rubbish. I know one of them is not as good as the others, but on the whole they have some pretty decent ones down here.

Friends of ours are selling a 3 bed semi, with double garage and off street parking, but it's not within walking distance of Godalming, probably a 10 min drive (place called Loxhill, near Dunsfold). Gorgeous house, totally renovated to a very high standard, but on quite a busy road. Think they are asking about £475,000.
Not sure about schools round there.

that's encouraging!
lou33-since i heard that checked ofted reports (know not be all but v useful ref)- rodborough has great report, is that the 1 you mean?

that's the one, my oldest goes there

also the local infant and junior schools which feed into it are v v good too

( i have 4 kids at 4 schools)

don't envy yr sch-run, lou!
just been on to county council re admissions-v on-message woman saying aren't any "catchmt areas" as such but "admission priority areas" by sch yr-seems yr1 already oversubscribed and she cdnt tell me what alternative wd be offered..Making it v hard to narrow down area - for example Busridge already full with waiting list.

one of them walks herself, one of them has disabled transport collect him, i walk the other 2, it takes about an hour round trip, it's all a a bit hectic and tight, but we manage!

Wrt schools and being accepted for the school in question, we just told the schools concerned we were moving down that way, showed them proof of our address once we had it, and they gave us the relevent places. There was no fuss or trouble at all. Have you thought about trying the villages immediately surrounding Rodborough? The primary level schools are really v good. In fact if you end up there, you really are sorted education wise until the kids go to college.

guess i should try the schs direct and be pushy then. I'm new to the school scrum so still find it a bit daunting! Only thing is, ds1 a millennium baby ( baby boom yr) so might be particularly difficult. You don't regret moving there then?

MissChief - I live about 1 mile away from lou33 and within walknig distance of Rodborough school and can second the view the Godalming and surrounding areas are lovely. You probably want to avoid Farncombe though if you're worried about the school - that's the only secondary school I know with a 'not too good' reputation.

To get something within walking distance of Godalming itself, then you will pay a premium and are looking at the top end of your budget. To get something in Milford or Witley where Lou and I live and which is closer to Rodborough, then you should definitely be able to find something as these two villages are a little bit cheaper - although we're talking only 2 miles away from Godalming itself.

Check out the estate agent Meldrum & Salter - they currently have something just around the corner from me - double fronted 1890 property, 4 beds, loads of parking for £485K. There's also another more modern 4 bed house around the corner on for about the same but I can't remember who the agent is - will check it out on my way home this evening.

Milford has a fab farm shop which does farmers markets every month.

Love the area personally and can't ever see myself moving... Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know.

HBA, how the hell are you?!

We should def meet you know.

There are quite a few places for sale in my village atm (witley). Also they are just finishing off building 2 semidetached 4 bed places about 5 minutes walking distance from me, close to the junior school.

I would suggest going directly to the schools like i did. I don't know if it would make any difference, but it was hassle free for me.

Sorry for the hijack MissChief..but hi Lou! I'm not doing too badly as it happens - although struggling with this second pregnancy - another 15 weeks to go and I feel like a whale already! Midwife was suitably unsympathetic - and just muttered something about post-natal sit ups that I should have done....yeah - thanks!!

More importantly - how are you doing these days?

thanks, both, really helpful - just checked out that website and can get some nice property outside of G for the money, reassuring, but need to discuss with dh as he'd prefer to be in the centre.
Congratulations, btw, HBA - was there myself a few mths ago - hugely pregnant over the long hot summer, not to be recommended, hopefully you'll avoid that if you've only got 15 weeks to go!

thanks, both, really helpful - just checked out that website and can get some nice property outside of G for the money, reassuring, but need to discuss with dh as he'd prefer to be in the centre.
Congratulations, btw, HBA - was there myself a few mths ago - hugely pregnant over the long hot summer, not to be recommended, hopefully you'll avoid that if you've only got 15 weeks to go!

i'm doing good hba, i had no idea you were pg!

Another estate agent to check is emery and orchard, also Masella Coupe

thanks.
HBA-yr neighbour's house look great, sort of thing we're after, under offer though.

Hi.im wanting to move to Godalming and found a nice house in bins ombré crescent farncombe,any advice on the area would be greatly appreciated;)