West London - where's a good spot to buy?

[AngryGnome]

Dh is considering taking a job in west London. We live in the East Midlands, and at first he planned to commute, living in London during the week and coming home at weekends. However, we've decided that this won't work for our family so me and Ds (2) are coming too! We need 2 beds min, preferably 3.

Whereabouts is nice? I used to work in Ealing, so i know that is quite nice (but pricey) but don't really know any other areas. We think we'll have about £300k to spend, or could obviously rent.

Any recommendations?

Definitely look at schools. I'm going to be honest, I have lived in west london (Chiswick/Acton) and am now further out in Staines, I much prefer it here but it's not trendy in any shape or form.

If he's going to be in Osterley, then do think about coming out this way, you do get more for your money, the schools are good (depends where you are) and you are right on the edge of the countryside/15 mins on train or car to Windsor/Ascot/Woking facilities plus you're on the river

EG, this one in Englefield Green is close to excellent schools and in a lovely village need to see past the stuff his commute might be 40 mins in rush hour by car? might be longer at times but everything's a compromise in SE really.

Or this in Staines? close to very good schools

some crap in this article but gives a flavour

School are obviously a big consideraton for us, don't want to move only to find out we have to move again to get into a decent catchment area (and am worried enough about the upheaval for DS (2.5) as it is )

I hadn't even considered Staines at all - thanks for the idea, I think i will check that out. DH seems to have fixated on Reading as the answer to all our prayers. I don't know the residential area at all, but used to work at a University campus there and was not hugely enamoured of the town centre.

I think you are right that everything in the SE is a compromise - everyone wants decent sized homes with garden, good schools, quality amenities and a bit of local 'flavour' - shame that there's not enough to go around! That's the reason we moved away from London in the first place, but it is increasingly financially unrealistic for us to stay oop north as DH's career is so City based.

This sort of decision is so difficult, once we move, I am never moving again!

What The Lion said - either Staines (TW18 postcode) is nice for families, or for a very easy drive to Osterley, Twickenham/Whitton (postcode TW2) is great value, as it's the less fashionable end of Twickenham. The TW1 postcode is trendier and less suburban feeling but it's much more expensive than TW2. But both postcodes are in Richmond borough which is a very nice borough and the transport links are great. (As you've found, TW9 & TW10 are really pricey, but by moving to the edge of the borough you still get a lot of advantages of the leafy plushness without the stinging pricetag).

Reading - urgh, honestly, avoid. The really nice areas are expensive - certaintly more pricey that Staines or Twickenham/Whitton and the cheaper areas are just horrible (grimy student digs etc). The one way system is a horrific nightmare and the drive to Osterley would be a pain in the bum.

Anyway, do pop onto Rightmove and do have a look at TW2, TW16, TW18, TW20. Hampton is TW12 and it's lovely but it's slightly more pricey than TW2. TW11 is Teddington and you will get 20% less sq feet than in TW2, that's how big the 'value for money' difference is, so it's your call. As Kirsty says, space or location?

Avoid TW3, TW4, TW5, TW6, TW7, TW13, they will look like good value but for various reasons they may not suit.

Agree that renting for a short time (6 months) is a great idea first but bear in mind that after 4 years of almost static house prices in the abovementioned areas, things are starting to pick up noticeably and I'm startled at seeing house (selling) prices increasing strongly in the past 9 months. As a final (!) point, renting in the abovementioned postcodes is lousy value for money - rentals are much in demand which is pushing prices ever higher for renting - so the quicker you're out of rented and into your own place the better. Good luck!

ClaudiaCutie thanks so much, the postcode breakdown is so helpful! Choosing where to live never seemed to come with so much responsibility pre-DC!

Scary news that house prices are starting to pick up again, and I agree that the rentals we have seen seem v overpriced for what you get.

Whitton is looking top of the list at the moment. Rightmove all week, and then down to actually pound the streets at the weekend i think!

Thanks for all the fab insider info everyone

Claudiacutie is right about postcodes to look at and avoid; also beware of flight paths/proximity to airport, esp. in some of the cheaper TW postcodes - Osterley is under the route into Heathrow and so are many of the places mentioned. Whitton has lots going for it but also has flights taking off, which personally I think is even louder than landing. It also has Mogden sewage works, which you should avoid like the plague. Teddington is a lovely place to be with small dc and is where I'd go if I was looking now.

Actually the posher bits of TW1, TW9 and SW13/14/15 and Chiswick all have significant aircraft noise too. Doesn't bother some people. I have lived in West London for 10 years and it still bothers me!

Thelioninwinter "need to see past the stuff" OMG all that stuff! bonkers.

I know! Lovely place to live though. Right on the edge of Windsor great park.

Mogden is less if an issue now they have modified it & the smell issue seems to have almost gone

I know Twickenham reasonably well and think it's a good place to be. The postcode breakdown is brill! Strawberry Hill is soooo lovely but I expect prices are now v high.

Some parts of Ealing are lovely, eg Pitshanger Village, but pricey. Also it's a bus ride to Ealing Broadway, bus only takes 5 mins but it all needs to be factored in to a commute.

If you can, go and do a reccie. Drive around possible areas, get a feel for them. We've always done this and it works.

Schools are the thing that can drive you mad (literally!). Your move will need to take account of this as much as dh's commute. If you sort out a decent primary, get a property in catchment, do keep in mind the next step ie secondary school. So many people find they need to move again for this. Of course you may want/need to move to a bigger property anyway, but if you've given some though to secondary schools early on, it can help you have a more rounded picture of where you need to be and where you might need/want to end up 6/7/8 or more years down the line.