Chesham or Amersham?

[HepLaurenceLB]

We have viewed a lovely house in Chesham, very near the town, 4 beds, detached, big garden. We should make an offer but I had my heart set on Amersham. Even though we would get less for our money in Amersham.
WWYD?

@PresentingPercy Thank you for your reply. You have given me a lot to think about.

I suppose my choice is between a small house in Amersham or a bigger house in Chesham.

Wendover is better than Chesham and it’s quicker into London. However beware HS2.

@PresentingPercy any parts of Amersham to avoid?? How is London east road side of Amersham?

Sorry op for hijacking your thread.. in reconsidering our house hunt after reading this thread.. although our budget and house size is Considerably smaller than yours..

No. Not really. The small road opposite Tesco has been cut off from the old town by the ring road. Some properties between Amersham and Little Chalfont are not the best.

London Road East is ribbon development going out towards London from Old Amersham. Mostly an easy walk to Tesco and a bit further to pubs and restaurants. I would think it’s catchment for The Amersham School but not sure which primary. Could be St Mary’s in Old Amersham but that’s a VA CofE school so I’m not sure of the entry criteria. If it’s not possible then it’s up Stanley Hill to St George’s. I think you are a bit away from either settlement on that road but the houses are a bit cheaper for that reason. Houses within easy walking distance of the station have always been popular.

Further out you do have the council dump on the left so look around the area first.

Aaaah!!! Going toward London it’s on the right!

@PresentingPercy thank you!!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76534098#/

OP have you seen this house? Might work for you. I used to live in this road. The important thing is it has its own driveway because the road does get busy during evening rush hour, but quiet the rest of the time.

I think the correct price for this house should be £650 tops. It came on the market a few months ago at over £800 - madness for the location.
We liked being down there with the woods behind and the moor opposite - good for walks, kids playing and dog walking. The open air pool and gym are a 10 min walk as well and a flat walk of 20-30 mins into town.

I'd second Wendover. We live in Buckinghamshire, and the grammar school system is excellent. Lots to do the county and its a lovely place to live.

Evening, OP! Just a word to add to all those above, having lived in Amersham for the past 13 years. Following PP comment, grammar school system sounds great but you need to consider your options if they are not right for your children; we did so but hadn't got to the stage of thinking through what we would do if the system worked for one or more but not the other(s). It is massively competitive and tutoring is big business and whatever you do/say, it gets talked about by DC at school. The non-selective school in Amersham (Amersham School) is over subscribed and has an excellent reputation but you'd need to be in Amersham/Bois Moor Road way to get in (most years). Chiltern Hills has excellent facilities and is the one we thought would most suit our DC1 but it's worth thinking through what you wish to do secondaries-wise - it comes around all too quickly. Have to say, if I were moving now, I'd be inclined to look at Chorleywood to avoid the whole thing! Amersham and Chesham both lovely, though, but would think it all through and definitely think about renting while you get to know it all first.

Chesham is quite nice overall and that house is in one of the nice Victorian residential districts. Level walk to the town centre/waitrose/train station. Chesham is looked down on a bit by its posher neighbours - Amersham and Beaconsfield, but actually I found those towns both older in demographics, and quite old-school Tory 'stuffy' (the people in the bigger houses in Amerham have a very high opinion of themselves) whereas Chesham has a much more mixed demographic and liberal-leaning political spread. So depends where you think you'll fit in better. The met line is cheap for seasons tickets but a bone-shaker of a train, and only half the trains are fastline. The other half take for-ev-er to get into town. If you go out drinking in London and catch a train home after 10.30, you'll be stone cold sober and hungover before you get home. Amersham is much better for fast trains. Schools are ok. Not exceptional. Berkhamsted grammar or Dr Challoners are the notable ones, if you can get in.

Berkhamsted doesn’t have a grammar. Hertz is comprehensive. So Chorleywood is a decent shout. I think London Road East should get into the Amersham school. It’s just up Stanley Hill which isn’t far.

The reason I suggested Waddesdon is that you get the best secondary modern in the county and/or the Aylesbury grammar schools. John Colet at Wendover is popular as is The Misbourne at Great Missenden. Parents readily accept these schools when dc don’t get a grammar place.

