Broxbourne for young family? Rightmove link included

[EweMooNeigh]

I have a wide search set around London and come across a nice house in Broxbourne, which I hadn’t heard of before. Looks like really good primaries and one good secondary. I’m a bit suspicious about the price for a less than 1hr commute, so thought I’d ask here for opinions please?

I did a search on old threads, says not much to do which doesn’t put me off. Nice house, big garden, good schools and fast commute are what I’m looking for.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/112771817

I’m not basing it on the ofsted rating, Broxbourne school has good facilities, focus on languages and has a very high rate of pupils doing the English baccalaureate (a mix of science, languages and humanity). It seems to have a good ethos - though I don’t know of course. If we were to move out from SE London we’d be in Bexley or Kent which has the grammar school system - the kids are tutored to pass and if they don’t get in there aren’t good options, if parents can afford it they go private. There are outstanding academy primaries but I know they’re not great on pastoral care. I know people here so can get the low down.

Good schools are really important to us, I get what you’re saying about being happy, but we wouldn’t be if we didn’t feel we were sending our kids to a good school. For us that would be things like facilities, language offering and school trips, sports opportunities, music lessons.

With that budget I would look to Hertford or Ware . Much, much nicer community feel and environment with excellent schools.

Broxbourne has some nice houses and a civic centre but no actual town. Other towns around have actual centres and a sense of geographical community, rather than just houses.

Welwyn is a nice town but it has mixed schools. Bishops Stortford is lovely but lots of new build expansion at the moment. Saffron Walden is beautiful but I'm not sure about the commute.
Have a look at whether or not it would actually save time to get off the train at somewhere like Moorgate and walk to Farringdon. This could open up your commute areas.
If any of these towns interest you, let me know and I'll see if I can help further.

Ok good, just making sure you have checked full details. Yes I agree, Broxbourne school is great. I have heard nothing but excellent reviews, so can not fault it.
To go back to your other comment, yes unfortunately Rye house/ Hoddesdon would take you out of the catchment area 😩. But it will be tricky to find the home you love with the space needed for the right price in Broxbourne, especially if your time limited. Broxbourne is a desirable area to live in. It has beautiful roads, homes, not far by car to big shopping areas Harlow then a smaller shopping area in Enfield town and its location into london / TFL is fantastic. 1 stop from TFL overground ( Cheshunt) covering Enfield, Edmonton, Harringey, Hackney and Liverpool street. And Greater Anglia into Liverpool Street or Stratford with about 20 minutes in between the too trains. Then the opposite side you can get straight into Cambridge from Broxbourne or Stansted Airport. I think this really bumps up the price.

It might be worth looking at the other areas suggested within this forum 😔 and as Im helping 2 friends looking in Broxbourne, ill pop appropriate properites in here so you to check out 😁.

Wishing you all the best with the search!

I think you need to cast your net wider OP to other towns within your preferred commuting distance and yes, look for schools first and then houses.

And if you have a baby and a job do you really want to buy a doer upper? That first house you linked to in your OP looked damp to me and would need a huge amount spending on it to get it liveable and nice.

Also agree that Hitchen, Hertford, Bishops Stortford and Ware are all much nicer than Broxbourne!

And more expensive with longer commutes.