Childcare, housing and education for poor people? :)

[Jennlx]

My DH works in Wandsworth and I work in the City (once I go back from mat leave) and we're really wracking our brains as to where to move to for childcare, education and housing purposes. We have DS, 2, and DD, 5 months. We haven't bought yet, but our mortgage budget is £200k, which rules out pretty much everywhere - I really would like a 3 bed and garden, even tiny garden. I am very education focussed and want my kids to go to the best schools we can find for them. I am also a massive snob. OK, so I'm not going to get everything I want, but has anyone any suggestions for somewhere nice to live (budget for rental £950), where I can get childcare for less than £10 per hour (for both) and great schools with more than 0.2 km catchment? I know, it's hopeless, I have spent the past six months looking...

Carshalton is nice, the area between C'ton Park and the High St has some nice houses on - The Square, Wallace Crescent, all round there. 3 bed terrace or end of terrace usually go for £250k ish and are within the usual catchment for Stanley Park infants or Victor Seymour infants.

The new Bandon Hill extension school at the old Stanley Pk High site should help local admissions distances, it's due to open in Sept 2013 with a reception intake of 120. Assuming the consultation goes to plan, of course.

RueDeWakening - those streets are priced at more 300K now, not 250 :(

I didn't realise there's going to be Primary school at the old Stanley Park - Iwas worried council would sell it for development

Really?! - we sold our end of terrace in that area a couple of years ago for less than £250k!

Maybe it's the yarnbombers making it a desirable area? :o

There is a big difference around the Croydon/Sutton area of 200K and 250K. If OP could stretch that little bit more, would def get a 3 bed terrace for 250.

hahaha @the yarnbombers
prices went up in the last 12 months

and there's shortage of properties - I am looking myself so can see what's coming on the market and how quickly it goes

Avodado there's a link to the consultation papers here, obviously the council website is less than helpful in tracking it down...

Avocado...sorry!

thanks - I missed it altogether

Even in Essex you would be hard pushed to get what you are looking for! Child care for one child in Nursery here (North East Essex) is £50 a day average, for an 8.30am-5.30pm day. 3 beds to rent are slightly cheaper, at around £900 PCM, but the commute to London is circa £4k for a season ticket.

I think you'd have to be somewhere in the region of Newcastle to get everything you are looking for, it doesn't exist in the SE.

You could try a low offer on this (they do say 'open to offers') - it's in a nice area and in catchment for Kingswood - outstanding primary. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34063570.html

There's quite a bit around here (West/Upper Norwood) for c250k that are 3-bed ex-LA so largeish and with decent gardens and some good schools around, plus it's very green and open with Crystal Palace shops nearby, so worth keeping an eye on and making some cheeky offers.

Or here - practically Dulwich! Needs work tho...
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32968708.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32968708.html

Needs a bit of love but it's almost there

m.rightmove.co.uk/quickPage.html;jsessionid=05A75444478850BF98E004881EBA3FFB?page=8&cc=html5%2Fhomepage.html%3Fgoto%3DHOMEPAGE#details

Sidcup is nice and middle class. Orpington bit less nice in parts but you can buy here if you choose area carefully, use local MN pages.
Schools are good enough... Grammar system and lots of single sex schools.

Meant to say, I pay my cm £8.50 hour for 2 during school and £8.00 hour holidays. (£4 baby £4.50 school age)

And my link doesn't work off iphone
It's rowley ave sidcup 3 bed £199

Ok it is probably not what you want but I live in South Norwood (South London) and you can get 3 bed for around or even under £200k here. Commuting to the City is amazingly quick. I live on a quiet cul-de-sac here and never experienced any problem. Primary schools are, surprisingly, most quite good (meaning Ofsted report "good") and the choice is good. Crystal Palace, Beckenham nearby. Tramlink to Croydon for shopping. East London line. Childcare is more affordable than elsewhere, you can easily get a childminder for £5/hour or nursery £185/week.
Secondary schools may be a problem but even so there are some upcoming, but too rough for my liking.
My next move will be somewhere like Bishop's Stortford, or Rochester, or Horsham for good secondaries. I realise I can't get everything in one go but I am hoping to find a 3 bed house near a good secondary for around £200k.

Think 1. Kent (Sidcup?)

1. Maisonette - with a view to buying the bottom part of the house in the next 20 years or so.
2. Nannyshare. I paid £3.30 an hour for ds to go to a nannyshare for 3 years, though admittedly it was not in London.

What about Langley in Slough? Slough is not lovely but is does give you very easy access to Windsor which is. It also has grammar schools.

Three beds for your budget

or this has a bit more charm

EBDTeacher - that cottage in Colnbrook is lovely, one would need to pay at least twice as much here, and the Third bedrom is v.good size

but is 2 miles from Sunnymeads rail station and that journey to the City would be near 90 minutes I think - hence affordability

Yes I expect so Avocado but on her budget the OP is going to have to compromise on something!

I agree with you EBDTeacher, nice to know someone has a chance to live in nice places like that :)

Sorry to late post, thanks for all your replies. You know when you're watching Location, Location, Location and the potential buyers want everything and refuse to compromise. That's me! Yes, I know I need to compromise - and I think it will have to be on the house! I think we're going to continue renting for the time being....all your suggestions are great, I'm just going through them all.

RueDe - ooh, thought the old Stanley Park school was being used for something! Our current house (being sold by owners so need to leave) is nr Mellows Park. We are looking in Carshalton but rentals are scarce in our budget and near the catchment areas I like. We just saw one for £1,000pcm in Barrow Hedges catchment with electrical sockets hanging out of the walls, damp and plasterboard falling from the roof. Another was a very tired, very needing everything done 4th floor ex-council, again £1,000.

I'm really wishing a snapped up a house in 2005...but stupidly we decided to keep saving to ensure we had all the money we needed for surveys, solicitors, furniture, moving costs etc. Wish we hadn't now!

Nannyshare is also a very good idea I hadn't thought of - will look into!

Good grief, childcare for 2 for less than 10 pounds an hour. Surely noy