I also came on to say try Chorleywood

I grew up in Chesham Bois but not lived there in 20+ years so can't comment on current state of schools etc. However...

If you don't drive it's a no-brainer, Amersham wins hands-down. The Met and Chiltern line connections are far better than the branch line to Chesham. It's only 40/45 mins to civilisation Baker Street. Wendover js very pretty but really far out. As PPs have said, people are snooty about Chesham but I would only let that bother you if you care what the sort of people who are snooty about Chesham think.

There's some good sense on this thread about the pluses and minuses of being a grammar area, and the type of people who live there. It will be a shock moving from South London. PPs who have suggested Chorleywood also have a good point.

(And if you think the Met line trains are boneshakers now you should have tried commuting on the old ones )

Met line trains are now modern but can be slow. The chiltern line is quicker. So Wendover to London isn’t slow if you compare a stopping train from Chesham. Wendover never feels further out of London than Chesham does. Amersham is of course more convenient and at your budget you won’t have to worry about anyone in large houses! Except if dc get to the grammar schools.

Thanks so much for all the responses so far. Really helpful. Does anyone have any insight into the two communities? Is Amersham more friendly/ got more going on that Chesham or Vice Versa?

Chesham has the Elgiva theatre but although DHs offices are there, he doesn’t do anything else there. Other than nip to Waitrose occasionally!

What do you mean by going on? I would google what you want and see if it happens. Chesham and Amersham virtually join so it’s interchangeable for most people. Amersham has a pool and I think Chesham has one at Chesham Grammar. Sports facilities there too. Amersham has some playing fields and sports clubs too. Both are near stunning countryside in the Chilterns and biking and walking are popular. In normal times there are lots of pubs in the villages and again anything going on in a village is open to other local residents. Lots of cricket for example.

Whatever you like to do, look up clubs and days out and you will find something.

I used to live in Chesham and really liked it. The Elgiva theatre is great, they put on a really wide variety of things like films, comedy, concerts as well as plays etc. There were quite a few toddler groups (I see you've got small DC) and there are a few playgrounds around town. In recent years (although obviously not over the past year) there has been a music and comedy festival. I still know a few people there with DC and they all love living there.

There’s also Lowndes Park in Chesham and walks in the woods around Chesham Bois and along the Chess Valley.

Hello

I have seen some very sensible opinions on this thread. I am after some advice in regard to Vale road in Chesham. What sort of area is that? I think it in the catchment for grammar schools? If we do not make it into a grammar school what would be the options for secondary from this street?
Please feel free to DM. Thank you so much

Vale Road is quite a walk into town if you haven’t got transport, also a bit of a walk to the grammar (although most places are, unless you live on Eskdale or White Hill 😄)

We have decided to sell our apartment and move to Buckinghamshire. We are looking to buy a house there but don’t mind renting initially till suitable property is found. The reason we have chosen Buckinghamshire (other option was Guildford) is because DD is already preparing for grammar school. We are currently in the outer catchment of Tiffins girls but even if she gets into tiffin, with our budget of 700-750K, we will have less options to buy in Kingston compared to in Bucks.

Me and my partner needs to travel to London twice a week only, hence it makes sense to move out of London and get more for the money.

With our lifestyle, we often visit different parks (Richmond park, Kew gardens, Chiswick House Park etc) and used to have shops around. I dont expect same level of livelihood but hope there will be some good places to visit over weekends, to go for cycling/ running etc.

So I would really appreciate if you advise me on,

1. Which Grammar schools can we consider for our DD? If DD doesnt get in Grammar, we would like to have an option of independent secondary.
2. Which area can we consider to buy a house (for the school you have suggested)? We will look for 3-4 bed with a good size garden. Budget is 700-750k.
3. Which area to rent into till we find suitable property?

The only place we visited in Buckinghamshire so far was Marlow which was lovely and expect other areas of Bucks will be similar.

Hi @movingToBuckinghamshire. You have accidentally awakened a Zombie thread. It will be better for you to start a fresh thread either here or in the relevant “local” section.

Amersham is lovely - we often go for meals. We believe that we get the best of both worlds by living in Chesham. A much bigger house, a better sense of community and a pedestrianised high street with coffee shops and book shops. We don't feel far away enough from Amersham to warrant paying the house prices there and prefer to use the two most weekends.