Where would you move to on M40 or M1 between London and Midlands

[Xdecd]

DP and I live in north London but are looking to move as we can't afford the home we want now our family is growing (1 toddler and TTC 2nd), we're squeezed in a cramped 2-bed and won't get anything bigger for our budget.

DP is a Londoner and all his family live here but my family live in are in Manchester and we drive up there regularly, so we're looking along these two motorway routes. We want to be south of Birmingham.

The other big consideration is my DP can't drive due to disability and so we need somewhere that has a good taxi network and a train station - he gets Ubers everywhere in London. I work in Aylesbury but could change jobs so the commute isn't the be all and end all. DP can work anywhere.

We want somewhere fairly diverse (we're a mixed race family), we like good food, culture and parks. Milton Keynes is a possibility although I don't love it there because of the lack of character...any other suggestions?

Can he cycle?

With 750k you can go for really good areas in and around Birmingham. And you don’t have to worry about diversity,

Banbury or environs. Some beautiful villages, deeply rural Midlands England.

Milton Keynes.

Cheaper housing than Oxford
You could keep your job in Aylesbury
East side is right on the M1
Easy train / drive to Manchester

But it is a driving city. Public transport is reasonable, but not great if you're used to london. But people get taxis everywhere and it's small and cheap to get across by Uber

Just realised you said not MK 🤦🏼‍♀️

What about watford. Or Coventry . Birmingham is very dirty in some parts

Can't see the appeal of Coventry

My bit of London would get you 4 bed Victorian tce with a garden eyeso

For £750k that is!

You could get a lovely house in Leamington for that budget, train station on the Chiltern line to Marylebone and easy to get around. Good choice of schools. Lots of green space, cafe culture, arts and kids activities. Well placed for working via train in Birmingham or Coventry.

MK has a unique character, it's just not immediately apparent to the casual visitor, and it has increasingly good culture and food and more green spaces and parks than you can shake a stick at. I'm a convert.

Solihull.

Warwickshire. I’m in Stratford upon Avon. Not hugely diverse but improving however it’s beautiful and easy access to many places. Good grammars, a good secondary, good primaries. Warwick/ leamington/ Solihull would be other options.

High Wycombe