3 bed house somewhere NICE to live within 45 mins journey of paddington for 350k?

[Spuddybean]

DP has been offered a job in Paddington for 75k. We currently live between MK and Northampton, so the commute would be too much (DP already commutes to London but the extra journey to Paddington and one day per week to Uxbridge would be a commute to far we feel).

We have a small baby and i don't earn enough to cover childcare so no wage from me.

We thought that on that money (which we consider rock'n'roll wages) we could find somewhere nice (i grew up in chiswick and my friends and family are still there - so as i am now home with the baby - it would be lovely to be near people i know who could support me, rather than isolated in the middle of nowhere like i am now). But the banks will only offer a 300k mortgage with a 50k deposit (which would mean using every penny we have put by and our pensions). Sadly even with that i can't find anything remotely suitable.

DP is not keen on urban living so we would need somewhere more leafy. He is not from London and wont contemplate rough areas (he considers clapham/battersea rough). We wanted chiswick/richmond/wimbledon areas.

I just can't believe that on 75k we are struggling to find somewhere nice to live, which would mean dp didn't spend more than 2 hours travelling.

Oh, and it couldn't be outside London as we couldn't afford fares on top of the mortgage. (mortgage would be £1600 per month)

If anyone has any ideas i would really appreciate it. Ta. :)

Unfortunately I think your dp is being unrealistic. Most people buying property now, even on that salary in London can't live in a 3 bed house in a nice area without a commute involving a mishmash of public transport. I think your choice is nice house/area commute about an hour or more. Live in London compromise on house/area or commute length.

He's working so he gets more of a say? Really? How about, you are the one stuck in the house all day so you should have a say? It sounds like he wants to go to America to me so is putting up walls at every eventuality.

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/26331070?search_identifier=5a65991a00f3a203b2e6d11bff225b3a

This looks pretty good to me and under budget, 3 bedroom with garden, in Ealing. know the area, it'll be within walking distance of a good primary school, something that you probably need to think about too as it won't be long before schooling questions come up.

I'd register with some agents in areas that you like, develop the best relationship you can with the agent so that they let you know as soon as something comes up in budget.

I'd stick to an area like Ealing which has good access into Paddington/London generally and decent primary schools. South Ealing and Northfields are cheaper than round the Broadway but not more than 10 to 15 minute walk or bus to the main station where you can get to Paddington in under 10 mins.

Once you agree your area, you just need to make it your mission to find something, even if it might be somewhere that needs doing up or if it's an apartment in lieu of a house to begin with.

Ok yet again outside London but 30 min to Liverpool street straight onto tube line . Small town so friendly countryside not far nice and green town park great play areas and paddling pool that's very popular in the summer and you get a very nice 3/4 bed in most areas in the town

Very good schools primary and secondary

Ok yet again outside London but 30 min to Liverpool street straight onto tube line . Small town so friendly countryside not far nice and green town park great play areas and paddling pool that's very popular in the summer and you get a very nice 3/4 bed in most areas in the town

Very good schools primary and secondary

It sounds like he won't compromise on any aspect because... maybe he wants to go to America?

Oh and I have 5dc to think about 18,15,9,7 and 1 . There is plenty enough to do for all age ranges here and all within walking distance as is the train station /plus regular buses all things to consider when your at home

Airport 5 miles good road links to

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/property/london/darwin-road-w5/

Not sure if the link worked before, posting another which has some other properties on that road. I know an absolutely lovely family who live on that street, one with teenage daughter, potential babysitter!

Do people really develop relationships with estate agents? My experience is they either ring you up constantly to look at everything, however over-budget or unsuitable, or you never hear from them again. Anyway, I would hardly not buy a house because I didn't have a "relationship" with the agent.
It sounds like the sort of thing an estate agent would say.

TheHumanCatapult are you going to tell us what area you're taking about? :)

If you went south east, then from br1 or br2 or br3 (short lands/Bromley south/beckenham) shows up in the 45-50min bracket.

Plenty of good house and good schools in the br2 Bromley common area (put in chatterton village as a search place).

Near the countryside. Nice parks. Some Good Victorian three bedders for £350k.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38886410.html?premiumA=true

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24385068.html

More in beckenham too.

