We're a family of 4 (mum, dad and kids 4 and 2 year old) living in SW London and are looking to move to Cambridgeshire. We don't have friends or family there so would appreciate some advice on ways to refine our house search. Our budget is c.850, and we'd like a 4 bed detached with good size garden. The main reason for moving is to have more space and a slightly calmer way of life. We would like to live somewhere with a family friendly, community feel, and still be close enough to a town to socialise/shop/eat out.
We have visited and liked Ely, St Ives, St Neots, Godmanchester. And from reading other threads here, like the look of Sawston, Whittlesford and the Shelfords.
Our must haves
-Within walking distance to a pub, cafe, or handful of shops
-Good primary and secondary schools.
-Within 15 drive to a train station with direct links to London - my husband and I will still need to work there 1 day a week.
-Good public transport links into a larger town/place for us and kids to socialise when they are older (we don't want to be ferrying them around as teenagers due to lack of local buses for example)
Nice to haves
-Period properties with pretty market town eg. Saffron Walden, Ely
-Ideally primary school would be within walking distance
Thanks so much for any tips and advice.