Where to move to??? Surrey / Hampshire / Berkshire?

[nursemumofone]

My husband and I are in our mid thirties. We've recently had a baby boy who is 6 months old.

Currently living in New Malden in a 2 bed maisonette flat.

We're looking for our next area to move to where we will hopefully stay for a long time.

Things we are looking for, our budget is max £750k

• Good state schools - primary and secondary
• Commutable into London Waterloo for husband's job, but preferably not within London as we want more space
• Ideally a hospital (preferably teaching but not hugely important) nearby although willing to drive to this - I am a cancer nurse.
• 3 / 4 bed with a garden, ideally with some grass so medium sized
• Good amenities for young families - swimming pool / cinema / leisure centre etc

We've so far looked at Epsom, but prices for space seem massive around there. We also prefer the idea of our baby eventually going to a mixed sex secondary, but the best secondaries around Epsom are single sex. Also concerned that Epsom will still feel too London-y in a few years' time.

Weybridge is out of our price range unfortunately.
We have friends and some family around Teddington but it is also out of our price range.

Are there any areas we're missing that we should look at?

Thanks in advance!

Just read your post fully, you aren't Catholic at all are you?

A colleague has moved to Ewell and is very happy.

@boxyboxs we can’t afford a house with decent space around here. Also kind of want to get out of London a bit.
we really like the area though and will miss it when we leave.

@boxyboxs no we're not catholic

I would really think hard about a long commute with young dc tbh.

I lived in Winchester for 3 years and while you have the commute and hospitals 750K won't get you much. I know 2 families who sold up and bought reasonably sized smallholdings up country on the sold price of their 2 bed terrace and 3 bed semi-detached. It's also a very diverse place in terms of class, it can be quite difficult to get along with the natives if you don't fit in moreso than other places I have lived. If you want to live there, it's worth visiting the areas you are looking at first. Romsey is just as bad.

Hampshire is mostly rural outside of Southampton, Basingstoke, and Portsmouth, there is an entirely different feel from the east to the west of the county.

Just never found our tribe - I went to every toddler group, music group, activity stuff in and around Epsom/Ewell/Stoneleigh, and just never settled - I found it very urban - Nonsuch Park was lovely, but it wasn't London and it wasn't rural and there wasn't really a sense of community. I am Catholic and didn't even find the church that welcoming. This was 17 or so years ago, so maybe things have changed, but I drove past our old house recently and felt nothing but grateful that we weren't living there any more.

We stayed for 3 years, and then moved to TW which is increasingly congested and busy, but there is a lovely community, the schools are brilliant, the trains not too horrendous, and there are cows and fields about 10 minutes walk from my back door, the sea about 45 mins away, and it's just much more pleasant.

@nursemumofone yes it has gone up a bit since sibling started looking. Good to hear you like it.

I asked about faith because I know there is an excellent co ed Catholic school that serves Epsom.

This was 17 or so years ago, so maybe things have changed, but I drove past our old house recently and felt nothing but grateful that we weren't living there any more.

Most places change in that time tbf, my area of London was not much more than a supermarket and it has gentrified beyond belief now!

This is around the corner from us in Guildford: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/155333855#/?channel=RESBUY

Catchment for excellent schools (Onslow/QE then County), down the road from the Royal Surrey and Guildford station all of 5 mins away. Love Guildford and very happy we made the move.

Edit: Actually, you could probably get into St Nicholas from there which is another v well regarded infant school - we’re further up the hill and the catchment for St Nicks is tiny so always disregard it when thinking about the schools!

Coming on in defence of Woking. The town centre has had some regeneration recently and whilst it’s not awesome it is no worse than many of the towns and cities mentioned here. You’d not live in Woking itself but look at Horsell, or St John’s, for example.
30 min max direct train to Waterloo. Both Royal Surrey Hospital (Guildford) and St Peter’s hospital (Ottershaw) are within a 20 minute drive.
Lots to do for families, plenty choice of schools, lots of open green space.

Earley near Reading, or Reading university area. Earley train station good for trains to Waterloo. Maiden Erlegh (Wokingham one) v good secondary school, Reading hospital nearby. Nice Victorian houses on roads like Belle Avenue and nearby.

I wouldn't move to Basingstoke. The secondary schools are nearly all failing. A lot of the secondary school-age kids get a bus to Winchester or Alresford for school. Also, a lot of dodgy areas there.

Winchester is very nice. 3 secondary schools (all good). Lots of nice villages outside Winchester.

Also, look at Micheldever (in-between Basingstoke and Winchester). Nice little village, local primary school, train station.

Alresford and Stockbridge both v nice but might be harder to get the train to London.

Near Micheldever -

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150425795

Alresford -

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/146502782

Stockbridge -

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157039430

Winchester -

In walking distance to City centre, hospital and train station

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/152085272

Earley, reading

• close to royal berks hospital, can get the bus if needed
• direct trains to Waterloo from Earley
• great schools
• £750k will get you a nice 4 bed with garden

I concur with all of this! We must be neighbours

Great schools nearby, Royal Surrey 5 mins drive, plenty for the kids to do locally.

And close to Guildford station, best of both worlds. (Particularly if the idea of leaving London is daunting)

What’s commutable in your terms? Salisbury (Wilts) is just under 1h 30 direct to Waterloo. Salisbury Hospital on the doorstep, Nearby Southampton has several hospitals.
It’s a v. small city, so lots to do, but good community feel. Very good primaries, excellent Grammars, but single sex atm, apart from the 6th forms, which are both mixed. Ok mixed comps, in Salisbury and also out of town. And importantly, you could get a lot for £750,000!

This huge house is in Farnborough, close to schools, massive garden.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157067021

Oh quite possibly! We’re cathedral side (not posh enough to be proper Onslow Village!) but I do love it here.

@Cheepcheepcheep thanks! We’re going to go and view it 😊
is the area where you live very studenty? Would going down to onslow village be better for families?

Oh exciting, let me know how you get on! (I promise not my house 😂)

Re the students it’s a mixed bag. Really depends on the road you’re on I think. We’re surrounded by retirees so don’t really worry about them, and I can’t lie I like it keeps the town a bit younger. I’m sure I would have a different view if I lived next door to them but from what I’ve seen they’re generally quite respectful. Scholar’s Walk (I think - like I say not my road) doesn’t seem like HMO territory so I wouldn’t be too concerned - when I’ve walked past it seems to be families given the new build set up.

Do you know Guildford much? When you do the viewing well worth going into town if you don’t - station side isn’t as pretty but at least you can get 3/4 bedrooms and a driveway for £750k. On the other side you can get 3/4 beds but it’s mayhem for parking (as I understand) and Onslow is lovely and has a fab community but £750k doesn’t go too far and I think you’d struggle to get that sort of space for the money. We have one at Onslow Infants and I really rate it.

Would also say that house has reduced in the last couple of weeks (because I’m a typical MN person who watches local prices!) so I reckon you could definitely get it at sub 750k. I originally wasn’t bothered about a driveway/parking when we moved down but you really do need a car outside of London do the driveway is a big bonus.

Another recommendation for Woking - good for families, easy commute into Waterloo and plenty of lovely countryside around. Not far from Guildford. Look at houses in Horsell or St John's.

Winchester is beautiful and really great schools and good for families. But house prices are very high.

My parents live in Surrey/Hants. My vote would be Godalming - very nice vibe in the town, feels lively, a few things going on. Fleet and West Byfleet might also work. West Byfleet is probably the most expensive option of the three, so may not be affordable.