Possible move. Where would you live if you had to commute to Reading?

[dizzyday07]

There is a chance that DH's job will be relocated to Reading (on Uni campus I think).

We don't know the area at all as the farthest south we've lived in Chinnor, Oxon. so have no idea where to look for a house!

We have a DD who will be Yr 3 in Sept. and DH is willing to travel up to 45mins to work.

We could stretch up to 500k for the right property, and a new build is an option as we could PX our current property.

Where would you live?

It will take your DP the best part of his 45 minutes to get from the outskirts of Reading to the University in a car. The road in from Newbury looks good on a map, but I recommend you try driving it between 7 and 9 in the morning before you conclude that it is a 'good road' into Reading.
If you have to come over Caversham Bridge, set aside 30 minutes extra.
In other words, if you want a 45 minute commute to the University, you need to look no more than 5-10 minutes drive to the Reading borders. Or a train.

MrsJamin working 'near' somewhere is different from living there. I would say growing up 'near' Didcot was actually pretty idyllic in many ways - I cycled round the village with my friend from about 9 or 10 and we were often off for the afternoon together - messing around in streams, catching stickleback, collecting conkers etc etc; there are lots of horses around and I rode in my spare time, including going up on the downs. 'Near' Didcot are all sorts of lovely villages - even Hagbourne that is right next to Didcot is still characterful and has an historic centre etc. In fact, if you know where to look in Didcot, there are interesting bits (although I would probably agree that I might not want to actually live IN Didcot out of preference).

There are nice bits of Reading - the bits you mentioned are nice - and I would add in the Town Hall, and indeed the town centre is much better now. However, if you're wanting 'character' to live in near there, places like Caversham on the otherside of the river have easy access to that whilst still having a somewhat smaller settlement feel to them.

University area: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37747796.html and www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34026334.html

Caversham: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32884054.html

Sonning: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33897640.html

It'll take an hour in the car to go a few miles in RDG

Dizzy, if you like a more village feel then have a look at wallingford. Great town, excellent schools and family feeling, lots of community events. Brightwell cum sotwell is also nice, goring, nettlebed. Anywhere round there is handy for reading

Actually, Cholsey would be your best bet. There's a Reading train from there and it has everything you're looking for

If you don't want a featureless area, Wokingham is the worst place you could go for.

Another endorsement for Wallingford and Nettlebed, especially if you won't be needing a train. There are lovely villages around but the commute will be long and tedious. Sonning and Sonning Eye are pricey and feel less like a village than others, but are nice and green.

In Reading itself, Caversham really is lovely. Woodley is definitely featureless, but the areas around the University (anywhere from Elm Road down to the town centre) has lovely houses, beautiful brickwork, large parks (Sol Joel and Palmer Park, for example), lots of families and is in the catchment of great primaries and secondaries. Reading can be dire and there are areas of identical ugly houses (eg Lower Earley) but some are surprisingly nice.

After 4 very full weekends with viewings, we have now offered on a house in Shinfield so therefore Shinfield Junior is the catchment school.

Does anyone have any knowledge/insight - both good and bad - about it?