Daventry/Long Buckby - looking for safe, affordable village/small town like places

[knor]

Hi all
Looking to move from Herts to Northamptonshire for something more affordable.
budget - around 300k
does anyone have thoughts on Daventry or Long Buckby?
or any smaller villages with affordable housing - would love a village and community feel with countryside on doorstep or close by
thanks!

Are these too far south?
Deanshanger, large village, in south norhants or just down the road Stony Stratford which is north bucks but has the convenience of MK close by. Its a very pretty small market town. Has a river, nature walks, independent shops and cafes. A lower and middle school.

Daventry is overdeveloped. Most of the surrounding villages are lovely but make sure you don’t pick one too close to Daventry, otherwise it is likely to swallowed up in future house building programmes. The same thing applies to Banbury.

Woodford Halse has reasonably priced housing, though perhaps not the quaint village feel you are looking for.

This is a lovely area, Long Buckby is a very large village with co-op, 2 Indian restaurants, junior and senior school are split for primary, library and some shops, baby swimming, football and rugby clubs, lots going on, but as it is large it doesn't have that small village feel.

Welton is really nice but may be swallowed into Daventry in future. Other options include Braunston, Barby, Kilsby, Flore, Staverton (much smaller though), Badby. Maybe east and west Haddon.

Crick is ok but a bit cliquey, has a doctor's surgery though. I'd avoid Weedon which can be a bit run down.

If secondary schools are a consideration, avoid Daventry catchment, try to be nearer Guilsborough or Rugby - so west of Barby or east of Crick.

Does it have to be Northants? Is there somewhere you need access to?

It doesn't! We just wanted to be within 1 hour to 1 hour 30 min drive from the Watford area is possible but would be flexible for the perfect property!

I grew up in Daventry, so know it very well. :) I now live in Northampton, so not far away, and know the area well. Happy to advise on area within the town if you're interested.

I'd say that Daventry is "nice but nothingy". It's a bit overdeveloped now, with a lot of new builds, especially the north end of town. I grew up on the west side of town, overlooking lovely fields, but they're all built on now.

Northamptonshire villages are lovely, but all at a premium price. The only one I think I'd avoid near Daventry is Weedon. It's definitely gone a bit... "council estate" in the past few years.

Would you consider Northampton itself? Big town, lots to do for families. Of course, it suffers from all the same things that "large town but not city" locations suffer from, but I personally think it's a nice place to live.

You say your budget is around 300k but what do you actually want/need for that?

Apologies,
We're looking for a 2-3 bed, not a new build if we can help it, good parking desirable. I love the look of Victorian terraces or cottages. Thanks!

Something like this?

Parking could be improved.

https://www.onthemarket.com/details/14793179/

I grew up around there. I like Flore now the bypass is done. Bugbrooke, Heyford etc also nice.

How about Towcester?
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147635369?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY