Where to live in Reading

[roseky]

Thinking of moving to Reading, any areas to avoid or nicest areas? We are a mixed race family, looking for more diversity than where we are , now (Surrey), preferably walking distance from a station and a high street. Budget is £350k for 3 bedrooms.

Caversham is nice and also near station....or Maiden Erleigh area for value for money.

Lower Earley or Woodley/Twyford are also nice but just outside of Reading

All out of our price range unfortunately

Depends which line you want to be on, and where you want to head to, but Maiden Earleigh/Earley/University area is good but outside budget. Caversham there may be a few come up in budget, a short walk to the station eg www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113987207#/?channel=RES_BUY.

West Reading is again very ethincally diverse, all off a long shopping street - Oxford Road - which has the most amazing fruit and veg and pretty much anything you wanted to buy, and is also the No 17 bus route for a very very frequent bus into town, but you also have Reading West station (for Newbury etc or into the main station). Buses are also very good in Reading so you're never too far from stations.
in West Reading look at www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115664456#/?channel=RES_BUY - this is very walkable to town or the station of you don't get a bus, and very near Reading West. For secondary Wren school, I'm told by friends with children there, is good (about 20-30 min walk from memory), or this just round the corner:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108419978#/?channel=RES_BUY

Twyford/Woodley - £350k won't get you 3 beds
Avoid places like Calcot as not near a station and the traffic takes you (or a not so frequent bus forever). Anything on the 17 bus route is good.

I did a quick search: this one in Amity St, Newtown would be my personal favourite - a very diverse area, the Newtown Primary is good, and you're in catchment for Bulmershe secondary, (a bus or bike ride) very good school. Unusually for the area it has off street parking, you can walk or cycle along the canal into town, over the canal and along the Thames tow path to a huge Tescos,, lots of shopping a short walk away at Cemetery Junction (co-op, various independents, ethnic food shops etc), or catch a bus from London Road for the station. I would suggest there may also be scope to extend if you wished.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117792692#/?channel=RES_BUY

[quote Ariela]Depends which line you want to be on, and where you want to head to, but Maiden Earleigh/Earley/University area is good but outside budget. Caversham there may be a few come up in budget, a short walk to the station eg www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113987207#/?channel=RES_BUY.

West Reading is again very ethincally diverse, all off a long shopping street - Oxford Road - which has the most amazing fruit and veg and pretty much anything you wanted to buy, and is also the No 17 bus route for a very very frequent bus into town, but you also have Reading West station (for Newbury etc or into the main station). Buses are also very good in Reading so you're never too far from stations.
in West Reading look at www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115664456#/?channel=RES_BUY - this is very walkable to town or the station of you don't get a bus, and very near Reading West. For secondary Wren school, I'm told by friends with children there, is good (about 20-30 min walk from memory), or this just round the corner:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108419978#/?channel=RES_BUY

Twyford/Woodley - £350k won't get you 3 beds
Avoid places like Calcot as not near a station and the traffic takes you (or a not so frequent bus forever). Anything on the 17 bus route is good.

I did a quick search: this one in Amity St, Newtown would be my personal favourite - a very diverse area, the Newtown Primary is good, and you're in catchment for Bulmershe secondary, (a bus or bike ride) very good school. Unusually for the area it has off street parking, you can walk or cycle along the canal into town, over the canal and along the Thames tow path to a huge Tescos,, lots of shopping a short walk away at Cemetery Junction (co-op, various independents, ethnic food shops etc), or catch a bus from London Road for the station. I would suggest there may also be scope to extend if you wished.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117792692#/?channel=RES_BUY[/quote]
Thank you, that's very helpful

With that budget, I'd look at West Reading, ideally (for me) up the hill to the south of Reading West station. Around Prospect Park and All Saints Church.

The area has a nice leafy feel. There are good primary schools, and the Wren secondary is meant to be alright, or at least was a couple of years ago. The park is a nice place for a wander (at least in the daytime).

You're in walking distance of the stations, town centre and Oxford Road for more independent shops including plenty of South Asian and African grocers etc.