Where to live in London (or nearby)

[TKJ]

Hello Parents,

I am looking for advice about where to live in or around London with a child. We are looking for somewhere relatively safe, with green space, and good daycares and schools.

My partner and I and our 2.5 year old daughter are coordinating a move to London in January. We are both Americans but have been living in Germany for 4 years. My husband has a job (academic) that is exciting but doesn’t pay a lot so our budget will be around 1500. We will have visas connected to his work. We are really hoping for at least a one bedroom but dreaming of a little garden or a two bedroom. (We currently all make it work in a studio but it has a garden!). We are open to a commute obviously (but hoping to keep it at or under an hour from central London - Euston station) and I definitely would prefer some place that had a community vibe and as I said some easily accessible green space.

Any advice on where to look would be so so welcomed. So far I have identified North Chingford, Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, Epping as possibilities but really looking For anywhere else (north, east, south, west! Any of it good!)

also any advice on how to make it work with two jobs (I don’t have one but I will need one!) and daycare with longer commutes also welcome :) things to know etc.

I also any positivity/advice generally about London with kids will warm my heart. We love the city but I am extremely nervous about the move and there can be a lot of doom and gloom about living in London - right now I am looking less for warnings and more for advice about how to make it work in an expensive city! We have been living internationally for a while and the truth is everywhere we have looked to live - Europe and in the US seems pretty challenging with kids (and careers) but people make it work. So if you are making it work I would love to hear your wisdom.

thank you in advance

Take a look at areas on the Lionesse line

I hate to say it but Stevenage is less than 30 minutes to King's Cross and cheap I believe.

I wouldn’t dream of commuting to Euston from Epsom.

Like this
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/164936735#/?channel=RES_LET

Yep both have great reputations and it's all very leafy there. I love that train line because you can also get out to Oxted easily and if you drive you can easily get out to Surrey for family days out. I really think you should have a look, OP.

St Albans is expensive.

you could try Hertford Hatfield and Welwyn. All good train links. Hatfield isn’t smart in the centre but the housing can be really nice. Hertford very pretty with river, lots of families etc. Welwyn wide range of housing options and great for young families

Surbiton is a good shout and you could easily get over to Ham, in Richmond, just the other side of Kingston, for the German and Swiss bakeries. There is a German school there too and lots of German language groups and services.

If you go on Rightmove and search on Orpington, you will find quite a few 2 bedroom places for a little over £1500. There is even one at exactly £1500.

On Rightmove, it says Orpington is in Kent but is actually the furthest edge of SE London.

Most schools are very good.

There are several train stations within Orpington, all with decent links to central London. It's worth staying within the Transport For London zone, because if you go out of that, fares are so much higher. Generally speaking, BR6 post codes are posher than BR5 - so you get better value for money in BR5 but BR6 is leafier.

Good luck

Brighton ? you have got to be joking

London @ £1,500 wont achieve your goals however as someone who drives trains for a living and ex property investor I would like to make a suggestion. Old Hatfield (its a place in Hatfield) would be ideal as it is safe, direct train to kings Cross (25 mins and same area as Euston Station).

I really hope, having suggested that @TKJ‘s DH is going to be at UCL, that he is at UCL! Because everyone’s now running with that 🤣.

Yes he is at UCL :)

Phew!

So, Kings Cross St Pancras isn’t far, and tube-wise Northern and Victoria lines to Euston and Warren Street, Metropolitan line to Euston Square.

Look along the Metropolitan line on the Amersham branch.

Anywhere on that line is a safe family orientated place to live with great schools. The train goes straight to Euston Square. There is a lot to be gained for getting a seat, not having to change trains and then schelp across London on the crowded tube - giving lots of time to get work done on the commute.

Do the maths on reducing rent vs increasing train fares as you move out along the line.

Cheapest is Chesham - you can afford a 2 bed 2 bath high spec apartment with private garden, walkable to station so no car needed.

I am unsure if you would be allowed to rent a 1 bed with 3 of you? Best look into that. The fastest train from Amersham to Euston Sq takes 53 minutes.

You can also hop on the overground Chiltern Line from Amersham which only takes 22 mins to Marylebone - and then either a 12 min cycle, 10 min tube or 12 min bus ride to UCL.

It's definitely competitive but doable with lots of effort and research. Try North London - Finchley, Southgate, Bounds Green. If you can stretch your budget look at places such as Acton (Elizabeth Line - great for getting to central London), Wembley - both areas are building lots of renters accomodation around there. Also use Right move to research there are other websites you can use such as Gumtree, Facebook market (but be careful), even Nextdoor app is good. It is possible to find something. Look at housing associations such as L&Q, NHG, Octavia and Peabody (Google g15 housing association to find list of them - they are not the greatest but they often re-let homes on the affordable market. There are 1 beds for £1500 depends on what you want but try to go for areas that have children's centres, parks, local libraries and things for kids to do for free to help with your budget. Living outside of London is great especially for quality of life but you have to weigh up the cost of commuting into London, which could be £2000-3000 per year per person.

I don’t think employers should normalise thinking they own their employees’ travel time. Plus the Met line trains are The Bounciest Trains Ever™️.
You get a nice long time to read your book or watch the scenery change.

I recommend looking at Tring. Great links into Euston and you can get a 2 bed with a garden for under £1500. Plus lots for children and families on the doorstep. Great high street, parks, museums and shops: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/164920592#/?channel=RES_LET