Moving to Kent - can’t decide where!

[Canadatoengland]

Hi we are a family of 4 with a 4 and 6 year old and currently living in Vancouver. We are originally from the Channel Islands and now debating a moved back to the UK but to Kent as opposed to back to the Channel Islands!
My mum lives near Greenhithe in Kent and I would likely look for work commuting to London and my husband would be working all over Kent and London. I am finding it so hard to decide on an area! We want:

• good schools
• under an hour commute to london
• within a 30 min drive of my mum
• outdoorsy, lots of nice walks, picturesque
• good sense of community and amenities for kids to do sports etc

we will be renting initially and ideally would like to be under 2k a month for a 3/4 bed house

not sure if I’m asking for something that doesn’t exist!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice x

Hi
Dh family originally from Guernsey and we now live in Kent

Have a look at Rochester, it’s nearer Greenhithe than other places more East

Its a beautiful place with a Castle and Cathedral and lively historic high street.
The schools are good although I would recommend the two Grammars - -Rochester girls and Joseph Williamsons Mathematical school for boys ( it’s just called the Maths by locals )

There are Fast trains into London
Its on the Medway too
Lots of local sports clubs. There is a gym nearby and also the Stirling centre with classes, badminton, tennis, weights etc
Nearest big shopping would be Bluewater
Plenty of supermarkets

Ps.
No idea on exact rental prices but you will definitely have plenty of choice for less than £2k/mth

Ps
would recommend you look on the south side of the medway
The north side is Strood ( but rental agents often call it Rochester ) and not as nice….apologies to anyone from Strood🥴

Thank you so much for replying! I have visited Rochester once when seeing my mum and it was lovely! When you say south would that mean areas like Chatham?

Canterbury is probably the nicest place in Kent but a longer commute into London. I suggest you come to the UK for a holiday, base yourself in Canterbury & do day trips to other places like Rochester to take a look at them.

Canterbury had 2 train stations.

Canterbury West has fast trains until London St Pancras in 55 minutes.
Canterbury East goes into London Victoria but trains are slower.

Yes I love the look of Canterbury! My only concern was that it might be a bit further than we would like

Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells, or the villages around. Both have some of the best schools in Kent.

Canterbury shopping centre has gone downhill, although the city is lovely.

Maidstone has a choice of railways stations, which get you into different parts of London. Maidstone town centre is okay-ish, but like lots if high streets is suffering. However, there’s lots of lovely villages around - Loose, Boughton Monchejsea etc. it’s also within an hours drive of lots of different coastal towns, plus gas lots of countryside around.

West Malling may be a good call, a lovely little high street and has a lovely park.

Sevenoaks is at the more expensive end of housing prices.

Kent is a grammar school area. The non- grammars vary in how good they are.

nb. Wouldn’t know about rental properties prices.
.

Canterbury isn’t what it was. And that’s a longer commute.

Look at Faversham - definitely on the up.

Strood is a dump

Tonbridge is a dump

TW is okay but overpriced

Canterbury nice

As PP said villages around Maidstone are lovely. Town centre itself is okay not great.

Cranbrook is nice but a fair bit further out.

West Malling nice but crazy spenny.

Margate is half dreadful, half full of DFL instagram prats.

Rochester is nice. Was ropey for a few years now better.

Don't even consider Chatham. Dump.

Bromley. Good schools, great transport links to central London.

Sits in both Kent and Greater London.
House prices vary massively so a lot depends on your budget.

Sorry just noticed your budget. Ignore me, you wont get anything in bromley for £2k.
Look at Rochester or Maidstone, as suggested upthread.

West Malling is nice but expensive. Kings Hill near by is great for young families but 3-4 bed rentals will be well over 2k budget too.

I’d draw a triangle between Orpington, East Grinstead and Maidstone and look in that sort of area. You may not find a four bedroom house in Bromley town centre but you definitely can get a three bedroom place somewhere like Eynsford or Biggin Hill.

A lot of places further out are quicker to London because of HS1. I live in a village between Folkestone and Ashford. Take me about an hour and a quarter from front door to desk. So only about an hour from door to St Pancras.

Much further from Greenhithe though.

Kings Hill is dreadful. It's all just roundabouts and overpriced houses made of cardboard

Yeah, I was waiting for that kind of comment, you didn’t disappoint 🙄

Considering the state of some of the towns and villages in Kent, Kings Hill has a nice friendly community. It’s very green, easy access to the woods and has three great primary schools. Sadly lacking in secondary school though.

So you're agreeing with me then?

It's a ballache to get from KH to either TW or Maidstone on public transport which is where all the decent grammars are

I moved to Kent from London to live by the sea.

I settled in Deal and I am very happy there.

Whistable, Broadstairs, Sandwich, Folkestone, Sandgate are worth looking at too. Folkestone is probably the shortest commute to London in that list.

Isn’t the train to Maidstone East 1 stop in the train from West Malling? And a 20mins walk from there? Loads of kids do that journey every day.

Disagree. I used to work there. It’s always expanding but it still has a lovely family feel about it. It’s safe and the houses are beautiful, by far the best looking new build estate I’ve ever seen, very American in its feeling, I think. Also lots of business so you can walk to work, plus excellent primaries.

And for West Kent, it’s not overpriced, it’s actually pretty reasonable for what you get compared to other local desirable villages and towns.

Villages around Maidstone , Bearsted, Weavering , Hollingbourne , Loose to name a few . Maidstone high st is , like most town high streets a bit shit but Bluewater is about 30 minutes away and there is out of town shopping as well . Maidstone has 4 grammars ( 2b/2g) and some of the High schools are the best in the county . There are lots of excellent primary schools .

West Malling train station is nowhere near Kings Hill

No
Definately not Chatham
If you look at a map you’ll see the river Medway runs between Rochester ( south of the river) and Strood( north of the river)

If you’re on rightmove or something looking for properties those in Strood are often listed as Rochester ( because it’s so much nicer ).
Don't be fooled by Agents speak. Check where properties are on the map

I would advice Rochester only if you want the area. Not North to Strood or South to Chatham.

Rochester is smallish and centred around the castle and Cathedral mainly with slight sprawling out but if you get as far as Chatham or Strood it’s not as nice

@catin8oots summed up my thoughts on Strood and Chatham perfectly 🤣

There are dedicated buses from Kings Hill to all the local schools in the surrounding areas, but no direct transport to the train station.