Oxford - where to live?

[Taquito]

Hi, can anyone recommend nice areas to live in Oxford? We’re a mixed race family with small children and would ideally like to live within an easy cycle from the centre. We’re probably looking for a minimum of three beds, ideally four, close to good activities for children and decent primary schools. Any suggestions from those who’re Oxford-based?

What is your budget OP as that will make a huge difference in Oxford?

Yes budget would help and then we know if you could afford Jericho or Summertown which are £££££

Thanks everyone - budget would be up to about £800/850k

That won’t go that far in Oxford within a short bike ride to the city centre! You’re looking at ring road distance and a bus ride. Four beds would also be ambitious on that budget. Does it have to be in Oxford itself? You’ll get more house and choice outside. A lot of Oxford is taken up by rental property and flats or HMOs.

So a quick Rightmove search and this is the best I can see in terms of the sort of area that’s child oriented and within the city, just about. Whether you count where it is as close enough to the centre is moot, but you’re close to the Headington shopping area there with a Waitrose and other small supermarkets too.
The Laurels, Quarry Road, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-97188500.html

If you were willing to expand your area slightly, I would have a look at Cassington. We loved it when we lived there. It has good transport links and is really family friendly with a good school. You could find something amazing for your budget there

Kennington is a lovely area Op. Around 10 ton15 minute bike ride to the city centre. A lovely primary school, good bus service and local to amenities

Kennington is a decent shout. You'll get a nice place in Botley for that money, it's a very low crime area, quiet, and only a 10 min cycle into town.

You also have the benefit of being on an ok bus route there into the city centre.

I’m a bit surprised at this thread. I can’t advise the OP as I’ve never lived in Oxford with primary aged dc, but I can’t think of an area where you can’t buy a 3 bed for 850.

The size and state will obviously vary, but you will definitely have at lest some choices pretty much everywhere, including Summertown and Jericho.

Yeah 850 is a decent amount in all but the most expensive of areas.

Disagree with @Rainbowshine. That budget is plenty! Look at Wolvercote, perhaps? Cassington is a good bet, as is Eynsham. Further north think Kidlington (less than an hour to London from Oxford Parkway) or Yarnton.

Cassington wise www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/57016456?search_identifier=7598a69e53c4f6925cdb3691fa09a233 is lovely

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/56573292?search_identifier=7598a69e53c4f6925cdb3691fa09a233 is a complete fixer upper but has potential I feel...

@WinstonmissesXmas the op wants to be a short bike ride from the city centre, that’s not Eynsham and Kidlington in my book. I read that as at least within the ring road.

@Rainbowshine - I can read! You can do Kidlington - Oxford in 25 minutes, and Eynsham in 15-20. Given the traffic on both routes if you’re driving, it’s impossible to get there more quickly than cycling, even on the buses that use the bus lanes. Anything under half an hour is a short cycle in my book!

I think both of those are a stretch with DC. Further afield, if that’s now within the range of possibilities, I would look at Thame. Not the delights of Oxford but it’s a great market town and more will be in budget. Otherwise Headington or Botley. North Oxford is very expensive so that might only elicit a terrace house.

If I had your budget I would be looking at Jericho and summer town but a bit further out/cheaper is Botley - imo much more doable/fulfils more if your criteria than some of the others mentioned! Botley has Matthew Arnold if high schools will be an issue one day. It's also only just outside the ring road so Deliveroo etc still reach it. Good bus links and cycle path along main road although there is also an off road cycle to City centre (along river/cycle and footpaths) that takes me 12 mins into centrally located office. Newly redeveloped shopping centre plus new farmers market a plus for us

The house next to my PILs is for sale, 3 bed, only £650k, lovely long garden, takes about 10 mins to cycle to the town centre, either straight along the Abingdon Road or a back way. Near a lovely park /playground (New Hinksey) and outdoor swimming pool, lovely circular walks to the river, over the railway, and as it’s not far from town, also to all the stuff you can do in town. Short drive to the out of town Sainsbury’s to the south of Oxford.

House on Rightmove here

With that budget you could buy loads of places in Oxford. Headington is nice, but there is a hill so an "easy" cycle ride is up for interpretation. You can get a flattish cycle ride in from most places which are not Headington (Jericho/Summertown/Marston/South Oxford (Abingdon Rd as above)/East Oxford till Cowley/Rose Hill where there start being hills.)
Some of those areas would be within that budget.
Anywhere in Oxford should be fine with a mixed-race family, it's a fairly multicultural city overall and across social stratas.

Headington
Summertown
Cumnor

Headington would fit the bill - a lot more affordable than north Oxford. If you’re used to cycling (or have an electric one!) it’s definitely bike-able to the centre. The area around Old Headington is especially nice - like a country village, but with a big park with a great playground area, library, Waitrose and plenty of other shops nearby, not to mention plenty of buses and St Andrew’s sought-after primary school.

I love Headington. Would be my preferred area.

I'm grow up in a village just outside Oxford that kind or got absorbed by the urban sprawl and the prices are ridiculous, we now live in Bicester which has a train that takes ten minutes to central Oxford. For your budget you could get an unusual property like www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-85598986.html this that is close to all the amenities and have money let to renovate.

It depends what lifestyle you want we like to be able to wander into Bicester and get a coffee but also close to Oxford a lot of the villages outside Oxford are actually very remote or a nightmare with traffic we can probably get into Oxford quicker than some who live in the Oxford ring road.

Your budget is plenty for many parts of Oxford including East Oxford (close to Cowley Road/ South Park) . It’s a lovely area, vibrant, close to city centre, good schools - highly recommend. Have a look at the 4 bed Victorian properties e.g Southfield Road, Divinity Road. Or Headington/ Iffley. Or something smaller in North Oxford.