Another Where to Live thread (Surrey edition)

[OneLimeHedgehog]

It has been covered many times (and I've been through the threads!) but hoping for some new insights or maybe new leads.

We're renting in central North London, and hoping to move out to Surrey to get more space and access to the countryside. We are looking at 3 or 4 beds, up to about 750k.

We have 1 baby now, with potentially another down the line, so good state primaries and secondaries are a must! We are open to CoE or catholic schools if they're great and in the area, and not too opinionated yet on single or mixed schools.

We are not going to be commuting every day but I very occasionally need to get in to Moorgate area, and my partner more regularly needs to get to various client locations (mostly central and NW). We'd like to keep the commute reasonable to avoid super long days - especially as we don't have family in the area to help with childcare. But willing to travel a bit in order to find somewhere we love.

We'd like a good sense of community and are open to either small town feel or village-y type places, as long as there are a few things (shops, pubs), but would also like to be in walking distance to these things so kid(s) can get around on their own eventually. Somewhere to swim outdoors would be a real plus, too!!

We're hoping to take a few days and visit some areas in the next few months, so any tips on places to look into and visit would be appreciated!

Horley - your budget will buy you a lovely house. Train straight to Blackfriars or walk to Gatwick. You need to pick your area carefully though.

Epsom is excellent for commuting - trains to Waterloo, London Bridge and Victoria

Banstead

There are 2 excellent Catholic schools in Surrey, one serves Epsom & Ewell. Very good Catholic boys in New Malden too.

I would actually look at the London areas that border Surrey otherwise it’s very hard to get the below. My friends in actual Surrey spend a lot of time in the car particularly as the train stations aren’t on the high streets.

but would also like to be in walking distance to these things so kid(s) can get around on their own eventually.

You can get a 3 bed for that in Surbiton which is 17 minutes (fast train) or 30 minutes (slow train) into Waterloo on the train and surrounded by Richmond, Nonsuch, Bushy parks etc and royal woodlands

Agree on Surbiton or Berrylands.

Horsell, near Woking. Walking distance from town centre and good trainline, but across the canal so village feel, v nice local pubs/butcher/greengrocers/cafes etc. Great infant and junior schools, Woking high school excellent secondary, and there’s SJB catholic school in Woking if you prefer. Lots of countryside around, Horsell common is great. V good community feel.
Woking town centre is useful but nothing special, but it’s v practical for teens (cinema, theatre, bowling, escape rooms, sports direct 😁). Guildford just 20 mins drive for nicer browsing shopping.

You’d have more 3 bed choice than 4 bed in your budget, but definitely worth checking out.

I personally think Sevenoaks, but it’s Kent if that’s ok, it’s near the Surrey border

@OneLimeHedgehog honestly the best thing to do is chose schools & work backwards. Some of the Catholic secondaries have feeders & you won’t get a place unless in a feeder for some of them.

Somewhere in the South Farnham area