Moving back to London

[LilyRose89]

After 2 years spent in a nearby city, we've decided to move back to London with our 1 year old, and rent for 1-2 years before deciding where to settle definitely.

Therefore, we're looking for a London family friendly borough to settle in!

We've lived everywhere in flat shares around London but nowhere with a baby and we would like to find a place that is family friendly, safe, where we have plenty of access to shops, restaurants, cafes, and that is still relatively affordable - if we can call anything affordable in London. Highgate/Hampstead is my dream but unaffordable at the moment, let's bar Fulham, Chelsea, all of this.

Where do all the lovely MNetters live in London, and where would you recommend to settle with a young family?

The type of property we would look at is a 2 bedrooms with outside space.

Thank you!

It is a concern, yes! The prices are not going to go down, but more likely we will be in a position to buy in one year, and hopefully he prices wouldn't have changed too much between now and then. That's why where we rent is absolutely paramount, it will likely be the place where we end up, if we choose to buy. And we need to be able to afford it.

To answer your question, @Crikeyalmighty , we're lucky enough to have flexible working so don't need a short commute to the center necessarily but DH would prefer to be under 45mn to the center center (let's say Oxford Circus) - to go out see friends all of this. Around 30mn and a tube would be perfect for him, that's why he vetoes Richmond and Barnes for the moment.

I'm happy to find a neighbourhood I like and spend my time there TBH but I can also see how convenient it would be to be well connected.

OP Richmond has fast trains into Waterloo.

You will find that any place in London that has a fast service into a mainline train station properties cost more.

Also while you imagine that you will spend all your time in the West end going out in reality you end up in your friends local areas because it is more interesting e.g. has nicer areas to sit outside.

Oh and if you intend to buy keep an eye on what secondary schools you are likely to be in the catchment area off. In London it is done by distance so you could say live in one borough but your nearest schools are actually in the next borough.

I've certainly done Richmond to Waterloo in 18 minutes lots of times , as we used to live there and then 10 mins to west end - but of course to bring it under 45 mins you would need to live within 10 to 15 mins of station (same is true anywhere though) and Wimbledon situation is similar but there is more suitable property in the centre near the station . I wouldn't discount them- I think it may be thinking 'tube' - rather than 'train' - they do tick lots of your other boxes-

Thanks for the advice, I agree, need to widen my net.