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?

Harpenden has got good schools and is about that far away if not closer to London. A million will buy you a house but not sure about a 4-bed house.

It's about 30 min train journey to KX from Harpenden.
I think you could get a 4 bed house but likely to be 1970s with a drive, or if more characterful, no off street parking.

So when you say an hour, do you mean door to door? I’m just thinking about why Cambridge is too far, when it’s less than an hour into kings cross?

How about Great Missenden ? www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/82740018#/?channel=RES_BUY

@SheWoreYellow

So when you say an hour, do you mean door to door? I’m just thinking about why Cambridge is too far, when it’s less than an hour into kings cross?

Yes, door to door. So a 30-40 min train journey max.

You could buy a noce house in Welwyn Garden City for that price. Secondary schools are an issue at the moment but there are outstanding options in other town which children travel.

Bishop Stortford is Herts not Essex and £1 million is not going to buy you anything amazing there so it depends what your expectations are. We are just over the Essex border in a rural area. Our house is worth £1million and yes, it’s a nice house but it’s not a mansion. We have a good size garden but not the acre of land that we crave and it’s a 20 minute drive to the nearest train station.

@Miserablecat

Harpenden has got good schools and is about that far away if not closer to London. A million will buy you a house but not sure about a 4-bed house.

It's about 30 min train journey to KX from Harpenden.
I think you could get a 4 bed house but likely to be 1970s with a drive, or if more characterful, no off street parking.

Agree. Harpenden sprang to mind as soon as I read the original post, but likely a compromise somewhere. From what I know the schools are consistently strong across the board. I have a friend in Harpenden that is very happy there.

Hi Op,
I’m also a teacher, but unfortunately, don’t have anywhere near your budget! The issue with lots of the areas suggested such as St. Albans, Harpenden etc. is the cost of the commute. I’m surprised that no one has suggested the northwest London suburbs. I’d recommend, Ickenham, Ruislip,Eastcote & Pinner , from personal experience. They’re all zone 5/6 , on the tube, & family-friendly areas, with a much cheaper commute. There’s plenty of open spaces, a community feel & great schools. However, there aren’t many period properties , but there’ll always be a compromise, whatever the budget!
I currently live in Ruislip & there’s the Met. Piccadilly, Central & Chiltern lines into London.
I’m sure you’ll find something lovely here, at your budget.
Good luck.X

We're in Wendover. Our house is over £1m but it's a 5-bed. It has everything you're looking for - quaint oldy-worldly small town, great schools, playparks, woods/adventure trail, canal, Chilterns countryside yet fantastic amenities with wonderful pubs and restaurants 5 minutes walk from our house. Train direct to Marylebone. Tring is just up the road with trains to Euston.

www.cameronsstiff.co.uk/properties-for-sale/london/31197280/

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/116187068#/?channel=RES_BUY

Maybe consider buying actually in NW London rather than commuting in? Places do come up in your range, as long as you're not expecting them to be perfect on buying

Stony Stratford outside Milton Keynes. 10 mins to MK station, 35mins info Euston

Good schools non grammar and really nice high street and restaurants with good access to M1. You'll get a nice house for a million.

Shinfield, Wokingham. Can drive to several nearby stations for commute to London. Fantastic schools. Near lots of lovely green spaces. Lots of new houses but also ones like this -
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119425631#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119545034
Fleet?

Although trains to Waterloo so might be too far out for you.

@Mabelwotsits

Stony Stratford outside Milton Keynes. 10 mins to MK station, 35mins info Euston

Good schools non grammar and really nice high street and restaurants with good access to M1. You'll get a nice house for a million.

Gosh I'd say no to Stony Stratford. Does fall into the grammar system of Buckingham actually and frankly Milton Keynes as a place to live is a bit crap

Stony Stratford doesn't fall into the Bucks grammars, only the very tip of South MK would have any hope at all these days.

My friend who lives there loves it. MK itself is a marmite place but has brilliant activities for families. I think Stony is a nice town.

I'm in Oxford which is lovely but far too far to commute every day.

Sorry just saw you said Buckingham grammar I don't know anything about that one

Chelmsford essex and surrounding villages

Letchworth in herts -

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119633228

Ampthill Bedfordshire (5 mins drive to station)

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/112767692

Both trains go to Kings cross (st pancreas international)

Reigate.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Had a look through the ones with a 35-40 min commute- Hitchin and Bishops Stortford looking like the frontrunners at the moment.

We had similar budget and ended up looking at Barnet and Enfield both have excellent primary options.

You will get a 4 bed semi for that price

We also liked chesthunt, harpenden and hitchin but we had 2 x commute costs and so the benefits of going out to herts were totalllllly offset by massively increased commute costs

Twyford, Datchet or Taplow in Berks?
Thame.
Godalming.
Reigate.

My thoughts anyway!

@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?

Market Harborough Bedfordshire Reading Buckinghamshire

South Woodford? Wanstead? Why live so far out and spend a fortune on trains?