SW / W London - where to live?

[alhnc]

Hi

Trying to find a place in West London - considering Richmond, Chiswick, Ealing, Barnes.

Need to be 30-45 minutes into Mayfair and near good nurseries / primary schools as we are planning a family next year.

Budget is around the 2m mark.

Have looked at Richmond but difficult to find anything nice in that budget. Ealing has some more properties but curious about schools in the area as I've heard it can be a bit more varied. Welcome thoughts on Chiswick / Barnes as well.

Apart from the fact that Barnes is super expensive, though lovely, is the transport. Barnes station is out on a limb, or a bus is required to get you to the tube.

Chiswick has much better transport links and a busy High Street with good housing stock. Though traffic can be an issue. Can’t comment on schools.
I much prefer Chiswick to Ealing but that’s just personal preference. Richmond is nice but budget issues and even more so in Barnes.

How big a house do you want? Wandsworth is lovely and has great schools.

Do you want to be that far out? You could get a lovely house in Pimlico or Fulham for that budget with a quick commute.

If further out, how about Putney or Wimbledon?

Without defining what ‘anything nice’ is no one can help you. There are lots of lovely houses in those areas for under 2m but if you are looking for a 5bed detached then probably not

Will PM you as don't want to say where i live on the thread but in your group of areas.

You need to be more specific. 2m is a huge amount of money, and there will be lots of nice properties in those areas at that budget. Are you looking at state or private schools for the future?

To answer some of the questions:

• Want to be further west as my parents live in Oxford and just easier to have access to the M40, so that rules Pimlico out
• looking for at least garden, 3 beds, 1500+ sqft, off street parking and not needing to do any work to the property
• in terms of schools, thinking private for primary but would want to be in walking distance as really don’t want to be driving in London daily. Not too fussed about secondary at this stage as don’t think this is a forever home for us.

I'd look at the Hammersmith/Ravenscourt Park area

I grew up in West London when Hammersmith was ‘genteel’. It’s a bit rough now. I’d look at Chiswick. Barnes is lovely, but getting over the river is difficult since Hammersmith bridge has been closed to motorists.