Where in Southeast London or Kent for a 600k 3bed house?

[FrenchforHappy22]

I’m hoping to get advice here on nice family areas close(ish) to London Bridge, or at least on a train line, so south-east London or Kent.

We’re looking to buy a 3-bedroom house (with parking), around 600k.

We both work from home so no need to go into London daily. We don’t have any reason to live on a train line to London Bridge, but hubby has family in Hither Green and thought this area was easiest. 🤔

Looking for somewhere with a bit of green space and villagey, so we don’t have to leave the area to do things. Park, occasional dinner nearby, coffee shops to get out of the house. Won’t be going into London daily but should be close enough for it to be manageable. Good primary schools, secondary not essential at this stage.

Reading here, Eltham and Bromley have come up. Couldn’t find much in that budget in Eltham. Bromley more promising but wondered about the commute. Penge too but someone said it’s hard for cars. Interested in other areas.🤓

I'm working my way through these useful suggestions!
Hayes sounds great but Rightmove isn't throwing up many options. I wonder if our budget is just a tad too low.
Same with Pettswood @OctopusLocks . Maybe not many pop up on the market.
I'm looking again at Lee @Leelard, because of Hither Green proximity. We don't really know the area. One sticking point is a second bathroom, so we'd really need a place with the ability to fit one.

Random but maybe Morden/Sutton?

Good Q. One or other of us usually has to go in most weeks during the day for a few hours, so want to feel it's manageable.

Sutton is absolutely on our list @TheBeesKnee. I'll prob post a thread about it another time. We thought we'd start with Southeast first because of the hubby/hither green connection.

Ah ok, fair enough.

For what it's worth I live near Sutton and am happy here. We have Morden Hall Park for summer walks, Brighton is only an hour's drive away ish, London is accessible etc.

Sanderstead, West Wickham, Hayes, maybe Purley at a stretch

How about…

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143849324#/?channel=RES_BUY

Farnborough Village? (Orpington)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/144830474#/?channel=RES_BUY

Barnehurst is lovely, nice quite residential area with green space and nice for walks.

another vote for west wickham really nice high street, lots of green spaces excellent schools, Hayes I don’t know so well high street not as big less choice with shops/cafe etc but schools are very good.
penge is fine transport is excellent not sure what you mean about cars though driving around is busy but not horrific, some good schools especially coming down towards Clockhouse, Eden park is sort of in between west wickham/Beckenham so have a few local shops/restaurants/cafe for more options a ten minute bus ride to either west wickham or Beckenham.
Beckenham could be an option property usually bit more expensive than the other areas I mentioned.

A few decent 3bedroom houses in Hildenborough nr Tonbridge . Lovely village ,good local schools !

I would revisit the idea of Penge and the adjacent Beckenham area. Very well connected transport links. Penge and Beckenham High Streets have different vibes and something for everyone.
There seems to be plenty of parking

Do you need schools?

Corbett Estate, Catford, just under Hither Green. Lovely estate with friendly people, lots of families, active community organisations eg the library, Abbotshall. You could get a small Corbett for about £600k. They're bigger than the houses in Hither Green

Not sure why anybody said it's difficult for cars in Penge. This is a four bed in Penge, less than half a mile from Clock House on the Hayes Line. It's also a five minute walk from Kent House, which will get you to Victoria in 20 minutes. https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/64884690/

Addiscombe? On the tram line to Elmers End to pick up a Southeastern train to London (or the tram the other way to East Croydon for Southern/Thameslink trains to London and the South Coast).

@BovineJuice great area! It's just over the border from BR3 so think a bit cheaper. Think it's called Pengenham. Great transport links. I miss them now down Hayes way. But do check the schools around there.

Tonbridge

Kent way, Cobham, Meopham and Longfield are affordable. Longfield is lovely and easy to get to a London.

Two really good infants and one excellent primary around the corner. The secondaries are lacking in options, sadly, though. That said Cators School For Girls is ten minutes away and where local MP and shadow Attorney Ellie Reeves, and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves, both went, so it can't be that bad.

Growing up I always lived hayes, the common is great and you can walk into open countryside. I can't comment on the current state of coffee shops or restaurants as too long since I visited but it's a good location overall, between town and countryside. I would however consider whether you want to be in a grammar area or not, Kent is full grammar which is popular with some and not with others, and will affect kids younger than you think (and younger than it should be!)

@BovineJuice Cator is now a Harris. And there is another one in Beckenham. We moved before they changed. Not sure what the reports are of them. I know they can be marmite.
The primary schools are good.

It's not great for interesting coffee shops. It has a couple of pubs (one is a small real ale place) and a few restaurants. It's a little dull and old fashioned really IMHO.

How long a trip do you define as manageable? If you went out towards Meopam, Rochester etc you could get a lot more than a 3-bed with a driveway for that and still have a direct train or one easy change to Hither Green.

Wouldn't Meopham involve an hour and a half journey plus one or two changes? And that's not including walking/driving to/from stations. I suspect Rochester is similar.