Hertfordshire- where to live?

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I’ve been offered a job in St. Albans/Watford (over 2 sites). Husband works in the city. We currently rent in NW London but are considering a move to Herts now as I would have an easy commute and we’d definitely get more for our money.

We have 2 young children so schools are important, as is easy commute to Moorgate/Liverpool Street. Budget up to around £800k, 3 bed house. Bushey has been recommended? Anywhere else we should look?

Hitchin. Ticks all your boxes and a bit more bang for your buck than St Albans. £ 800 will get you a nice 4 bed close to town, rail station and good schools.

Have a look at Harpenden. Fantastic schools and great place to bring up kids.

Letchworth is lovely.

Watford/Bushey not good.

St Albans is fab but v expensive. Agree, Hitchin is OK.

Where is your main base? Commute between St Alban's and Watford is a slog in rush hour.

Rickmansworth and Chorleywood are on the Met Line, and M25, and have very good schools.

Bushey is a pain from a driving point of view. Hitchen etc would be a real slog to Watford.

Hitchin isn’t going to be very good for St Albans or Watford. Tbh I’d go for St Albans, maybe spreading out to somewhere slightly cheaper like park street or London Colney (although you can easily buy a nice 3 bed for £800k in St Albans)

Letchworth is lovely, but schools and the best,
Hitchin is good too.

Park street also has a shuttle train into Watford and is a lovely village. Your H would need to drive to St Albans to get the train

I wouldn't live in London Colney - it's pretty rough!

Not anymore! It’s improved loads

Have you considered Tring or Berkhamsted? Both nice towns with good schools and train stations in both. And both within 25 mins ish of Watford and St Albans.

Ed Winchester, in what respect is London Colney rough? A close friend lives there and it’s very quiet where she is. I live in St Albans, there have been several stabbings and rape recently.

OP, in-year admissions are virtually impossible in St Albans, and it’s going to get worse with two massive developments going up near two very good schools.

Thanks everyone, my main base will be Watford. Husband is worried about his commute from places like Harpenden.

Re St Albans, what areas would be best to look at?

The other option is to use the Moorgate train line and try potters bar/ brookmans park/ welham green/ Hatfield. You’re close to at Albans but would need the M25 for Watford.

The train is 15-25 mins to Moorgate and is cheaper than the St Albans line.

In terms of St Albans areas I think I would just put your £800k in. Rightmove and Visit what you like. IMO there aren’t really bad areas although there are dull/ scruffy areas. But you’ll have schools to consider so might be worth a wide search. In year admissions are a nightmare but tbh will be in virtually all parts of Hertfordshire I reckon

If your main work base is Watford, then don't give yourself a headache of a commute. Your husband is going to be commuting anyway, so at least one of you may as well be on top of work.

Is it town centre (hospital?). Depending on what time you are traveling, the drive from St Alban's can be quite a slog if the motorways are iffy.

I live in C/wood, work in Watford, DH works in the City. Schools are good, provide you are careful with secondary catchment. PM me if you need any more info

I’ll be town centre but will need the car as may need to travel between sites over the day. I’d like his commute to be ok as he will sometimes need to do pick ups! Schools are important as we would likely need an in year transfer for number1.

From Watford, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, Croxley, he would travelling on the Met Line. It's long, but no changes because it goes straight to Aldgate. Most people in Ricky, Croxley, C/wood walk to the station.

It takes me 15 mins, no traffic, around 30 mins with traffic door to door.

How old are your DC's? Primary schools all good around here, so I would be thinking secondary catchment if you buy.

Croxley slightly cheaper than Rickmansworth and only 10 mins drive from Watford and 8-10 mins walk to the Met line into Aldgate. Nice prep school close by up to 13 or c good state primaries

Kids are 5 and a baby. Might take a few day trips next week and take a look at these places

Toddington, ampthil, woburn, great schools. Toddington's just by the motorway

Potters Bar or Brookmans Park. Train straight into Moorgate and I commuted to Watford which was fine, especially if I could avoid peak rush hour--DH did nursery drop off and I'd go in early.