Where should we live?

[Azquilith]

So, have in the last year moved DP and DS out of Central London and up to North West for being closer to family and out of the expense of London reasons.
However NW is proving untenable due to expected job role locally not panning out so my work remains predominantly London. Am used to travelling so don't want to go back SE but need a half way house.
Where could we live, 1.5 hour max from London by train, not too rural (DP city boy) but naice area, schools (could go private but much prefer state), for a 3/4 bed with garden for £350k? Any ideas?

Ditto Cliton Upon Dunsmore www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33930687.html?premiumA=true

Or lutterworth

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-31731873.html?premiumA=true

www.rightmove.co.uk/new-homes-for-sale/property-49664284.html

& villages

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50300821.html?backListLink=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2Fmap.html%3FlocationIdentifier%3DSTATION%255E7850%26maxPrice%3D375000%26minBedrooms%3D3%26radius%3D10.0%23_includeSSTC%3Don%26auction%3Dfalse%26locationIdentifier%3DSTATION%255E7850%26maxPrice%3D375000%26minBedrooms%3D3%26previousSearchLocation%3DRugby%2520Station%26radius%3D10.0%26searchLocation%3DRugby%2520Station%26searchType%3DSALE%26useLocationIdentifier%3Dfalse%26box%3D-1.24054%2C-1.12552%2C52.40845%2C52.48389%26popupPropertyId%3D50300821&fromMap=true

This is in a naice bit of Leicester www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52952462.html

Market Harborough - these people love plants

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52812692.html?premiumA=true

Ooo this is amazing, thought this had died. On train at the mo and can't open links etc but will have a proper gander later!

So, Rugby has been mentioned a couple of times, it's on my train route currently, and there was a lovely house link posted.
Need to go through locations on a map, but I think anything on that diagonal Manc - London would be ideal.
Also hadn't really considered near Birmingham, but there was some really detailed info posted as well which I'm going to go through.
DP currently having a look as well, thanks loads, we've had a bit of a rough time recently and it's exciting to think there's a new chapter opening up for us, DS and my mini DC2 on the way.

Midlands are awful! Rugby included

The entire Midlands are awful Hairy? Really?

Yep

I love Cambridgeshire - but then I am biased . Good commute into London - either kings cross or Liverpool depending on where you live. In n Cambridgeshire we even have hills.

I would go Warwick way, great train links, some lovely villages around, even for the Midlands.

Off topic, I know, but goshh, where are these mythical Cambridgeshire hills? Apart from the Heydon/ Chishall ridge, I really can't think of any.

OP, I would think about how often you are commuting into London vs how often you want to drive (?) back to the North West. It doesn't necessarily make sense to try to place yourself halfway between the two.

If you're commuting daily into London but going to the North West, say, once a month then I'd try to buy closer to London and accept you'll have a longer journey to the North West.

The converse of that is that property will be cheaper further away from London, so you could get a nicer house!

I'd kind of like to be north of Bucks so as for cheaper house prices to be honest. You just get so much more for your money. Hence why midlands rather than London way.

Of course the Midlands isn't awful. Nobody is saying it's Surrey or Cumbria or Knightsbridge. It's perfectly fine for people who aren't made of money, are not particularly looking for a rural location and who want to be located between London and Manchester.

"Nobody is saying it's Surrey..."
Thank f* "it" isn't! Ugh.
Midlands (and esp. Brum): awesome and mercifully free of snobs (except the Snobs).