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Original poster

Nice areas to move to around London...Help please

82 replies

granarybeck · 17/06/2006 10:48

My Dh has been offered a job in London (Farringdon). We currently live near manchester. We've been thinking of moving to Harpenden or st Albans (just really because someone suggested they were nice and easy to commute to that area of London). Now we need to seriously look at moving, i though we better just check out any other options before deciding on harpenden. got lots of useful advice about st albans/harpenden recently on another thread, thanks for that. Though when i looked through archives read another thread where lots of people didn't seem keen on harpenden, have i missed something? we don't know the area at all and are moving from northern to southern house prices so know that might be a struggle.

Have got to pop out now, but would be really, really grateful for any help or suggestions/opinions.

OP posts:

hunkermunker · 17/06/2006 10:53

Don't just look at mainline trains - I live in Ruislip which is on the Metropolitan line and is therefore cheaper to get to Farringdon than on mainline and pretty quick (under an hour from here). Try \link{http://www.gibbsgillespie.co.uk\this site} for more on house prices round here.

NotQuiteCockney · 17/06/2006 10:56

Are you planning to buy initially? Or rent? I would check out the commute for a while before buying anywhere.

And I would be looking north or east, for shorter commutes to Farringdon.

southeastastra · 17/06/2006 10:56

st albans is great i would move there if i could afford to! great park, historic town, good shops, loads of restaurants and pubs, close to london! i would find harpenden a bit too far and cut off. radlett is nice if you want somewhere more quiet.

Original poster

granarybeck · 17/06/2006 10:57

thanks hunkermunker, i will have look at that site and will check out different trainlines to farringdon.

OP posts:

Original poster

granarybeck · 17/06/2006 10:59

NQC, we may have to rent initially while we sell our house up here as i've no idea how long it will take to sell. Ideally though, I'd like to rent where we will but just because I'm worried enough about the children moving schools once, I'd hate them to have to move again.

OP posts:

southeastastra · 17/06/2006 11:02

i live one stop off from radlett and the trains are straight through to farringdon, also the fare is cheaper than st albans.

Original poster

granarybeck · 17/06/2006 11:02

where we will buy, that should say! Am typing one handed with a broken elbow and haven'y quite got the hang of it yet!

OP posts:

KTeePee · 17/06/2006 11:03

Probably the reason St Albans/Harpenden are being suggested is the good train service to Farringdon - about 25 mins from St Albans - so a lot quicker than the tube from other parts of London. Don't know Harpenden very well myself, maybe people feel it is a bit small, plus quite expensive (as is St Albans!) I like Hertfordshire myself but obviously lots of people would prefer to live in London (though as I said, you can get to many places north of the Thames quicker than coming from a London suburb by tube and schools tend to be better in Herts).

How about looking at the other end of the Thameslink line in south London? Alternatively I would think east or north-east London would be an easy commute for your dh?

Carmenere · 17/06/2006 11:07

I have just moved to Carshalton in the south of London/north Surrey and it is absolutely lovely. It's on the Thameslink but the trains are more regular to Farringdon from nearby Sutton. House prices are quite reasonable too and there are some great schools around.

NotQuiteCockney · 17/06/2006 15:59

True, it's better to rent where you're going to buy ... but you don't want to buy and then change your mind.

Personally, as a Londoner, I'd aim for really really near your DH's likely area of work. Given disruptions, strikes, etc etc, it's better to be in, say, Stokey, and then a viable biking distance to work, than in St. Albans or whatever.

But then the schools aren't that good in Stokey, I don't think. And maybe you don't want to live somewhere that urban?

Original poster

granarybeck · 17/06/2006 20:24

Carmenere, we haven't looked at south london yet. Partly, i think because i was thinking it would be easier in the north for friends/family visiting from manchester and us popping up there (i guess that could just be psychological though!). I will have look though thanks.

Does anyone know a website that i can look at to see all the different trains/lines that go to farringdon from different places?

NQC, it is really hard re renting/buying and the right way to do it. We have moved lots of times, but always fairly locally. selling a house and moving to a new area and then coordinating new jobs and schools (catchment and term starts) is so complicated. I haven't quite figured it out yet!

OP posts:

Carmenere · 17/06/2006 20:25

Just do a google search for transport for London or TFL and that will show you, good luck!

Original poster

granarybeck · 17/06/2006 20:29

oh cheers, will try that.

OP posts:

lapsedrunner · 17/06/2006 20:32

You need the Sunday Telegraph Guide (Book)to Commuterland, put it into Google and it should bring up the right one (plus a few "blogs" on Commuting!).

Pennies · 17/06/2006 20:32

There's Welwyn Garden City which is in Herts but not as jaw droppingly expensive as Harpenden. We're moving there in Sept (moving out of London).

Mercy · 17/06/2006 20:33

St Albans is very nice but EXTREMELY expensive and always has been - even by SE England standards.

What type of accomodation and area are you looking for? What about travelling distance from work?

southeastastra · 17/06/2006 20:35

farringdon from here is about 30 mins! we are also near A1.

beansontoast · 17/06/2006 20:36

Harrow on the Hill is a bit nearer to Farringdon on the aformentioned Met line...and is alright too.The old 'Hill' bit in particular....very nice(harrow and Ruislip both have soem v.good schools to choose from)

can pick up the M1 in twenty mins at Watford or Stanmore from Harrow...obviuosly even quicker form st albans!!

St Albans is of course lovely.yum yum....and if you can afford to live there you can prob afford Harrow too...havent checked that actually

only wish i could afford to live here properly myself!

Original poster

granarybeck · 17/06/2006 20:38

Someone else mentioned WG City. Will have a look.

We're looking for a three (min)bed house (would really need either second reception room that could double as spare room) or fourth bedroom. Is already going to be a big down size for us just because house prices are much cheaper up here. Area wise, we're kind of open to ideas, its all going to be quite different to where we are now. I think ideally dh would like to keep his commute time to within an hour to farringdon. Also need good state schools. Gosh, don't ask for much do I?!

OP posts:

tenalady · 17/06/2006 20:39

Nah granary, we dont want you up here

Original poster

granarybeck · 17/06/2006 20:45

beansontoast, we can't exactly afford to! is all quite back to front really, dh moving to much better job but we're working out how we can afford to accept it by downsizing house, giving up things etc! i'm sure it was a good idea really!

OP posts:

Mercy · 17/06/2006 20:47

3-4 bedroom houses in North London are around £300k btw

southeastastra · 17/06/2006 20:49

here they are the same!

ComeOVeneer · 17/06/2006 20:50

Which parts of North London are those Mercy?

emmawill · 17/06/2006 21:02

How about Rickmansworth that is still on the tube but is in Hertfordshire, pretty expensive though.

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