A nicer house in an "average" area (Salfords, Redhill), or an average house in a "nicer" area (Fleet, Reigate, Tunbridge Wells, etc)?

[WalkTheBork]

My husband and I are in our thirties, no children yet, but that is in the plan. We are currently renting and looking to buy a house. We have a medium/large dog and are in the market for a detached place with a private garden. Budget is £700k - £850k.

We are prioritising the usual things: good commute into London, good schools (likely State, not private), safety, green space, fitness activities (pilates, yoga).

We don't have much family around London and are flexible in location. Mostly looking at commuter towns (everything from Paddock Wood to Fleet). We've found a beautiful, modern house that's walking distance to the Salfords station in Redhill (with good links for our work, DH and I both work hybrid 2/3 days a week each). It ticks most boxes, but we're unfamiliar with the area and don't know much about schools.

The online reviews of Redhill as an area are quite mixed, leaning towards "avoid" from what I've seen. My questions are as follows:

1. Any views on Salfords/Redhill as an area? Is it a bit rough? On the up-and-up? Anything would be useful.
2. Are the outskirts of Redhill quite different to central Redhill?
3. Anyone else recently been in a similar position (choice of house they really liked in a less popular area vs a house that felt like it was more of a compromise in a popular area)? Which decision did you go with? Do you feel it was a good decision / would you do it differently?

I'm new on Mumsnet, sorry for the long post and multiple questions!

Sorry I don't know the area however I'm from the North but in a "nice" area with almost Southern price tags. We could have had a much bigger house in a less nice area but this location is just so much better for both commuting and bringing up kids. Safe, great schools, lots to do locally, lovely parks... etc

But what sort of difference are we talking? 4 bed detatched in a bad area compared to a 3 bed semi in a good area? I seriously would go for the semi but if it was a toss up between a 1 bed flat and a detatched house, I'd go for the house. Xx

Location, location, location

Every time

DDs family live in the Merstham area of Redhill on a newish estate. They are very happy there - lots of greenery around, the town centre is a bit basic but the commute is a fast one (30 mins to London Bridge in their case, I think) and the main reason they chose the area.
DGSs attend a good primary with help for DGS 1 who is on the autistic spectrum.
You should get a very nice house there for your budget.

I don't know the areas but as a rule of thumb I'd go nicer area every time

You can do both! Parts of Havering (Easternmost London borough) are lovely and undervalued compared to comparable areas. Have a look at Gidea Park, Upminster and parts of Hornchurch.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147821756#/?channel=RESBUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149799800#/?channel=RES_BUY

You'd be unlikely to get a decent sized detached house in Tunbridge Wells for £700. Paddock Wood isn't particularly nice or interesting, I'd be looking more at Pembury or Tonbridge. Not "naice" but both nicer than Paddock Wood.

Have you been to any of these places? That would be the first thing to do. Get to know them and see what you like. Going by reputation alone isn't useful. You won't know until you get a feeling for somewhere, that would be my priority.

Location first

Choose the best location, always.

You can improve the house but you can't do that with the location...

I chose the best seaside town & street I could afford when I bought my house and went for a small terrace that needed work.

I had also seen a beautiful Victorian terrace that I really loved but the street was dodgier so I made the rational decision to place location first and I don't regret it.

I do know most of these areas and if your budget would stretch I would say Reigate or Tunbridge Wells. You could also look at Guildford and Godalming.

I wouldn't personally choose Redhill, Salfords or Paddock Wood.

You’re only in your 30s, no children and don’t need a big detached house especially at this stage of your lives.

I would buy a smaller maybe semi detached house in a better area. Check wherever you buy is in catchment for a good/outstanding primary school ( you can do that on the Rightmove link to each property) as that will tell you the house will maintain its value well (as long as the school doesn’t start failing) as well as be useful if you do start a family soon.

