High Wycombe - where to buy

[Oliversmumlondon]

My husband and I are thinking about moving to High Wycombe from Crouch end in London because of house prices and commute.
I've seen many thread on this but everyone seems to recommend living outside of town but to then commute into London would take too long.
So I was wondering if anyone could give me some tips about which areas in town are good and which ones to avoid. We would like to be as close to the station as possible but we also have a 9 month old, so we want to make sure it's nice enough.
Our budget is 400k and we would like a 3/4 bedroom house. We also want to look at areas where primary schools are good.
Thanks so much!

There are quite a few areas of high deprivation in High Wycombe so you need to be careful. The only place I would live is Downley but it's not within walking distance of the station and the cost of the car park is a bit ridiculous. Car park and two travel cards into London one weekday afternoon cost DH and i £50 a couple of years ago.

Villages outside are nice. Just under £400k will buy you a three bed 70s semi on an estate. Prices rival Surrey. Loads of people moving out of London are pushing the prices up. Lots of commuters so don't expect to sit down on the train into London either!

Forget to mention that the traffic in rush hour is murder. DH travels 8 miles through the town and it can take him an hour to get to work.

Other than that it's great!

Don't do it. The centre of town will be quite the step down from Crouch End, I can't think of anywhere walking distance of the station I'd faintly recommend. Try maidenhead. £400k or so walking distance from station could be a lot nicer in terms of quality of life in my view...

Have you considered Maidenhead, Amersham or Chesham? The latter have great schools

Thanks!! Really appreciate the feedback.
I'll add Chesham to the list. I looked into Maidenhead but there were no properties available on zoopla for our budget.
We're also looking in Hertfordshire - St. Albans, Harpenden, potters bar - but so far anything in our budget seems to be really far from the station so it seems pointless as it would take forever to get to work since driving and parking in town doesn't seem to be an option anywhere.

Potters bar so far seems to be the best option, but we need to get to know the area more.

We're trying to look further west (HW etc) as my husband's family is in Banbury

It's worth adding that in our heads this will be a move for 3-5yrs as this is our first property. Hopefully then we can sell up and move somewhere we want to live (nice pubs, cafes, parks) and be able to afford what we want there. So we're living to compromise for a few years, but if HW is as bad as you guys say then that'd be too much of a compromise.
We looked at borehamwood and I wouldn't live there even if they paid me

willing to compromise :)

We moved to HW a year ago, I hated it at first but it is growing on me all the time. It has a bad reputation but I'm not sure it is totally deserved. It is more affordable than much of the surrounding area and I have a hunch it is on the up slightly.

What about Burnham? More house for your money, on what will be a crossrail station and very easy to get to HW, Windsor or Reading to shop. Good Primary schools and a Grammar school if you chose to stay that long.

High Wycombe would not be my choice.

Stick to the other recommendations on the thread OP they are all much nicer and better for investment purposes.

Thame or Haddenham? On the same rail line but er, less, HW-like? Even Bicester perhaps, with new rail link opening in autumn connecting to either Marylebone or Paddington?

Long time since I was up to speed with housing areas in HW, but if you are dead set on it and on being near the station, you could look at the top of Amersham Hill, places like Lucas Road/Pretoria Road/Rectory Ave though it might stretch the budget too far? Steep uphill walk back up from the station too

Thanks guys, you gave me a lot of food for thought.
I might look around Apsley and broxmoor too, I saw in another forum that those two were recommended.
HW sounds dreadful... I guess we need to have a look and see what we think,
Thanks a lot!!

Parts of Chesham aren't great either! Best areas are Chartridge and Chesham Bois which again aren't near the station.

Nice house in a decent area close to the station will be £££. There will be a reason why a house is cheaper IME...

Have a look at Berkhamsted..

I love Berkhamsted but I think it's gone up in price too much.
Thanks everyone x

Although there are some nice houses on Amersham Hill which is where the train station is I don't think you would get anything for 400k.
There isn't anywhere near the train station that I would personally live, You really need to go out towards the villages but as everyone else says the prices rise even more and you have the extra journey to the train station.
Might be worth looking at Princess Risborough, I think they have a train station on the same line and it always looks quite nice whenever I drive through it and visit the town.

If anyone is looking now I would say that High Wycombe is really taking off. It's good schools, green areas, the plans to open up the river in town, and the good transport links to London are all making it more and more desirable. Lots of people from London moving to HW now.

Given your enthusiasm for bumping old threads about the place, I think you like it

yes same here - been here (Loudwater) 20 years - always liked it but the poorer areas (everywhere has them) are seeing improvement. lots going forvit - good schools - good transport links - lots of parks and countryside close by