Where to live in South West London?

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We will soon be moving back from abroad with a young baby and are likely going to settle in South West London (having previously lived South East and North). Maximum budget is probably £1 million but ideally would not spend this much. We'd be looking for a 3 bed (or 2 at a push) and would be happy with a house or maisonette / flat as long as we could afford a small garden.

We have honed in on SW London as we have family in Surrey / Hampshire / Dorset. We want to remain in London as 1. DH works in central London and does not want a long commute and 2. we both just really like London!

The biggest priority for me is a very family friendly area with good schools and where we will easily make friends (in the time we have been abroad our friends have scattered all over the country and we are also the first to have children so realistically we will probably be needing to start over a bit socially). I'll be a SAHM at least for a few years so worried about being isolated. Keen to avoid anywhere too pretentious!

We will be coming across in a few weeks to check out some places so keen to get a little list going. Thanks in advance!

Wimbledon (not the Village - too pricey and not near the tube). Raynes Park slightly cheaper. I live in the South Park area of Wimbledon and three good to excellent (Ofsted) primaries within walking distance. In Raynes Park/ Wimbledon Chase area the same. Lots of green spaces and the train or tube in to central London (my daughter goes to school in zone 1). Secondaries tend to be single sex though.
You could get a three bed terrace for under £1m, only just about nearer me. Because of the schools very family friendly and houses hold their value. Halloween is like out of that scene in ET - loads of families out and about.

YY to Raynes Park (or even New Malden)

My friend has just moved to Ham which is on the river between Kingston and Richmond. There kids walk to local schools, play in the nature reserve and cycle on the roads. They don't use their car anymore as everything is on their doorstep - 20 minute walk to M & S in Teddington across the footbridge over the Thames. They are absolutely loving it.https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134605397#/?channel=RES_BUY

Decide if you want to move again for secondaries or not as this will impact choices.

The best secondaries schools in Wim are single sex & some are catholic.

I'm in Wandsworth Town and it's wonderful. I'm on maternity leave with number 2 and have a large group of friends through my toddler. There's lots to do, transport links are brilliant and it's bang on the river.

Long Ditton/Surbiton/Kingston areas?

Wow thanks for all the advice already. Will definitely add South Wimbledon and Raynes Park to the list to have a look around. Also planning to look at Richmond and Teddington, although these might be a bit too pricey (and posh for want of a better word!) for us.

@25sheets wow that house is lovely and Ham looks like it could be in the middle of the countryside from a quick google map look. It does look less well connected, although still within the distance that DH is happy to cycle into work with.

@frankgu thank you, that is a good point. The baby is not here yet and being parents still feels like a very abstract concept so it is useful to be reminded of these things. Having to move again wouldn't be the end of the world but my preference by far would be to settle somewhere for their childhood.

OP, there are 2 buses that run between Richmond and Kingston (65 and 371) and lots of people cycle to Richmond along tow path (10 minutes) to catch train or tube in to London (20 mins) It is just like being in the country. We visited them about 3 weeks ago and walked to Richmond Park then down Richmond Hill and stopped for lunch.

Ham, Teddington, Richmond give good access to the A316 leading onto the M3 for out of London. Further in are Barnes, Mortlake, Sheen and East Sheen. Grey Court School in Richmond is good.

Also Tiffin Boys and Tiffin Girls in Kingston.

We are in Wandsworth, have found it very transitionary though (compared to my childhood growing up here). No doubt exacerbated by Brexit & covid. Lots of movement for secondaries, we are looking at Kingston way tbh.

Teddington is lovely just too far from my work

Kingston/Ham aren't amazing for transport into central London, no matter what anyone who lives there says! Slow and unreliable.
Richmond better but trains. Wimbledon I'd say is best.

If you have that budget and don't mind 2-bed, look at Clapham/Balham. More like being in London and very family areas.

That's good to know... I'm keen to be somewhere that still feels like London and with good transport links (as otherwise I'd rather save some money and live out a bit). We will definitely be looking at Wimbledon. I hadn't really considered Clapham or Balham .. I guess in my head they are places where people live after university before moving on. Interesting to hear that they are very family areas!

Yes, they have certainly got that crowd to an extent but certainly lots of families - go to Clapham Common play area on a weekend...!

(I think a lot of post-university age people are further out now. Peckham is much cooler than Clapham for example.)

Try Furzedown. It’s got everything you need for a family.

Take a look at Earlsfield.

If I had the money I would live in Balham or Clapham in a heartbeat.

look at Clapham/Balham. More like being in London and very family areas.

I live here buts it's a very sanitised version of a london!

guess in my head they are places where people live after university before moving on. Interesting to hear that they are very family areas!

You get that but there are lots of babies/toddlers. Lots of movement later as few state secondary options.

I wouldn't say journeys are that much whicker from z3 then z4 tbh

Teddington ticks your boxes - great community etc - but a slightly longer commute into town is the compromise... worth it for most and trains more reliable these days.

Just turned up to say Streatham! Great schools and community, lots of green space, and you’d get a lot of house for your money. Very Londony, in a different way to Richmond/Wandsworth/Clapham. Lots of people move here from Balham, to get more space. I am obviously biased, but very happy here!

We are currently looking in Twickenham as the commute is only 17mins to Vauxhall on Victoria Line!
Also new to the area myself but we like that it has plenty of shops/restaurants and nice riverside walks… seems like most people prefer Teddington? I am going there this weekend to check it out and compare

Surbiton is 17 mins to Waterloo on the train and ticks your boxes, though possibly a bit far out? Kingston is also lovely and worth a look.

Teddington is nice, I've been looking there recently, but you don't get much house for your money and the town isn't that great. It's nice, but very little compared to Wandsworth / Clapham.

I still think you should think about Wandsworth town / Earlsfield. With your budget you could even get somewhere in the Tonsleys which puts you in the catchment for St Faiths primary. It's so good that a fair few of my friends who earn mega ££££s are holding off private until secondary / 8 years old.