Cute Commuter Villages Near London? Please Help?

[user1481480706]

Hi! I've just moved to London with my husband (I'm 27 and he is 32). We are renting at the moment, but are looking to buy a house in the coming months. We've visited a few places, and have been disheartened by how expensive everything is! Our budget is 600,000-700,000 as we are looking to buy a house and gut the interior (and make it nice and modern inside)! We recently visited Blackheath Village and Walthamstow Village and loved both, but they're so tiny, quite expensive and bordered by some gritty urban bits.

We are SO overwhelmed by all the areas around London, but ultimately, we would love to find a quaint commuter village near London (60 minutes or less commute to London Holborn where I work). I really, really need suggestions on where to live! We would love a village that:
*Has a quaint high street with lots of independent/trendy shops
*Has plenty of young families and young professionals
*Has good transport links/fast trains into the city
*Will suit a budget of 600,000-700,000
*Ideally has some green space and potentially farmer markets on weekends

Thanks so much for your help! :)

Haddenham Buckinghamshire is about 50 minutes by train to Marylebone, you could get a nice property within your budget around there. There are some quaint villages nearby and the high street at Thame is lovely, unspoilt with independent shops. If you want to be a bit closer to London you could look at the villages around Princes Risborough which is the next station up the line. Risborough is also another pretty town close to the Chiltern Hills so lots of pretty countryside nearby.

Another vote for Epping, it has everything on your list!

And quinoa

Staplehurst
Marden
Headcorn
You will definitely get the farmers markets, and drive direct to farm shops for local veg, fruit and apple juice. We love Chittenden Farm Shop and Frankies Farm shop.
The commute is with Southeastern (not Southern, thank God) and 1 hour into Charing Cross.
You can get a lot for your budget out here. Such as:
Plenty of village groups if you know where to look (tennis & cricket club, yoga, painting, writers groups).
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-58725521.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63401813.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53113198.html

Thanks guys! :) I'm going to Berkhamsted this weekend to check it out. To all the ladies being a little snarky - I'm just looking for help! My previous post was looking for places in London, but since I learned we can't really afford London, this post is about commuter towns outside of London. It's a different question actually, but even if I had asked the same thing again, who cares? Just be nice!

Wow just had a read through the comments - some of you have given really great suggestions, thank you. Some of you were really rude to me for no reason as you anonymously hide behind your computer. This obviously isn't a kind online community - thanks for making me feel unwelcome both at Mumsnet and in London.

Why do you feel unwelcome in London OP?
Also, what kind of house are you looking for? How many bedrooms etc, could it be a flat? is your budget just for purchase of house or does it have to cover renovations too if you go for a project?

If you are definite about wanting to renovate, then a house like the one in Berkhamsted (which is a lovely house and otherwise ideal) wouldn't be the best as you are partly paying for the fact that it is already in modern condition by the looks of it. On the other hand, projects can run into more money than you expect.

Sorry user.

Those of us who live in the gritty urban areas around Blackheath are actually pretty fond of our bit of London - it was a bit hard not to react!

And if I was describing somewhere as cute or quaint it would not be a compliment, which is why I was querying your usage.

Why do you feel unwelcome in London? It's a wonderful place to live.

Why the snarky comments about this being the OP's second threat about a similar topic. SO WHAT?!

Thanks for apologising, Empress. I have been feeling pretty alone in London, and I turned to Mumsnet for some help and sense of community. And yes, I am American, I say "cute" and "quaint" which are compliments where I come from. I'm sure if you came to the US you'd use words we found different, too, but that's what makes the world an interesting place. I'm only looking for a bit of help - thanks everyone for your suggestions. Harpenden looks lovely too. Hopefully my husband and I will find out first home there. :)

User

I thought you must be, you didn't sound as if you were using them sarcastically. I hope Harpenden works out for you.

Don't give up on MN, it's well worth sticking around and there are quite a few other Americans on here.

Twyford is lovely

I hope I didn't upset you by anything I said, user. It certainly wasn't intentional.

My area of London is really friendly but from what you've said it doesn't sound like it's what you are looking for. Harpenden and Berkhampstead are really nice in a completely different way (they are near where my family are from) so I hope you like your visit there.

I think Catford is more gritty & urban than cute.

Do look at Chislehurst though.

Op could you say how many bedrooms plus if your budget is just for the house or to include renovations?

Thanks guys for the help. :) I'm looking for a house (hopefully 3 bedrooms so we can have a bit of space), and our budget doesn't include renovations.

Definitely look at Teddington too. You're still in Oyster card territory. Really lovely high street with pubs and restaurants and boutique shops up the m&s end with the essential chains up the other end. Really quick to Kingston for proper shopping and easy to get into London.

The Catford Cat is a wonderful thing! But I'm still pretty sure Catford doesn't count as cute.

Beckenham might.

Brocklwy around Hilly Fields? You'll be pushing it on your budget though.

Brockley is ABSOLUTELY surrounded by urban grit! (And great veggie breakfasts. And amazing cake. And numerous parks and close enough to town to get the bus in when the trains are buggered. And Greenwich in walking distance.)

Further out does seem like a safer option.

Incidentally OP, the cutest place I know (American usage!) is Whitstable on the Kent coast - longer than your desired commute but so nice!

Also worth checking out Cambridge - 45mins into King's Cross which is just north of Holborn. Lovely place! (Oxford is great too but not the commute you want, I imagine).

Happy house hunting