I would really appreciate if you talk to me and help with your opinions as my head is exploding already.
We are trying to decide where will be the best place for us to buy house.
I am completely city girl and love London with all my passion. My husband is a country boy, grew up with aches of land, huge country house and horses so a compromise needed :)
We both do not need to commute every day to work as I am a freelancer and hubby either has meetings all over the world or in central London very occasionally. But we both love theaters, museums and just general going out in the center of London. I also have a hobby in central London which I would like no to give up and it involves that I am coming back home on a last train about 1 am.
Originally we were thinking maybe some nice area outside London in the countryside with good and quick connection links to the city. We were considering Cross Rail links and places around Maidenhead, Reading, etc. as husband could have a big country house with land over there and I could get easily into Central London.
Now we decided that would be nice to stay within London but we can not decide absolutely anything about areas.
In North London we like Hadley Wood, Monken Hadley and some places between High Barnet and Stanmore but it seems so far to get to the center from there.
We also went through the stage where husband agreed to buy something right in the center like Westminster, Victoria, Kensington but I do not think he will be happy there as he loves to be near some sort of greenery, live in a house rather then a flat, have a garage and garden.
Then we were considering Ealing as there are some roads with very big houses over there (though many converted into flats) but I read about schools and released (maybe I am wrong) that schools could be much better. And I also think we would have one of the best houses in the area which is not ideal (as a saying goes it is better to have a worst house o the best street rather then a best house in the worst street). Apart from that we love the area.
Now we look at South West London. Start looking for houses in Richmond but around the station (15 mins walk) I can not find pretty much any detached houses.
What would you say, who live maybe close by, about Sheen, St.Margarets, Mortlake,Barnes ect. I am a bit scared about commute from there. The same about Ham. But soooo nice around there everywhere.
And noise from planes also is not very appealing. But neighborhood is very pleasant, affluent, huge park near by where we can walk, cycle, etc. and schools are fantastic!!
Closer to Kingston there are lots of suitable houses but I think it's too far and too villigy for us.
Then I came to Wimbledon. Wimbledon Village seems very nice area with very good transport links but I read village itself is very very small and lots of parts are very noisy. And what about Tooting nearby and some other not very pleasant parts?
Seen some houses not far from Putney as well (not close to the station though)
And again looking at the prices of the houses and what you get for that..... maybe it's better to go back to Cross Rail links...... or maybe not......
Please talk to me. Where would you go and why? Thank you for reading.