Kew, Muswell Hill, or out of london altogether?

[Mhschoolq]

For a while we were very fixed on Muswell Hill; found a place and everything. Ready to go and it all fell through.

Now we’re doubting that decision. Visited Kew before lockdown and thought it was delightful (aeroplane noise doesn’t bother me). So that’s thrown in a wildcard.

Also thinking about leaving london altogether because working from home (which has always been something we are able to do) has become totally standard in DH industry.

I’ve been contemplating Bath, Lewes, parts of Kent... and also staying in London.

And then the other week I started to think about Dulwich. Ahhh!

It is making my brain hurt! And I don’t know where to begin!

Family-centred is really important to us, as an active, friendly and welcoming community.

Would you go for Kew or Muswell Hill or leave London for one of the places mentioned above?

Considering the areas I’ve mentioned, my budget isn’t as enormous as lots looking around there - £1.2 if in London, £900ish if out. I’m definitely stretching myself with those areas. But Rightmove tells me it isn’t impossible!

I started another thread about how to make a decision (!), which I found really useful, but curious to know other people’s experience on those areas in the meantime!

Pinner is a nice choice. For 1.2 you'd get Something like this
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71168106.html or this Oakhill Avenue, Pinner, Middlesex, HA5
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-97636115.html

Or negotiate on something like that

West End Lane, Pinner, Middlesex HA5
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-93063188.html

And Pinner is in Greater London - zone 5. You get the village feel with all of the London amenities

Are you very confident working from home will be viable in the long run?
What if your / your husband lose their jobs and have to get a new one? It's much easier to work from home when you are established at a company.

What about promotions? It may be possible at your current level but if either of you have aspirations to higher levels, is it viable full time then? In some industries, the top dogs are always still going to be in the office together. Would you miss it on that if you move somewhere that requires wfh?

It sounds like your children are quite young if your concern is having to watch them while in a pub garden etc. Remember that they won't always be!

London/city living offers a lot more independence in terms of them being able to walk or take public transport to secondary school from 11 or to visit friends or to attend clubs/activities. Do you want to live somewhere where you might be driving them around all the time until they are at uni/got a car?

How does all this weigh up against having a bigger garden or bigger rooms?

Kew is fine, the district line is slow so can be quicker to take it to Richmond and then jump on a fast train to Waterloo or to walk over the river to Kew Bridge station, depending on where exactly you live. Cycling along the towpath to Hammersmith is also an option.
It's very villagey, lots of families and small kid related activities. It is under the flight path but I lived under it for years and it didn't really bother me either!

The isn't a state secondary school in Kew but there are a range of ones nearby in Richmond, Sheen, Chiswick, Brentford that may be options depending on religion/non-religious/boy/girl combinations.

Traffic can be quite bad on the main roads at rush hour. Would strongly suggest NOT living there and then driving your kids elsewhere to school as that would be quite miserable.

Interested in Winchmore Hill. I know some people who moved there although haven’t visited. Is it “villagey”?

@Mhschoolq yes, very much so. The only issue with there and Whetstone is the number of people leaving inner London to move to those areas so the prices are increasing. The idea that Whetstone will soon have two organic deli/health shops and multiple wine bars is a sign of that.

I would caution people leaving London entirely. In my field, we are telling people it is not a foregone conclusion that WFH is going to be granted after Covid. Possibly two days a week but a lot of work is still highly collaborative. Don't move to Yorkshire just yet!

In the past, if you 'left' London you'd find it pretty impossible to get back in in future due to house price inflation being out of sync with the rest of the UK.
I think most would agree that's not much of an issue now, & if anything, I think the inverse will gradually become true when comparing London with desirable commuter towns in the SE.

I'd move out, get the big house with 2 offices, garage & a garden, & see if you like it.

I grew up in London (z2) & remember in the late 80s/90s lots of places weren't particularly nice or desirable to live in, rundown high streets etc. One of the reasons I'm thinking of moving out is I wonder if it's cyclical & if I leave it till later I might be priced out of what I want.

I do think the new wfh culture could have a big impact.

Yes - leaving and not being able to afford to come back (if it’s a mistake) is a big concern!!

