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Original poster

Help! Where to live with 5 day a week commute

67 replies

Caracal · 26/07/2024 15:40

Looking to buy in London or surrounding areas, we have always lived in central London but now with one DS and a second on the way we need to upsize from our 2 bed flat and can't afford to stay where we are. Our main requirements are:

  • budget of approx 1 mil
  • 3 or 4 bedrooms
  • in a catchment area for good state primaries
  • under 1 hour commute to Canary Wharf (door to door), we both need to be in the office 4-5 days a week
  • walking distance to a station as I don't drive

We like SW London (Richmond, Wimbledon, Balham etc) but not sure we can get a decent place for our budget. Not interested in a massive renovation project. Not keen on Greenwich/Blackheath etc even though appreciate they are convenient for CW. Further out, we like some parts of Surrey but most towns seem to be 1 hour plus commute to CW.

Any suggestions? Are my expectations totally unrealistic? Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
PettsWoodParadise · 27/07/2024 20:51

Petts Wood, zone 5, direct connection to Lewisham for DLR to docklands plus London Bridge, Victoria etc. this for just over £1m, plenty within budget. Not everyone’s cup of tea but for many a great place to bring up a family. www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/135866825#/?channel=RES_BUY

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 20:52

SW London not great for CW regular commute tbh.

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 20:56

And how good do you want the primaries to be?

Itsallsoboring · 27/07/2024 20:58

what about Kent, closer to canary warf?
I don't think the commute from SW london will be good for your feet and your mental health.

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 21:04

Telegraph hill

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150062510#/?channel=RES_BUY

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 21:04

Brockley

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 21:08

If you want SW London you could look at Tooting. For 1m you would get a house near excellent schools but it’s not sanitised like Balham if that’s more your vibe.

Peonies007 · 27/07/2024 21:10

Caracal · 26/07/2024 15:40

Looking to buy in London or surrounding areas, we have always lived in central London but now with one DS and a second on the way we need to upsize from our 2 bed flat and can't afford to stay where we are. Our main requirements are:

  • budget of approx 1 mil
  • 3 or 4 bedrooms
  • in a catchment area for good state primaries
  • under 1 hour commute to Canary Wharf (door to door), we both need to be in the office 4-5 days a week
  • walking distance to a station as I don't drive

We like SW London (Richmond, Wimbledon, Balham etc) but not sure we can get a decent place for our budget. Not interested in a massive renovation project. Not keen on Greenwich/Blackheath etc even though appreciate they are convenient for CW. Further out, we like some parts of Surrey but most towns seem to be 1 hour plus commute to CW.

Any suggestions? Are my expectations totally unrealistic? Thanks in advance!

Woking! 23 min to Waterloo and easy hop on Jubilee line.

Itsallsoboring · 27/07/2024 21:10

Anywhere along the Northern Line in SW, change at London Bridge for the jubilee line might work.

Colliers Wood might be ok - there's an OFSTED outstanding primary school, and it's in the catchment for all the Wimbledon high schools and secondaries. Have a look on Rightmove.

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 21:15

Woking! 23 min to Waterloo and easy hop on Jubilee line.

When you add on getting to & from the stations though it won’t be an hr commute.

anicecuppateaa · 27/07/2024 21:24

Beckenham, West Wickham, Hayes. All on the train line to London Bridge, either change at Lewisham or LB for the jubilee line. Family friendly and lots of good schools.

MalePoster9000 · 27/07/2024 21:33

How about this one, OP? Zone 2 SE, so not the vibe of SW. But Victorian and lots of space and garden for your money. Getting to Canary Whatf would always be a piece of cake. The road’s a bit of a rat-run and quite busy but that’s reflected in the price:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150062510#/?channel=RES_BUY

MalePoster9000 · 27/07/2024 21:38

Whoops, just saw Hangingupnow beat me to it with the link.

Peonies007 · 27/07/2024 21:59

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 21:15

Woking! 23 min to Waterloo and easy hop on Jubilee line.

When you add on getting to & from the stations though it won’t be an hr commute.

I did that commute. Hour door to door.

Wwhatnow · 27/07/2024 22:06

Clock House Station (Beckenham), train to Lewisham and then DLR. Lots of lovely houses around Balgowan school, which is very well regarded, and if you’re on the right side you’ll prob get Harris Beckenham secondary too.

Also close to Beckenham Spa leisure centre which has a lovely swimming pool.

Original poster
Caracal · 27/07/2024 22:07

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 20:56

And how good do you want the primaries to be?

Ideally very good as trying to avoid going private for primary if possible. Happy to go private for secondary if grammar not an option.

OP posts:
PettsWoodParadise · 27/07/2024 22:10

Then Crofton in Petts Wood may suit, outstanding. Petts Wood also in golden triangle of grammar for Bromley superselectives, Kent grammars and Bexley grammars.

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 22:23

@Peonies007 I can’t see anything for sale 4 minutes walk from the station though.

Femmefatality · 27/07/2024 22:27

Caracal · 27/07/2024 20:44

Fair point about not wanting to rely on SW trains, hadn't considered that re getting back on time as we only rely on the tube now which js generally fine. SE definitely makes more sense location wise and I will look into all the places suggested! The trouble is we prefer SW/Surrey and we're much more familiar with those areas but sounds like it's unrealistic for a 5 day a week commute with young kids.

Many people working in CW live in SW London. I'd even go as far as saying there are more SW inhabitants in CW than SE.

@Caracal SW is possible for you 5x week, but you need to stay on the Northern Line, so you can do the quick interchange at London Bridge which is apparently a lot more pleasant now since the Elizabeth line took some pressure off the Jubilee. If you pick the right spot, you should be able to do the journey door to desk in under 50mins.

If you like SW/Surrey vibe, there is nowhere in SE similar. People will spout about Dulwich, Blackheath etc, but they are not the same. One of the key reasons why SE will continue to struggle is because the 'naice' areas are generally quite isolated and are surrounded by not so interesting areas. Whereas in SW, you can literally hop from one naice place to another so a huge swathe becomes your playground.

I would seriously consider taking your £1m and looking in the cheaper parts of Wimbledon/Balham/Tooting Bec. You should be able to find a 3 bed of approx 110sqm in those areas.

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 22:44

@Caracal I would then look at schools to help you narrow things down. Most primaries in London are good but there can be big variations in progress scores & how many are working above expectation.

Most of the grammars are in outer boroughs eg Barnet, Bromley, Sutton, Kingston

Gloschick · 27/07/2024 22:50

Shenfield ticks all your boxes.

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 22:57

Teddington and Norbiton aren’t quick commutes though.

Hangingupnow · 27/07/2024 23:01

With 2 of you having to commute most of the week I would try and keep it as quick as possible with young dc.

Theworried2 · 27/07/2024 23:16

Barnet- West/North Finchley? 3 bed approx 800k ish