Where to move to in High Wycombe?

[Kele31]

Hi, we're looking to move out of London to get a house and to be closer to both sets of parents and High Wycombe or Hemel Hempstead seemed like the most likely areas to move to for our budget if we wanted to get a 3 bedroom house. We visited Hemel and while some parts are nice we really didn't like the town centre. This just leaves us with High Wycombe as the potential place. With that being said which are the nice areas and which are the areas to avoid in High Wycombe. Also bear in mind that we're from London so our interpretation of crime/anti-social behaviour/dodgy areas may be different

Tylers Green is lovely

Wycombe is really not a nice place. Would you consider one of the towns nearby, such as Great Missenden or Beaconsfield?

My cousin (and dear friend) lives in Downley and they’re very happy. It seems nice!

They used to live in Loudwater and before that Wycombe Marsh and both seemed fine. If you want to get on to the M40 quickly they were both very convenient.

Too expensive

Marlow

We have friends in Hazlemere, and they've been very happy there. Been there 10 years or so, after a few years in the town centre.

Are your jobs still in London and you need to travel in?

Maybe look just outside of High Wycombe - Penn, Hazlemere, Holmer Green. That way, you’re almost equal distance to Amersham station which has shared tube and rail into London (Met Line and Chiltern line). Ticket prices are usually cheaper than from Wycombe (rail only) and you have the option of both options in case of travel problems on one service.

What’s your budget? Have you visited HW? Is access to the station a priority?

Without knowing your budget but if Beaconsfield and Missenden are too expensive you might consider Amersham Hill on the way out of town towards Hazlemere, towards Loudwater including the area near the Rye, or the villages of Hazlemere, Holmer Green, or Downley. Parts of Totteridge and West Wycombe are OK. I wouldn’t personally recommend Cressex or Terriers.

Remember that living in HW means getting on the Bucks grammar treadmill so make sure that the non-selective secondary options are decent wherever you end up. Hemel is in Herts and therefore has comps.

@Kele31 Im a local. You have had some very questionable advice here! Penn? Beaconsfield? Marlow? How much money have you got?

Being a bit more realistic- I haven’t looked at exact prices - but avoid the centre. Areas on the hills around HW are favoured. So Downley, near the Royal Grammar school, Totteridge, Flackwell Heath, Hazlemere Widmer End and Holmer Green are fine. Cute villages are always more. Check out Great Kingshill, Princes Risborough and Prestwood. Nowhere is cheap! Do look at schools if you need them. They vary and Bucks is grammar schools.

Chinnor in Oxfordshire is not too pricey. Aylesbury is cheaper with direct rail into London and HW.

Thanks everyone. Budget is 425-450k so obviously Beaconsfield, Marlow, Great Missenden are a non starter. We have visited High Wycombe and it seemed quite decent, alot going on, nice park etc. I'd be curious to know why one of the posters said it wasn't very nice.
It is quite hilly to be fair (especially in the areas we can afford) which can be off putting as we have a 7 month old and pushing pram up and down those hills isn't going to be a good experience
One negative that struck me was a distinct lack of nice pubs.. they're either dingy or soulless. Thought there would be at least one nice one round the Rye

@Kele31 That area was working class. The history of High Wycombe is that the industry grew up along the valley. (A40 ) So factories and worker housing were there. The middle class housing developed on the hills. If you lived out towards Hughendon (also lovely park) it’s quite a level walk. Downley is up the hill. People don’t walk into the centre from there. They get the bus. Likewise if you went for any hilltop area. It’s quite a long haul from the station to get up Amersham hill or Marlow hill. Higher priced housing is off Amersham hill.

The reason people will not recommend HW is area they live in and prejudice. It’s multicultural the nearer you get to the centre. Less so in the hilly areas but prices rise there. We have friends near Downley and they are very happy. My DD2 went to school in HW. There are plenty of options but the hills cost more, except at Hughendon park before you go up to Downley. Priory Road area might be worth a look.

I’ve just looked on Rightmove. £475,000 gets you a great semi in a nice area. Ask for a price reduction. What size house do you need? You would certainly be ok for a house in Prestwood, Hazlemere or Downley. Not a period one but nice enough.

Wycombe is quite a big town. I wouldn’t recommend anywhere near the centre but the surrounding villages are nice enough. Hughenden, Naphill, Cryers Hill, Flackwell Heath, Tyler’s Green, Hazlemere are all nice. Also look at Wooburn Green/Wooburn Moor.

When people say Wycombe isn’t nice they are referring to around the town centre. The outskirts can be very beautiful

Flackwell Heath?

3-beds for £400k+. Pretty nice little village and close to the really nice ones

Yes, the outer areas are OK. The centre is terribly dingy, full of chicken shops, pound shops, etc.
West Wycombe is pretty but the traffic going through it is horrendous.
Maybe Downley?

West Wycombe is really a National Trust show village. You won’t find anything there. The A40 runs from WW into High Wycombe and, although housing is all the way along the road, it’s busy. Going up the hill to Downley is better. Lots of mature houses and quieter roads.

Hi, just wondering if you took the plunge?
we are interested and in HW and thinking the same. We’d have a budget around £575/600. Not so fussed on diverse as I’m from Bham originally. However, we live in a super nice area of London now and worried I”ve lost my edge!

You might already have found one but worth looking Cressex and Booker area too. Less pricey than Great Missenden, Amersham hill areas and good access to M40, plenty of shops including John Lewis, ASDA, etc., good accessibility to Marlow, woodlands, grammar school catchment.