Watford- good Forbes raising a family and buying a home?

[camcam1]

If anyone can advise, I would really appreciate it. We moved a few years ago to Waltham Cross and for various reasons really don’t like the area (not enough shops apart from one M&S and Tesco, and our specific area is not very diverse, no cinema, poor quality parks...).
Within our budget up to £350-425k we were looking into Watford (my eldest ds senior school is near to Watford). Please inform me what the best postcodes are and which postcode to aviod? I have seen some terraces for about £350k I’m WD18, I just don’t want don’t want to repeat the same mistake again. Also insterested in secondaries for my youngest ds in a few years, are there specific roads for WGSB? I would also get him to sit the entrance exam as well.
Any help or advice would much, much be appreciated x

Once you've got an idea of some roads OP feel free to PM me.
I've only lived here a few years but DHs family are all over Watty.

Agree with Fishes about everything!

Not sure if your budget stretches but the surrounding villages of Sarratt etc are beautiful but you'd need to drive everywhere.

The Herts council website you can put on your postcode or the postcode you are looking at and it'll come up with nearest school.
We aren't at high school stage yet but know a few that have got into the grammar on music ability instead of exam.

Thank you TangelasVine- for the offer, I may take you up on it.
And thanks to Fishes it seems as though Central Watford would be a no then.
I am now thinking of looking into buying a garden flat in St Albans with parking? Even though one of the main reasons for leaving was to buy a bigger house!

Fishes, or anyone that knows; this may be a very touchy subject. I was unaware there is a high Asian population. Coming from East London a good few years ago, where my ds was one of only 3 non Asian children at his pre school, I don’t want him to b in the absolute minority. Would that be the case in Watford? I am treading on eggshells here- In my very first thread I did state on of the reasons to relocate because of lack of diversity (we are a mixed family).

@camcam1if that is an issue for you then you certainly need to avoid west watford (Wd18). Other areas of Watford will be fine, particularly the side that borders St. Albans

Watford Fields is lovely (wd18 postcode). Very close to town and Watford High Street station, usually not too tricky to park. Lots of families, very friendly (street parties etc.) Houses are maybe a little small for what you want though as a third bedroom is likely to be tiny.

watfordfields.co.uk

Agree with PP that would be the case in West Watford near the hospital.
I'm in North Watford and the DCs class is diverse - Indian, Chinese, Malaysian, French, Irish, British etc - and it works very well.

I grew up in WD18 and wild horses wouldn't drag me back.

Watford is a posh Luton

OP, why don't you rent for 6 months in Watford and see what you think? For everyone who isn't a fan of Watford, there will be 2 that love it etc....

Get the map out and visit and investigate areas such at Bushey, Elstree and Rickmansworth when renting in Watford.

You'll find somewhere you're happy with that way without having to commit to an area you don't know.

camcam1 - the lack of diversity was exactly what l was trying to put across about West Watford, but l didn't want to come across as racist.

Again if l can help with particular roads, just ask. My parents house in N Watford 3 bed semi with drive and garage is valued at approx £400,000.

My friend's 4 bed detached in one of the new estates by Harry Potter is over £500,000.

Fishes I thought ones near HP World were more like £6k to £7k for a 4 bed detached. (DM lives on the Abbott's Langley side of HP World.) Would be great if I'm wrong though.

£600k to £700k

I'm not sure about HP world but I think you'll find north watford is also slightly higher. A 2/3 bed terrace with no parking is 400k mark at the moment and the semi detached with parking tend to go for more like 450-500 especially if in catchment of a good school

Actually just did a quick zoopla and some of the semis are high 500s now

I lived in WD18 for about 5 yrs before moving out of the area to buy. Was in my early 20s and loved it So sorry I can’t comment on schools catchment but can say I have very happy memories of Watford and always felt safe there.

My mum's house was valued last year at £400,000. According to Zoopla it is now worth £430,000.

My friend who purchased near HP paid £550,000. Zoopla says worth £650,000

ATwinThing: thank you for the link- that really is community spirt and is of great value to my research.

We will look towards North Watford and as close to St Albans as we can afford also, I may have to settle for a 2 bed and be realistic.
User- we cannot rent for personal reasons and DH work- so it would need to be a bought property. I would have loved to have rented temporarily first. Bushey, Elstree and Rickmansworth are all lovely areas but I need my ds to travel to St Albans for senior school independently and that would be a bit too far out for my liking.
I’m forever thanking everyone for their opinions, but it’s because it is genuinely very useful to my family and I x

There are school buses from Bushey to St Albans.

Redbourne or Wheathampstead any good OP? Your money would go further in Watford, though

Or Hemel Hempstead / Boxmoor?

If you would like to be as close to St Albans as possible, consider London Colney.

It is not St Albans (despite the postcode), but I would prefer to live there than Watford and you are so close to St Albans. You could also consider Markyate (village off A5) or even Caddington (past Harpenden and has a LU postcode), those are the next stops for those priced out of St Albans. Redbourne or Wheathampstead would be so tight with your budget and are also villages so not near the action. Something has to give though.

Is your DS at the boys school?

I would spend a day or weekend checking out all the locations listed here. The market is so sluggish so don't panic. It's a perfect time to buy and I think it could drop 10% again next year. And no, I'm not an estate agent (grin).

I've just put £425 into Right Move for St Albans and it brought up Park Street. That could be a possibility and look at Bricket Wood too.

Thank you User. Yes ds is at the boys school. So obviously I don’t speak to many of the parents at his school. The ones I have spoken to live in North London, not much help there!
I’ve started to look up Wheathampstead, OlennasWimple and will also look into London Colney. Dh has been asking to wait until next year as prices may drop further and can save a bit more.
PinkFluffyFairy- I was very excited to find out Bushey had a bus to St Albans, then I checked the Bushey prices on RightMove think I’ll give it a miss!

User- I’ll be checking them to areas as well!

*two!