I live in reigate. Salfords is fine but there's not much there. Nice and green though. Easy to get to Redhill and it's getting nicer there- got The Light complex with cinema etc.
I'm older than you. If I was back in my 30's with no kids, I'd go for a smaller place in a better area.
It's early to go for your dream house.
Work your way up in a lovely area is what I would suggest. Try and find a 'doer upper'!
Good luck.

Redhill is a bit of a craphole. Salfords is a fairly far out from anyways you need a car to get anywhere but isn’t far out enough for it to be lovely countryside. It’s one of those areas that has a massive through road between Horley and Redhill so fair amount of traffic.😅 Reigate is considered to be much better and a bit posh. To be honest though all three areas are fairly dull places with not much going on.I think if you don’t know the area wherever you decide to move you should take some time to visit potential areas and spend some time to get a sense of the vibe.

The thing with those saying to go for a smaller place because you don't have kids yet and in your 30s, it really is very expensive to move everytime. Stamp duty, solicitors, movers and rather disruptive. The 'climb the property ladder thing' doesnt work anymore, process are at peak and possibly not going up as fast as they did in the past to enable climbing up the ladder. You have a healthy budget to buy a dream home in a couple of the areas mentioned.

Someone mentioned Tonbridge, I would really consider it. If your considering Paddock wood, then go for Tonbridge instead. Good schools and very family orientated as an area. Regular trains to London Bridge, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and Charing Cross. I make the journey to London Bridge twice a week.

I reckon you could also just about get a good semi in Reigate and Tunbridge Wells. Both have lovely parks and tonnes of greenery around.

Salfords is OK but really there isn't much around there. I used to rent in Earlswood before we bought in Tonbridge.

Good luck with your search.

Yes of course it’s expensive to move a lot, anyone who has moved knows that and it has always been the case.

But OP is only in their 30s. You can’t afford to get everything you want at that age. Personally I would prefer to buy a smaller house in a better area, hence my advice.

We don’t know the future re property prices though they do tend to rise higher in more sought after areas. It’s also likely that people’s salaries will increase over a 10 year period say, so I would be aiming to move into the detached house in my 40s assuming everything goes well, rather than trying to achieve the dream home in my 30s.

Salfords is mixed but some parts are very middle class, 1930s semis, but it lacks soul. Outskirts of RH differ to the town centre significantly,

Horley might be a better bet if you want fitness classes etc within walking distance, good primaries but not secondary, and some trains miss out Earlswood/Salfords so better connected,

Redhill is a dump these days. I'd certainly not spend 800k on a house there.

But equally 7/800k won't go far in Reigate for a nicer area with parking.

The commute from Merstham is pretty good. Merstham itself is very mixed with some lovely areas and some very rough ones.

Reigate is nice but expensive and the commute isn't great.

Paddock Wood is nice enough but much further out. The same goes for Tunbridge wells.

Location every time. I have friends in Horley and they really like it (although it's not for me, as I'm in the north and need to see green from every window).

What an odd thing to say. Horley is green in many locations. Whereas imho up North it's all back to backs isn't it?
😉

Not much green down t’pit

😂ha ha sorry let me dig myself out of that pit sized hole. My impression of Horley is that it feels like one massive housing estate, and all you can see from my friends' house windows are other houses, which is not for me personally. It doesn't bother them. Also maybe not all of Horley is like that, just the few houses I've been in. The parks are nice enough.

There have been large scale building developments in last few years but the green spaces are still there. It very much depends where they live.

Oh wow, thanks for all the insightful and lovely messages.

@Notyetthere, we're like minded on trying to avoid buying again in the next 10 years or so. We're pretty keen on getting a house now that will serve us for the long-term. Stamp duty, moving costs and solicitor fees all add up, and the earlier we sell up to "upgrade", the less equity we'll have in the house.

@Lizs and @Witchyway, will definitely continue to look at Horley and Tonbridge. We have been to Sevenoaks, Horley, Paddock Wood and Salfords.

Thanks everyone.