Where to spend a million?

[househunters]

Hi,

Apologies for the crass title

DH and I have a budget of up to £1m for our next house, but not sure where to buy. Can anyone help?
Our requirements are:
-fast access into north/central London (ideally an hour door to door commute)
-outstanding state school provision at both primary and secondary (our children are 2 and nearly 1 so school applications are a little while off yet, but it's an absolute must for us)
-we like houses with personality. No new builds, and not a fan of 70s houses
-4 beds and a good sized garden
-driveway
-walking distance to good play parks, independent restaurants and shops. A small pretty town would be ideal.

Is this possible?

I bet they’re not in all 4 bed detached houses though @snog.

@MinnieMountain OP didn't ask for detached?
There are however several detached 4 beds for sale at under a million in the city. Are you familiar with the Cambridge property market at all?

Agree with Hitchin.

Apologies Snog my reading comprehension is not so good on 5 hours sleep.

And yes I am thanks. I stand by my point that it’s expensive and OP won’t get so much there for her money as she would in other places.

Definitely Oxford - great schools, plenty to do for children, but more of a city than a small town, but with areas that feel village like: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119492402#/?channel=RES_BUY

Woking, Farnborough, Fleet

Definitely not Oxford! The OP wanted a drive and there ain’t one in that house - and permit parking to make matters worse. Oxford is horrendously expensive and I wouldn’t say is an ideal place as although many pretty buildings, certainly not a “small town”.

Hitchin, Hertford, Harpenden, St Albans, Berkhamsted all fit the bill.

There are plenty of areas in Oxford that are village like such as Woodstock, Cumnor, Wytham, Wolvercote etc. That house in Headington was just an example. From the OPs budget, I thought a place with good schools, plenty to do for children, good restaurants etc were the priorities rather than expense.

Suburbs of Oxford to KX won’t be an hour’s commute by the time you factor in a drive to the station and getting anywhere from Marylebone at the other end.

I’m four stops closer on the same train line and my commute is a bit over an hour once you factor in getting to your office.

@konghongfuey

There are plenty of areas in Oxford that are village like such as Woodstock, Cumnor, Wytham, Wolvercote etc. That house in Headington was just an example. From the OPs budget, I thought a place with good schools, plenty to do for children, good restaurants etc were the priorities rather than expense.

Thank you. I know Oxford very well, and although it's lovely, it's far too far a commute from London for us, and the state schools are a very mixed bag. Thanks for taking the time to make the suggestion though.

@Notonthestairs

Hitchin, Hertford, Harpenden, St Albans, Berkhamsted all fit the bill.

This all look great at first glance, thank you

@Snog

Cambridge? Fast and frequent line to Kings Cross. Great place to live for families. Everyone cycles so no taxi service required for your teens which they and you might really like.

Cambridge is lovely, but too far sadly!

@Porridgeislife

I’d look at Bishops Stortford. The local comprehensive is excellent and the train links to Liverpool St are reliable and pretty quick. Essex is markedly cheaper than the west side of Herts and South Bucks. You can switch to the tube at Seven Sisters to access KX directly.

Sounds great, thank you. Will definitely have a good look.

I think you’ll probably need to compromise somewhere TBH. If you have a look at Rightmove in some of the nice places suggested which, on paper, fit your location requirements (like Hitchin, Berkhamsted, St Albans etc) you’ll see what you get for that budget, and it’s not a 4 bed character detached within walking distance of a station! My best advice would be to start looking at houses within budget and at the same time get a feel for the area and whether the commute is set in stone. Realistically if you want an hour door to door then you need an actual journey time of no more than 40 minutes and that’s pushing it- especially if you have to drive to the station. Also bear in mind the housing stock- there’s no point looking for houses which don’t exist, and if you want to be very close/ walking distance to a station you’re more likely to be finding character terraces (albeit some with nice gardens) or modern estate houses than character detached. Some more off piste suggestions, have you considered places like Watford (near Cassiobury park), Barnet, Hemel Hempstead and Milton Keynes- none exactly fit your criteria but do fit some parts of it.

@Heronwatcher

I think you’ll probably need to compromise somewhere TBH. If you have a look at Rightmove in some of the nice places suggested which, on paper, fit your location requirements (like Hitchin, Berkhamsted, St Albans etc) you’ll see what you get for that budget, and it’s not a 4 bed character detached within walking distance of a station! My best advice would be to start looking at houses within budget and at the same time get a feel for the area and whether the commute is set in stone. Realistically if you want an hour door to door then you need an actual journey time of no more than 40 minutes and that’s pushing it- especially if you have to drive to the station. Also bear in mind the housing stock- there’s no point looking for houses which don’t exist, and if you want to be very close/ walking distance to a station you’re more likely to be finding character terraces (albeit some with nice gardens) or modern estate houses than character detached. Some more off piste suggestions, have you considered places like Watford (near Cassiobury park), Barnet, Hemel Hempstead and Milton Keynes- none exactly fit your criteria but do fit some parts of it.

I definitely don't need detached!

How about Market Harborough? The train to London is 1 hour with no changes. Leicester is another possibility but you'd need to pick the area carefully.

Staying in London - Highams Park / Chingford / South Woodford / Wanstead?
Or just outside in Loughton, Epping, Woodford, Buckhurst Hill?

@househunters sorry it was the driveway which confused me!

The below have character and a decent commute and very good /decent schools nearby (although I don’t know the exact catchments), but some have no driveway or not a massive garden but this is typical of the property you’ll get for £1 million at the moment (unless you’re prepared to consider new builds or longer commutes). They are both lovely towns in which to live but again many people who have made the London move and commute, so that’s something to think about.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/109092419#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115061144#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119562059#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119259686#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/120070709#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119537816#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118669409#/?channel=RES_BUY

I can’t really believe I’m saying this as I grew up there and never want to go back, but Watford does meet quite a few of your needs. The schools are excellent, it’s got some nice bits, and is an easy commute. Bushey is a bit prettier and has a station too.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/120022565#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113077844#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115136189#/?channel=RES_BUY

How about London? Here is a fairly typical place in Ealing - about 40 mins from King's x
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118324037

I highly doubt you can het a 4 bed detached with character near the station for £1M in St Albans. Hitchin would be a better option.

*get

This is a good one in the same area which has a driveway www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111011732
Nice local shops/coffee/pubs. Outstanding and good primaries and secondaries

Purley?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/120080330

Direct trains to kings cross in 35 mins and there are plenty of lovely character houses within a 10 min walk of the station. There are some excellent state schools too. The high street is ok and has everything you would need, but probably doesn't have that village feel. There are loads of lovely green spaces nearby though. Nearby kenley, sanderstead and riddlesdown are also lovely