Where to buy within commuting distance of London for a 475-500k budget?

[roamingcat]

Hi all,

We've been living in Croydon for several years but as we start to look towards the future and having children we think it's probably time to move. However, we're a bit limited for choice as we don't have a huge budget (for London) and both of us commute everyday so we can't live too far out. We're hoping the hive mind will be able to help us find some good options. Our current criteria is:

• 475-500k budget (thinking ahead to nursery fees we probably can't stretch any further than this)
• 2-3 bedrooms (we would like to have two children)
• Ideally a trainline which goes into a couple of central london stations, or allows for a change at clapham junction as we work in different areas of London (ideal stations are clapham junction, london victoria, london bridge, waterloo)
• For the area itself we're just looking for somewhere that feels safer than Croydon with a couple of nice independent coffee shops and restaurants, a park to go for nice walks/park run and things to do in future with kids (e.g. swimming pool). We also ideally need to live somewhere where things are relatively walkable as I don't drive but DP does.

Thanks all!

Medway towns in Kent. It's much cheaper that side of London. It's a bit rough but depends on what your used to? You get a direct train to Victoria or Waterloo in under a hour. Your budget might streach to 4 beds but be careful on the exact area as there's rough, and then there's very rough. Kent and Medway have both routes into grammar too. To separate 11+ exams

Folkstone or Margate have the fast train, we also thought about Ashford.

Do factor in the cost of train tix…from our commuter town it works out to about 5.8k/p.a. to
a London Mainline station

If you don’t drive and don’t intend to then you’re better off staying closer in as buses etc further out can be dire

How about Catford? Still in London, and you can get to both Blackfriars or LB / Charing Cross from the stations. I wouldn't call it fancy but it's functional, cheaper travel as zone 3, and some parts of it are perfectly pleasant (don't judge it by its high street!). You could get a house there.

Ewell has two stations. One goes into Waterloo and the other goes into Victoria, I can't remember which way round. Perhaps something like this?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148094564#/?channel=RES_BUY

Horsham
Bexley

Or Epsom is good for all of the stations you mentioned:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/137079134#/?channel=RESBUY

Thanks for the replies so far - I should have mentioned because both of us are commuting we're hoping for somewhere no more than 45 mins on the train (otherwise it'll be impossible when we have kids!). Tonbridge looks like it has some options within our budget - any thoughts on there?

You'll struggle without driving when you leave London.

Great park/ swimming pool and good schools.

Bromley

Staines area?

Bishop’s Stortford

Tonbridge has good connections and was seen as the poorer cousin to Tunbridge wells for many years. But currently there's lots going on there. Schools are all very good in the local area and it's generally a lovely friendly place to bring up children.

Can you just move across a bit to wallington / carshalton?

Tunbridge Wells, lovely parks and safe feel about it, access to the countryside and good schools.

I have actually passed my test but just haven't driven in years due to driving anxiety. We're hoping we can find a nice town and a house within walking distance of the train station and then I can build my driving up bit by bit. As long as we're not in a village we should be fine, I'm happy to get the bus/taxi if needed!

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/60542743/

i suggest you:

1. identify which commuter train stations work for you both - look at frequency of trains, duration into London and cost of season ticket;
2. look at houses available in your budget within walking distance of those stations.

A lot of people we know who moved out of London but commute for work end up having to drive to stations, nurseries and schools.

Tonbridge/Tunbridge Wells are really lovely with great schools and outdoorsy lifestyle. But to make the most of them, you will want to drive. The town centres are nice but small compared to London. And public transport is terrible. No Uber so local taxis, can get expensive quickly.

@roamingcat this was our budget and our requirements too, and we visited every county connected to London in a months long search so might have some useful advice! Up in Hertfordshire, Hitchin ticked all our boxes. Lovely town, great schools but your money doesn't go far. It does stretch to a 3 bed on the edge of town though. In Sussex, we found we could get more for our money in Horsham, and it's a nice town, but the travel was quite long. Similar with Crowborough, lovely homes for the budget but train only every half an hour. In Kent, Marden or Staplehurst are well connected. Staplehurst in particular you can get a lot for your money, but they're both quiet villages with not much to do there. You could easily get the train up to Tunbridge Wells though.Tonbridge is a good shout, but personally I didn't like the town. You could get something in Tunbridge Wells, which is lovely - around the Southborough area, which is somewhat less lovely. Bear in mind, Kent is a grammar school system and primary schools in particular are heavily oversubscribed so you don't get much say in where your kids go. We didn't move there for that reason. In Berkshire, Twyford could be a good bet though, or Caversham or Earley in Reading. Wokingham has a great reputation and great schools. We didn't end up looking there in the end, but it was our next stop. Best of luck with your search!!

How about Guildford? 30- 40 minutes to London and the town is lovely, good schools and lots of green areas and good housing.

Caversham or Tilehurst in Reading will get you all that you’re after. Reading is 25 mins into Paddington and you can walk to the station from the right bits of caversham. Tilehurst has a train station and is a 3 min journey into reading.

Wokingham/Twyford would also be worth looking at

I always suggest Sevenoaks to people, your budget is a bit low but it's a lovely place to live and bring up kids - an area like Riverhead is nice