Good house in Teddington or great house in Kingston (KT2)

[Thameside]

Hello everyone,

My husband and I are hoping for some advice. We have two little ones (almost 1 and 3) and are certain we want to settle in the outer part of SW London. We're drawn to it for a myriad of reasons: the great schools, access to family, and the general lovely vibe.
We've managed to narrow it down to North Kingston and Teddington, but now we're completely stuck.

Teddington feels more expensive because, well, it's that bit more lovely. North Kingston has some beautiful pockets, especially around the river and Richmond Park, but we find the town centre itself a bit functional and not as charming.

This has all come to a head because we've found a fantastic house in North Kingston – it's near the station and some brilliant schools. However, we can't shake the feeling that maybe we should hold out and keep looking for a place in Teddington.

For those who know both areas, I'd love to hear your opinions on raising children in each. I'm probably overthinking it, but I keep dwelling on how the location will ultimately shape them as they grow up.

So, what's more important: a bigger, better house in a very good area (Kingston), or a smaller home in a 'perfect' one (Teddington)? We know we are incredibly fortunate to even be in this position. To put it into perspective, our choice is between a large, high-spec, 'bells and whistles' 4-bed semi in Kingston, versus a smaller 3-bed semi (that would need a loft extension) or a compact 4-bed in Teddington.

Any advice or personal experience would be so appreciated.

If this is a long term home whose to say Teddington will retain the charm.

Do more trains stop at Kingston?

We're between Teddington and Strawberry Hill stations and it's not accurate to say no-one takes the loop train towards Twickenham - we use it constantly to get to the District Line at Richmond and into non-Waterloo bits of London from there.

There is a reason why Teddington is more expensive. It's more desirable than Kingston, which is built up, traffic-heavy and noisy. Teddington offers young families a lot, including easy access to Kingston when you need it.
As someone who also has a young family, I'd hold out for Teddington.