3bed House for 200k within 2.5 train of London?

[PumpkinChai]

Looking to move out of our area as we really cannot afford to live here if one of loses our job, looks like I'm gonna lose mine soon.

Hoping to lower our mortgage payment, hopefully by half. But just incase by some miracle I'm not made redundant, I’ll need to be reasonably close to London for meetings.

We are considering Lowestoft. Seems lovely there. Anywhere else that people can recommend please?

Thank you

Runcorn, crewe are both on direct line to london. Runcorn is 1hr50 from london, Crewe is less. Both will let you nice 3 bed for £200k or less

Staying in the SE you could look at Southampton, Portsmouth (and areas in between these two)

Rochester/Gillingham/Chatham

Hastings

Just off the top of my head. Not sure I’d recommend any of these places though.

I think Huntingdon has some 3 beds for that price - I don't know it well but looked nice enough on a quick look.

Look in Kent, places like Sittingbourne, Faversham etc. Only an hour to London on the High speed train and while there isn't loads going on jn the towns, lots is accessible eg Canterbury, London, Blue Water, eurostar etc

I'd also check out Essex, some affordable places with a lot of good options about 1 hour train from London if not closer and trains run fairly often.

Market Harborough - direct train into London within an hour.

Even Cardiff is only 2h train to London so you have a massive radius to play with.

I’d agree Market Harborough, a lovely little town. Excellent schools, coffe e shops, individual shops, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Lidl and Aldi. Lovely countryside.
It is possible to get a 3bed for £200k but few and far between. More likely £225k upwards.

Rugby?

Kettering, 50mins into Euston and cheaper than Market Harborough.

Leeds/York both 2h (on the fast train), 4 bed detatched in my (naice) Street for less than £200k. Wakefield nice. Doncaster much cheaper.

@NoToast

Kettering, 50mins into Euston and cheaper than Market Harborough.

It is a lot cheaper yes but it is absolutely no where near as nice, I wouldn't even say they were comparable. I dont know anyone that would choose to live there over Harborough given the choice.

@NoToast

Kettering, 50mins into Euston and cheaper than Market Harborough.

Not to split heirs but Kettering (and Market Harborough) go into St Pancras

Stafford? Really easy train 1hr 20 mins to Euston

@Ffsffsffsffsffs

Leeds/York both 2h (on the fast train), 4 bed detatched in my (naice) Street for less than £200k. Wakefield nice. Doncaster much cheaper.

You're definitely not living on a "naice" street in Leeds or York if you can get a 4 bed detached for less than £200k. Most 2 bed terraces cost at least £200k in the "naice" areas.

The world is your oyster if you have a 2.5 hour to London limit, the only thing to be aware of is the price of rail tickets into London.

When I (pre Covid used to) go to London I commuted from Stafford (as the pp recommends) and my commute is faster than some colleagues that live in the suburbs BUT my return ticket costs over £230. Not a problem if work pays but it’s a bloody big chunk of your wages if you are paying.

Which bit of London needs to be 2.5 hours away...

The trains are really fast on lots of lines it's the distance and transport available at either end that can make it tricky!!

Have friends that live over the road from a train station so they can get to London in 2.5, I have to add on a 40 minute walk or waiting for the bus etc etc.

Good point @RandomMess my train journey from Stafford to Euston is 1hr 15 but add to that an hour drive to Stafford and then a 20 min tube and walk to the office and I’m looking at 3 hours door to door.
Not to mention, as I previously said the cost of that pesky Stafford to London ticket.
Admittedly I could move and have a much shorter drive to Stafford station but as I only (used to) commute once every couple of weeks or so the door to door journey was/ is fine.

You might find this site useful - put in where in London to get to and commute time and gives possible train stations and average house prices.

www.commutefrom.com/

Though I wouldn't rush into anything, even if you get made redundant it won't be forever though think about what you'd do next - often places with cheap house prices have weaker employment prospects unless a job like teaching, doctor you get everywhere. If you need to regularly commute definitely look into ticket prices, they can be astronomical and they aren't always based on distance either.

Sudbury is nice and just about in that price range.

Yes anywhere from Bedford up to market Harborough. Or you could do the Grantham line into kings cross

Lowestoft is a very deprived area so prices are pretty cheap. I certainly wouldn't want to live there. If you want to be near the sea and fancy Suffolk, Felixstowe is much nicer.

Wellingborough or Kettering are your best bet.... or Bedford and Northampton but I don't think you get a 3bed for 200k there.

Maybe take a look out towards East Anglia / Norfolk. Its not that far from London and I'm always surprised at how much cheaper many parts of it are.

Lowestoft is actually ok - High St, larger retail park, nice beach and amenities such as a leisure centre, cinema, tennis courts, parks, theatre and train station. It's also close to some lovely villages and Southwold for chi chi shops and pubs. Also not far from the Broads. It is deprived in places and I don't know anything about the schools though. The Pakefield end seems nice.

Bedford? Close to London by train, not the most exciting place in the world, but nice enough big town, good schools.