Affordable places to live around Milton Keynes?

[JESUSsaves2]

Hi everyone,

I have really learnt a lot from reading through old threads.

I recently moved to Milton Keynes (MK) and absolutely love the redways system, which ensures I can move around on foot/cycle without getting to the major roads. I would love to buy a 4 bed room detached house in Milton Keynes and by my calculations on mortgage repayments and all, I can only afford a house of 300,000 or less. Question is, since MK is way above my reach with the high cost of houses there, what are the areas I should consider around MK that are safe and kids friendly?

Context:

1. I love quiet and peaceful settings (rural-like areas). Don't mind a modern/ relatively new house in an interior location as long as it is safe and not noisy/bubbly.
   
2. Good secondary school (both primary and secondary) catchment area will be great
   
3. For work, I only have to commute to central london once in two months, if necessary. Two hours train commute from London is fine by me.
   
4. I really love houses/ areas that have well planned layouts (e.g minor things like a safe distance/space between your doorstep and the road). 😄
   
   
   Thanks in advance.

[TizerorFizz]

I found 29 properties but not many meeting your rather high spec for the money! I suspect you cannot afford a village. Northampton area comes up and into Bedfordshire. You won’t get anything in Bucks towards Buckingham but MK itself is just about possible but not the nicest areas. But you know that. Towcester, Kempston and more distant towns are a bit cheaper.

MK isn’t really expensive either. If you were south of Aylesbury, £300,000 would get you very very little! The nearer to London, the more you pay.

[CatMattress]

You're not going to find anything for less than 100k per bedroom anywhere in the bucks/beds area really, esp not with the specifications you state. I'm sorry. Rural areas near MK you're probably looking at more like 150k per bedroom.

Unless you're very handy and looking for a project?

[JESUSsaves2]

Thank you for your response, @TizerorFizz. True, i cannot afford near MK at those rates so i will step away from MK environs for now. Maybe my follow-on question will be, where else out there even far from Bucks can i actually afford, still nice in terms of school catchment and safe generally. I really don't mind a long commute to work (since it is not frequent). What would be your top five areas in the whole of England?

[JESUSsaves2]

@CatMattress

Thank you. Time to step away from Bucks/bed area and look elsewhere.😥

Where in your view would still be nice (not run down), still good for raising kids and cheap. I feel like in most of the cheap places there is usually something negative in the news but that would not be 100% correct for all areas. I believe there are still nice/peaceful areas in very remote places, that are still cheap. i dont just know where they are. I am relatively new in the UK as a whole. Suggestions for such areas will be appreciated. Thanks

[Barleymilk]

I'm 40 minutes away from MK in a large village called Woodford Halse,west of Towcester.
Affordable and many people come from afar and tend to stay.
Beautiful woods,small river,yearly festival and lots going on although remote.
Banbury is 15 minutes away with a train straight to Marylebone which takes an hour.
Could be worth you having a look?

[Elemenohpe]

Towards Northampton but still close to MK like Hartwell might be good. Probably more like 400 for a 4 bed though.

[Malbab]

We used to live in Bedford which has fast trains (from corby, east Midlands train) into St Pancras within 30 min, it is not too expensive there are good schools in putnoe area which is where we lived, we used to go to MK for shopping cinema etc within 30 min

[TizerorFizz]

There’s plenty to choose from around Northampton. Some looked to be in very nice residential areas. Bucks is a problem as it’s more money. However if you can compromise on 3 beds, Buckingham
is possible but it doesn’t have a station. On balance, I would look around Northampton.

[BertaHoon]

Plenty of lovely little villages South Northamptonshire. Woodford Halse as suggested.

Central Northampton is a bit of a dump. I'd be looking further south definitely.

[TizerorFizz]

There are areas of Northampton that are residential and quite attractive. Kingsthorpe seems popular and affordable. There are larger villages but prices are higher. Woodford Halse has no properties that meet the requirements of the OP. Banbury has nothing but Daventry or Rugby have new estates with possibly some choice. This price limit for 4 beds is a problem!

[JESUSsaves2]

Thank you. @Barleymilk @BertaHoon @Elemenohpe @Malbab @TizerorFizz @TizerorFizz

Thanks for the suggestions. I will review in more detail and check for l aspects where I can compromise on.

[namejump]

£300k for a 4bed you'll be looking more towards North Northants. Good train links to London still.

[larry520]

Have you looked at Wotton, lots of recent new builds. Really recommend Wixams, complete new build community made up of three villages, designed with red ways and lakes / woodland etc. Also had a train station opening in next couple of years so prices will rise.

[Sulkyatforty]

Leighton Buzzard?

[VeniVidiWeeWee]

@Sulkyatforty

Leighton Buzzard?

Rightmove has 1 house, and that really isn't in the nicest area.

[neitherofthem]

I just did a search on Rightmove, and there are no 4-bed detached houses for under £325k in the whole of Buckinghamshire or Bedfordshire.

There are a handful at £300k in Northamptonshire, mostly in Wellingborough.

[KimWexlersPonyTail]

I would stay away from Wellingborough. Try Rushden on Rightmove plus 3 miles, you would need to go to 350k but maybe make a cheeky offer? There's Irthlingborough and Irchester, though I havent visited for years.

[BrendaWearingBaffies]

Move to north east/west of England and you will definitely be able to afford housing that you are after with this budget.

[TizerorFizz]

There are places with 4 beds in more then just Wellingborough. Northampton for a start.

[JESUSsaves2]

Thanks all for the suggestions/comments. I now have more options to check out!@KimWexlersPonyTail @VeniVidiWeeWee @neitherofthem @namejump @BrendaWearingBaffies @Sulkyatforty @larry520

[Juststopit]

Try Marston Moretaine, should be able to get a 3 bed for slightly over budget or some shared ownerships do come up. Really nice village near a big country park, mostly new builds but well set out.

[IPartridge]

If you can make do with 3 beds there's this in Towcester. Haven't been there for a while but was a nice town, not far from MK and good schools.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145414877?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY