Budget of £750k where do I move to

[velvetfrontdoor]

Has to be within 2 hour each way commute to London (pt commute)

I want a big detached house with garden.
I'm looking for a fun house not a boring run of the mill home.

Would consider moving areas completely and relocating.

Have to consider secondary schools. Can afford private up to £18k pa if stay within commuting distance to London (I know that's not great for private) may afford more if I get a job but I'm happy working in my pt role and support dc so obviously have to consider state schools. No problem to consider grammars as was already considering anyway.

May be able to push budget slightly higher but ideally would get something cheaper that needs doing up. If I stick to below actual price of £725k would probably manage to keep £100k in the bank for repairs as a guide for how crazy renovations can get to but willing to put up with old to have the dream home.

Don't like new houses or estates.
Recommendations of areas would also be very helpful.

Anyone fancy helping? Links welcome

@BigusBumus

I do think teenagers can exist outside of cities. We live in Rutland and my teens go to local Public schools. They play rugby, cricket, have mates over, go to lots of parties, have girlfriends, get the train to surrounding towns and cities if they fancy it. But the two oldest are driving since 17 so not so bad now, lifts wise. The plus side being is pretty safe and crime free around here. No fear of gangs or stabbings or whatever.

Outside of cities? Yes. I don’t think anyone is denying that.

Your children had access to a train station, which allowed them freedom and not relying on you.

If you live in the countryside and nearest train station is in the local town, say 8 miles away and there isn’t a bus stop in the vicinity (and locals bus service is infrequent given location anyway), then your teens are reliant on you to get anywhere.

I was one of those teens.

And it’s an absolutely pain in the arse for the term and parents like - and can cause quite a bit of tension

We live about 15 minutes walk from the tube and my teenagers all of whom passed their driving licence at 17 all complained even about that distance so lots of lifts from parents here in a 2 car household!

The balance is will parents and toddlers look at cows and be happy and teenagers lose all life chances and go off the rails but I agree if you can to go a good school etc it's fine.; I went to school with Lady XYZ (day private school) in NE England and she lived in a massive fairly remote house in Northumberland. She didn't go off the rails as they had lots of friends, parties, space at home and at 13 she was sent to boarding school so left our class at school.

Dh grew up in countryside with the whole own a few ponies thing going on and he actually really liked it and wants that for dc. He still ended up in London though.

He got very good at sports as there wasn't much else to do. To this day he's yet to ever get on a public bus though which does strike me as a bit odd. But his parents took him everywhere. Saying that my parents drove me everywhere too despite me being in a town with ample transport links.

Perhaps I'm being naive but I'm also hoping a good school will provide a fairly good buffer to going off the rails regardless of where we live? Happy to be corrected.

Were you and your dh only children

Most teens have after school activities etc at similar times.

What will you do if need to be at different place at same time or pick up after a match at different place same time?

I’ll tell you - there’s a lot of waiting around in the cold for your mum wishing you lived more centrally!

I would just do your research for secondaries. We moved out of a city to somewhere more rural for secondary and both my kids much prefer it, they can still get to a city from here but have only done so once.

But we have lots in the village - the secondary school is in the village so they can walk there, a sipermarket is walkable, there's a gym at the school, after school clubs at the school, air cadets were they can learn to fly an aeroplane and army cadets again based at school. So there's lots in one place but its the village with all the facilities in, lots of villages around have nothing in. It's also really safe.

The schools here are very good and I only know one child there who is going off the rails whereas when we were by London lots of them were plus there was lots of stabbings etc, one of their friends had their Dad killed and a child the same age as my son was killed at one of the schools a year after we left in front of other kids and 8 other kids run over, so glad to be out of that. It depends where you are comparing though. My children love having animals which we couldn't have by London and my daughter runs in the mornings and shows me pictures of the deer, squirrels etc she has seen. Mine are at state school but the privates we looked at the clubs were on site.

I’ve got teens and live rurally. They drive and use the bus or walk. We can access 3 cities within 50 minutes bus ride but my kids are true country bumpkins and prefer to hang out with their mates here. Lots of clubs and community events available. Bit of camping out with mates and building fires. They sometimes do go to the city for music events