Wfh was always a possibility, but now it’s the norm. Of course, that may not last! And commuting back 2 days a week may be a possibility.

In London, I would totally choose where I live now; Chiswick/Hammersmith/Ravenscourt Park area. I live near Chiswick House and I just love the access to the local greens. Richmond Park is a good, healthy cycle ride away, as is Bishop's Park/Fulham Palace. I love Ravenscourt Park and Chiswick House and grounds for dog walks. I spend so much time cycling up and down the river to get to and from places. I just adore where we live. And it is really diverse.

So do you actually enjoy living in London (outside of lockdown) or do you feel like you’d rather be somewhere else?

Another area is West Ealing, W5, around Pittshanger Park. Very beautiful and Ealing has good schools as well.

Sorry, Pitshanger Park (one T) in W5- Brentham Garden Suburb, Ealing.

Muswell Hill and nearby Alexandra Palace are are lovely and leafy parts of London. Affluent yet relaxed.

I suppose they're relaxed because they're affluent actually.

Kew and Muswell are really nice areas. A lot of areas being suggested here are nowhere near as nice, hence you get more for your money. If you are not white (I am not either), you need to think about being in a less diverse area - how do you feel about that?
Both Kew and Muswell Hill have great schools. I think what a PP said about space is great but the importance of having a diverse and buzzing place to live in, for me, beats that.

@theonlywayisup33

Kew and Muswell are really nice areas. A lot of areas being suggested here are nowhere near as nice, hence you get more for your money. If you are not white (I am not either), you need to think about being in a less diverse area - how do you feel about that? Both Kew and Muswell Hill have great schools. I think what a PP said about space is great but the importance of having a diverse and buzzing place to live in, for me, beats that.

Chiswick probably is the closing thing to the Muswell Hill of west London. But again, prices are similar. I haven’t yet found an area that has the same quality of housing stock, population mix and 20-30% cheaper as it would be further out from the center.

In terms of demographics Muswell Hill, Crouch End and Ally Pally nearby has never been a conservative-voting area. It's Labour or Liberal, left-leaning kind of people mostly. I would say it's a fairly creative, welcoming, open kind of place (as long as you can afford it ). It's nice being on a hill, and so much nature around it.

Kew looks beautiful when I've been there to visit Kew Gardens. Don't know anything about it really. Nice to be near the Thames and to be able to get out towards the West easily.

I think if you have younger children it's much easier to move out and easily fit into a new place.
We moved from London (Muswell Hill) with early teens and they were at school a drive away from our home, it meant we didn't really make the same connections and therefore never really fitted in.
I know that London prices are a bit flat at the moment, but if you every want to move back is so difficult.
We sold our massive 5 bedroom house in the summer, (1 hour out of London, not the best location but beautiful house) now looking at only being able to get a 2/3 bed flat in London. It's hard adjusting to the reality, but London still is really expensive and I don't think it will change that much.

I live in East Finchley and love it. Is it worth considering? Its easy to walk to MH to access the shops on the broadway. There are good schools here too and its easier to walk to the tube than MH.

You could buy a Stately home up north for that!

@Funf there is another thread in the property group where a poster was saying that she desperately wants to move to cornwall but her husband's employment opportunities are in London/SE (this could change which is what she is hoping would happen).

a lot of posters pointed out that yes while she could theoretically sell up in london and move to cornwall based on her equity, what would they live on if her DH lost his employment opportunities. Its no point saying XX could buy a castle with 400k/800k/1.2 million when XX's income and career opportunities are based in London and the SE, which are often the basis for XX being able to afford to buy an expensive house. Of course XX could get a lower paying job in the north and live mortgage free but not everyone is prepared to do that.

Are you set on London ..30 mins by train to Liverpool street or 4p to Cambridge and 900k would get you a very nice house

Good primary and secondary schools as well but maybe slightly bigger than you want but few villages around

@hopingforonlychild I understand this my comment was aimed at the difference in prices, As you quite rightly state higher incomes are usually based in the south. The thing I would look at is disposable income and schools, its such a difficult balance. I dont envy the OP as its going to be tough

How about Beckenham or Bromley? Both have good schools, reasonable commute to London and villagey feel too. You would easily get a "forever" home on that budget.