Tell me where to live

[dumboearwax]

Hello
We have £900k. Family of 3 but another on the way.
DH works in city. I work in Farringdon PT at the moment.
Parents in East Anglia. Getting elderly so important to have easy access to them - no more than 1.5 hr car.
We like green leafy areas plus access to naice high street. Bit of a liberal vibe would be good too. And a bit of a buzz about somewhere is important with things going on.
Needs to be near decent range of schools as we plan to put down roots.
Would like 4 bed plus outside space. Period would be great but would look at more modern too.
No more than 1hr 30 door to door. Considering both in and out of London but currently drawn to staying in London.
Thanks house hunters!

We've just moved to Walthamstow - from Farringdon, as it happens. Think it would tick most of your boxes - easy to get to M11, quick transport to City (Liverpool St), and Farringdon via Victoria Line to Kings Cross then bus. Definitely a liberal/active community feel plus good (primary) schools. Good park and Epping Forest/Lea Valley/Marshes for green. Lots of improvements in the pipeline and areas of gentrification but not sure how 'naice' you're after. It still has a way to go until it's properly posh! On the plus side your budget would get you a house with everything you wanted in the nicest bit, with cash over to extend/improve if you needed, unlike in other already up-and-come areas… There are smarter areas a bit further east - Wanstead etc - but I get the impression they're a bit more conservative in feel.

St Albans? Hitchin?

Cambridgeshire?

St A would work well for the commute but it would take longer than 1.5 hours to drive from there (or from Hitchin) to East Anglia.

Do consider Cambridge. Train to Liverpool Street or kings Cross in less than an hour. For a small city there's loads going on. Plus easy access to Suffolk and Norfolk.
We moved out of London to Cambridge, and now live in a small village just outside. DH goes to London twice per week, train from Royston is 45 minutes. It's fab. Schools are all pretty good, lots of activities for teenagers, lots of interesting people including (but not exclusively!) eccentric academics.
£900 000 would buy you a decent house in Cambridge itself, or a lovely house in a nearby village.