Nice areas on the outskirts of London?

[FrogFly]

We moved from London (Camden) to the Midlands a few years ago to be close to my husband’s work. It was quite the change of pace and we really missed our London life (friends, restaurants, theatre, bustle). Fast forward to 2020 and our circumstances have changed in that we can work from home and aren’t tied to our current city anymore. So we want to move back!

We have a 5yo son so we don’t want to move right into the city (plus we’d only be able to afford a shoebox in zones 1-3) but are looking for something on the outskirts of London but with good transport links into London. We’re on the hunt for a house with a garden and off-street parking, with proximity to good schools. I’m not fussed about ‘Outstanding’ rated schools, but more keen on schools with a focus on inclusiveness and pastoral care. Our budget is approx £750K. Is my wish list reasonable, or am I asking for the moon on a stick? I'd be grateful for your suggestions. A friend suggested Ruislip, what’s it like?

If you are considering Sutton then also have a look at Epsom and Ewell.

I could take or leave Sutton but I do find people's definition of 'nice' puzzling. In many of the 'nice' areas in zone 4-5 a mediocre 3 bed house will set you back £750-900k. In Sutton it's more like £450-£550k and I really don't see anything special enough to justify such price differential. Clearly people on here have orchards full of money trees or believe that 'mortgages aren't real debt like student loans'. It's another matter if you can afford to be a snob and buy a house in Hampstead or Wimbledon village.

@passthemustard ooh, Windsor is one I hadn’t considered at all! My husband and I both like it but we’ve only done the occasional day trip, I wonder what it would be like to live there. Not v keen on Maidenhead and High Wycombe (visited previously).

@Justnormajean haha sorry, my bad!

I’m not 100% sure about Sutton tbh, not ruled it out, but would probably explore other areas first.

Additional info. Since moving to the Midlands I’ve become a bit of a recluse. There’s nowhere really to go and you need to drive so it’s become easier to just stay at home. When I lived in Camden I would walk 2-3 miles a day. My husband says if we move to a picturesque place with not much going on (and where one would have to drive) I would probably continue with my sedentary lifestyle and there would be no point moving. So....I guess nothing too remote, and with excellent public transport.

You should have a look at Molesey in that case. It's a lovely walk into Kingston along the Thames, or through Bushy Park or Home Park ( next to Hampton Court) and then the bus back for tired legs.
Hampton Court train station is the local one for info.

If looking at LB Sutton, have a look at the Carshalton Beeches area.

The borough is like anywhere, it has good and not so good parts, but has decent transport links.

I saw Surbiton mentioned earlier. It's more London than Surrey, but still quite pleasant. Great amenities, loads of schools (although I don't know much about them), close to the river, and with fast trains to London (from 16 mins to Waterloo if you get a fast one).

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/83976889#/

If your heart's in North London, particularly around Camden and Hampstead, you'll find Sutton (and a lot of other suburbs) just very, very dull. I would find somewhere smaller in or close to the area of London that you love. Location really is everything. You would die a slow death in Sutton.

agree with @Ninetofive123 . you could get a nice garden flat for £750k in Muswell Hill (good schools, family friendly, leafy, good shops, lots of buses and zone 3, lots of walks). If you have 1 child and not planning on more, a garden flat could work. I live near there and don't plan to drive for the rest of my life.

I used to live in Camden too and loved it. I still get my Camden fix really easily!

If you won't be driving, I should go as central as possible, even if you have to sacrifice a drive or a larger house. I live in Camden, and have lived in the suburbs, and quite honestly life in an outer suburb would be pretty similar to life in a Midlands town. If you want the London life that you loved in Camden, I would aim for Kentish Town, Tuffnell Park, Archway (perfectly possible to find a lovely flat with garden in Camden with your budget).

Yep, from a fellow non driver, i have visited high barnet and found the many cars so unsettling! They are so many of them that they make a very loud noise and its not pedestrian friendly so you don't feel like walking. Not great. You can get red buses and the tube but tbh they take an age to go anywhere. It might be fine for a commute but if you only use public transport, it can be limiting.

@JoJoSM2 I am not being funny but sometimes wonder if you are a Sutton Council bot that is set to chime in and spread the wonders of Sutton on any remotely relevant post.

Just a few examples of properties in your budget in and close to Camden:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86158291#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/90298217#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/74423748#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/74423748#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/94641329#/

Hampstead Garden Suburb

@IrishMumSW19

Don’t worry. I shall say nothing more given the proliferation of ill-mannered posters on here. You’re always welcome to add something relevant to the thread, though.

https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/sutton-named-best-place-london-19304679

IrishMumSW19 LOL - I've wondered the same.

OP I would seriously consider Southfields - Wandsworth Council tax is very low, the area is very family-friendly and there is good shopping/eating locally and in Wandsworth and Wimbledon. Open spaces are Wimbledon Common an Richmond Park.

This one has 4 bedrooms and off-street parking and garage www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86807836#/

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/56928034?search_identifier=46e7cc571c7a5f2d94c9078ce06725db

@sunshinesupermum - i would second Southfields. I mean in some ways it's also boring but it's ok. Not sure about secondaries - Graveney v St Cecilia's etc but it's not the worst place to live. It's definitely not N London (I grew up in one and moving to the other) but it's ok.

You could also check out Raynes Park

[quote QuantumWeatherButterfly]OP, Isleworth is lovely, has direct trains to Waterloo and is close to the M4 for access out of town. Good schools and very leafy.

£750k would get you 3/4 beds, plus parking and garden. Some examples:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86802325#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86851543#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/74635578#/[/quote]
Agreed Isleworth is lovely. Especially "old Isleworth" near St Margaret's and Syon park. Personally I would avoid anywhere close to the Asda or Mogden due to crime and smell (there was/is a water treatment plant)

Beckinham is lovely too, surprising green.

I am genuinely agog at people saying Ruislip is "lovely". I have many adjectives about the place in which I was born and brought up but "lovely" isn't one of them! There may be a couple of roads in North Ruislip which could be considered this way but they aren't within OP's budget and are nowhere near the tube stations. The other 99.9% of the place is a grim, traffic sodden, run down mess of a place.

It might be okay if you never have to get in a car, which is possible given the good public transport links, but if you need to drive anywhere it's a disaster.

Plus it's in LB Hillingdon which was (possibly still is) pretty much bankrupt and so invest in nothing by way of public services.

In it's favour though, Ruislip probably looks gorgeous when compared to it's neighbours Northolt, Uxbridge, Hillingdon and South Harrow.

Argh I typed out a long message and it vanished!!

We’re driving down to visit Ruislip and adjoining areas (Pinner etc) tomorrow, and we’ll do Isleworth, Southfields, Molesey and Surbiton (got it right this time, @Justnormajean!) over the next few weekends. I think Sutton might not be right for us.

I hear you @hopingforonlychild, that was my exact reaction when I stepped out of High Barnet tube! Re children we are one and done, but we’d like to get a dog at some point.

@Ninetofive123 we currently live in a beast of a house and have gotten used to having the space. Obvs we won’t be able to afford anything near that size, but we really would like to have a house.

@Waspie eek, sounds grim! Props for the use of ‘agog’, first time I’ve heard it outside of a book! I’m keeping an open mind, we’ll see how it goes. I didn’t know about Hillingdon council being broke, that will influence our decision.

Does anyone know what the area around Turnpike Lane tube is like?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/75377463#/

what about this, just the other side

@ivykaty44, East Finchley is in the borough of Barnet, not the easiest council re CSA starts for children (compulsory school age). I don’t have the stomach for a fight. Haringey however are pretty good.

so will your ds start school 2021? and go into reception where you are now?