Where to purchase a house Esher or Guildford?

[Ali198]

Hi! I needed some help on purchasing a house in Surrey. We have sold our current home and want to move closer to work in Surrey. We have narrowed it down to Esher and Guildford as both seem to have a nice feel and easy commute to London (to see family/friends).

We have three young children primary school age so would need to have great independent or state primary schools and going onto secondary, as the eldest will be moving to secondary in a few years.

Guildford seems to offer slightly more in a property for your money, but ideally just want to be in the best place for the kids and education.

We are going to be renting from next month until we find something, just want to rent in the right area, so can start the children’s school in the area we will eventually buy in.

Would really appreciate advise/ help. x

Depends on your budget and lifestyle. Guildford is marginally better for state as has more options. Esher probably has more preps to choose from.
Esher has more expensive houses proportionally.

I would see which one is closer to your work and look at which schools you prefer that suit your kids and then decide.

Both are lovely places but I love Guildford personally. So close to rural countryside.

Thank you.. Guildford is closer to work.
Budget is around 1.2 mill
I have researched so many schools and made the choice even harder! as both have a similar balance. Guildford makes more sense as closer to work but Esher is just slightly closer to London. Both have lovely amenities for family life.

As we have sold out house we are going to rent for a bit in Guildford, so hopefully will get a better feel. Only thing is I don’t want to keep changing the kids schools if they start a school in Guildford in Sept, then we buy in Esher.

Fingers crossed all works out for the best!

My big problem with Esher is the traffic - it is lovely - but it is also a pain in the arse and loads of traffic funnels into that triangle of roads near the high street. There's also the Sandown racetrack redevelopment that has been blocked now but it's clear the jockey club needs to do something on that site. I'm not sure how all the surrounding roads will cope if there is even more traffic for big events.

In your shoes I think renting in Guildford sounds sensible

If you're choosing Guildford as being better for traffic, Esther must be truly appalling as Guildford traffic is frequently dreadful!!

Yes agree around Sandown racetrack it can get busy, as when viewing property on the area we’ve sometimes hit traffic there.

I guess these days traffic is everywhere.

Perhaps look at the areas surrounding Guildford. Shalford is lovely and about a 5 min drive from the centre.

I'm closer to Esher. I don't particularly like the high street and station begin set apart (a bit like Weybridge). Also, pre-pandemic you'd never get a train seat from Esher at rush hour. Not sure what the commute will be like if more people are now wfh.

I prefer Claygate to Esher. Again, a 5 min drive and the station is right in the centre of the little high street.

Thank you will look up Shalford.
Not worried about train station as would only need to commute by car.

Looked at Claygate but just preferred schools in Hinchleywood and Esher. x

Whereabouts is your work? For me that would affect where in Guildford to look for housing as getting across Guildford at rush hour can be tricky.

work is in Guildford not far from Ladymead retail park. My husbund and I are use to commuting off the A3 from our current home. We have kind of got use to the traffic hit and miss.

So if we chose Esher we would also be coming off the A3 into Guildford.