Market Harborough or Dunchurch / Rugby

[ellecf21]

Hello! Looking for thoughts, advice, experiences. Scenario:

• relocating from south Hertfordshire (Waltham Cross) to be closer to family up North
• need a commute to London 2 days a week (DH) that we have to pay for so moving fully up north isn't an option. I will need to commute to South Leics once a week and occasionally London (few times a year)
• looking for a nice area with good schools that would be a lovely place for our DD and potential future children to grow up in and call home
• we've been to MH a few times and it ticks a lot of our boxes. Also visited Dunchurch in Rugby which we also really liked but feel less familiar with the area. Both take a similar time to get back up north but I also have family in Leicester so it's a bonus to be closer to them (currently live near no one we know, very isolated)

What are your thoughts, advice, experiences in these areas please. Coming to a point where we need to make a decision - will likely rent initially but open to buying if the house is right (not a lot in our bracket at the moment). Also any hidden gems you think we should look at would be great.

Thanks all! The lower commuting costs and schooling drives our interest in Rugby so this is all really good advice - please keep it coming. Budget for house up to 1.1 and would like to get good value for that or less where possible. In Herts it doesn't get you alot in the nicer areas.

If you'd consider grammar schools then rugby no question. I had a good look into market harborough's secondaries recently and it was very disappointing. I've got friends who live there and rave about it but I really don't think it's anywhere near as nice as it's cracked up to be, particularly for how £££ property is. I'd stick to surrounding areas of rugby and go from there. Can't comment on Banbury unfortunately as I haven't been in years

For that kind of budget I'd look at Swinford and Shawell, West Haddon, Yelvertoft... You're slightly out of catchment for grammar so would need a good result, but plenty from those villages get places. Swinford Primary is great and the Head is amazing.

@motherofawhirlwind we have a viewing in East Haddon on Saturday. I feel a bit hesitant as I don't love the idea of Northampton being the local town even though it EH looks really pretty with an outstanding primary. Let me know thoughts. The more I'm reading and looking, the more I feel a stronger pull to Rugby, Southam, Banbury outskirts currently but trying to be open.

Just a note to say a huge thank you for these responses because it's really helping my frazzled brain currently!

I actually think being in the middle would be good - decent theatre in Northampton and a bigger chain store offering, but still close enough to Rugby, Daventry and even Market Harborough for the small town vibes... plus Guilsborough School as an option too.

I'm going to throw Oundle and Stamford into the mix as small market towns. Peterborough to London is less than an hour on the train and it's a cheap line.

This is a 10 minute walk from the train station, literally 4 minute walk into the town and huge! Needs a bit of work but with your budget it can be done up a treat

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134722310

Swinford is lovely. I have a friend who lives in Swinford and I must say the motorway noise is noticeable time however my friend enjoys living there. Cotesbach and Churchover are lovely and also convenient for the station. Lilbourne and Cathorpe are nice villages.
Clifton upon Dunsmore and Newton are super villages 5 mins to the station and 5 mins to the supermarkets but considered traditional villages , great primary school in Clifton , how old are your children? sorry if I missed a previous post.

@summersolsticeagain our daughter is 2, so good/nice primary schools, preferably a c of e school are what we are looking for. There seem to be lovely schools around all the areas we've been looking. It's advantageous though to have good state secondaries also. Bonus for a grammar system as an option if we feel she'd thrive there.

This is great! Thank you for sharing

I love Stamford but it seems like it would be a bit of a pain of a commute. Shame because it is beautiful. Equally I've driven through Oundle quite a few times and also think it is lovely, but rarely have seen property crop up there. It's potentially a little too isolated from where we've been looking but it's a great suggestion.

I have viewed this property it is beautiful and prime location but needs complete renovation and at least £300k spending on it .

Mrket Harborough you’re paying for the train connection to London.
which personally I think is nuts when trains from Rugby are fast and cheap plus parking at Rugby station is less than £5 for 24hrs.

I’d be looking at villages and areas within 20/25 mins of Rugby station on the Warwickshire/ Leicestershire boarder.
lots of lovely villages just inside Leicestershire and you’ve got easy access to the M1 / M6 / A5.

and then easy access to Leicester, Coventry, Rugby, Market Harborough and Birmingham for shopping, eating out or Stratford Upon Avon and Warwick are only an hours drive away too

Where did you end up moving ? We moved from London to market Harborough with three preschool aged kids and love it x