Bus from Bromley common a21 to Bromley south (8mns). 20mins from Bromley south to Victoria then tube from Victoria to paddington

I think it's worth doing if you're looking in an area where there aren't many properties coming up in your budget or meeting your criteria. You can figure out which agents seems to have the best properties from the ads. I'd go in and meet them, explain exactly what you're looking for and if they know you're a serious buyer, not in a chain (which sounds the case with OP), with mortgage offer in place so you can move quickly literally and financially, then you're a prime, perfect buyer for them.

That's how we bought our place and we did that from overseas, I was in touch with a couple of agents from the area and they emailed me when stuff came up. We organised a day of viewings and ended up buying the property I'd initially turned my nose up at because I didn't like the sound or look of it from the description!

I'm not an estate agent but I do work in sales and marketing and I think relationship building is no bad thing if you're fixed on a particular area.

Oh and I wouldn't not buy a place either if I didn't have a relationship with the agent, I'd still be trawling the Internet too.

Oops Lula that may help I'm over in East Hertfordshire not far from Stansted airport

One of the senior schools made it into the top 100 schools in the uk was only state school to Do so

We're within less than 10 mind walk of three very good state schools and then another 30 min walk of two more which are very good to Option for single sex if you prefer that to

And dd primary well people drive in quite some distance for

Bowling /pool /cinema/shops etc all within walking distance which is good for bad weather also crime rate is very low around here to . Oh and train station mainline so is manned 24 hours a day ( as well as 27 mins to London can do Cambridge in 35 other way

Where in America is DPs job moving to? Do you want to move there?

I think if you're going to be at home for years, your say should be equal with his.

Harrow is affordable and green. Bakerloo line takes 30 mins from Harrow and Wealdstone to Paddington with no changes. Lots of nice roads walkable to that station. Also there is a fast train to Euston so you have a central London link. Schools are good too if you stay.

How about burnham or other towns on the mainline out of Paddington? Train should take 35-45 mins. Have seen 3 bed places on right move in burnham for your budget. No idea about schools though.

Train fares aren't necessarily that much more on a season ticket than tube from an outer zone. Some companies do special season ticket loans as well which can help.

wow - thanks all - such thoughtful responses. Haven't read all thoroughly so will do after i've sorted ds.

To those saying he wants to go to the US. Sadly he actually doesn't. His job is moving him to Washington and that will be a massive compromise on lifestyle too. I think when you aren't from somewhere and have just been thru parts the place seems more 'dangerous'. Eg i know people not from London who find acton rough, but i've always thought it was fine (the high street/acton town area - not park royal, i hate north acton, not rough so much as just ugly really) - because i know it. A bit like a dog, some look dangerous but are just smelly! er i think!

Last time i went to acton the was a man laying on the pavement at 10 am on easter friday, talking on his mobile with a can of beer in his hand. That to DP would suddenly mean the whole area is rough. To me it's just normal-ish (not FOR me of course!).

Oh and the journey is 45 mns door to door so train journeys of 40 mins are out really (it's already 40 mins from where we live now - but the walking to the station etc takes up way more time).

It's not much that we don't want to go to the US, we think it might be fun to live somewhere else, but it's a risk really. If i don't make friends and DP doesn't like the job/they don't like him then we have to fund our own way home. Also cost of living is much higher and we would be on the same wage, so essentially a pay cut for us.

Gants Hill, redbridge

Is DH's commute currently by train? How long is it?

Are you renting your current home?

Sounds like there is no perfect solution and you will have to weigh up lots of things.

What DOES he want to do then OP? He doesn't want to go to the US, but he doesn't want to live in London - so it looks like you are left with an area 45 mins from the centre.. which you don't want to do.

right well he doesn't want a hideous or long journey. atm it is from mk to euston then onto bank - just about tolerable, but only because he can work from home some days and it isn't always 9-5, he can often go in off peak. the paddington job would be everyday in by 9 and one day in uxbridge. we have a small baby and we want a better balance if poss. so i suppose uxbridge would be the best place really.

if we went the us he would be a walk away from work and we would live in quite a nice area. so that's the draw really. i was just looking for the alternatives, but it looks like the us is the best bet.

sorry, meant to add current commute = 45 mins on train, 10 min walk to station, 10 mins to get thru euston to tube, then 10 min on tube, 5 min walk from monument. on a good day. coming home a bit longer usually. £500 per month. current mortgage £650 per month.