Buying a family home in london

[Waliahimanshu]

We’re a family of four with two kids primary and secondary school aged moving from south west.

We looking to move and buy into safe area, decent hight street , and outstanding senior schools, is one of our main priorities.

Work hybrid 3 times a week. So up to 1 hour commute with good transport links would be ideal.

We not looking to move again due to schools, so ideally an excellent area where we can potentially buy a house future with the budget if 650k~

Would really appreciate any suggestions or experiences from people who’ve been through a similar move and bought in London

That budget? Not going to happen

You will not get anything on that budget in Central London, but somewhere like Purley could work.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/172304855#/?channel=RES_BUY

I don't know, I think it depends on your definition of "decent", "outstanding", "excellent" etc, plus expectations for how big a house you'd get (not very) and how much work you'd need to do to it (lots).

OP - where do you need to commute to?

Sutton or Orpington are probably your best bets. You may just be able to get other parts of Bromley but would have to compromise on size. Both places have great schools and decent links into London, decent high streets.

You need to look at outer boroughs for the grammars & you should find a 3 bed terrace for 650k

Would you consider moving slightly out of London to the commuter belt, as you would get far more for your money (and equally good schools)

Sutton, Orpington and Bromley aren't London though. Having said that £650K won't get her a house in a reasonable part of London with everything on her wish list. A flat would be her best bet but I don't recommend leasehold properties anywhere.

It also depends which part of London you need to get to. E.g is it Paddington, the city, Victoria? That will also depend on where people recommend

Sutton/Kingston/Bromley all have access to grammars & Sutton/Kingston have very good non grammar options. I’m sure Bromley does too I just don’t know them.

Sutton, Orpington and Bromley aren't London though

Sutton is a London borough & some parts are z4.
I thought Bromley was too, Orpington isn’t.

I'd look around beckenham, bromley or Orpington. They all have excellent, some selective, boys and girls schools., both primaries and secondary.

The top 10 state secondary schools in London for 2026

1. Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet
2. Wilson’s School, Wallington
3. St Olave’s Grammer School, Orpington
4. The Tiffin Girls’ School, Kingston upon Thames
5. Tiffin School, Kingston upon Thames
6. The Latymer School, Edmonton
7. Sutton Grammer School, Sutton
8. St Michael’s RC Grammar School, Finchley
9. Wallington High School for Girls, Wallington
10. Wallington County Grammar School, Wallington

They are incredibly competitive though & parents tend to tutor for years.

There are parts of SW London where you can have the option of the Kingston & Sutton grammar’s but it would be prudent to have a non selective backup.

There will be parts in z3 in budget but you will struggle for schools. There aren’t actually loads of amazing non selective secondaries.

Maybe St Albans,

Like PPs have said, where do you need to commute to? What do you consider to be outstanding re schools? Are you thinking of grammar or just a good all round secondary? Are you looking for a 3 bed?

Are the two children the same sex in which case would they share a bedroom? You are either looking for a 2 bedroom or 3 bedroom home.

Sorry by London I mean may be zone 4 and around. I need to commute to Liverpool Street for work

Then the overground (Enfield/ Cheshunt/ Chingford lines) would work perfectly for you, or the east side of the Elizabeth Line.

If you commute into Liverpool street you should look out in Essex where the mainline trains come into Liverpool Street and there are grammar schools.

NW London along the Metropolitan line is an option. You can move further out than zone 4 and still be approx an hour commute to Liverpool St without changing trains. Also for only three days a week a slightly longer commute may be worth it for more house at your price point. The tube is also cheaper for commuting than most mainline services.

Grammar schools are all well and good if your child gets in but most do not and many of the schools listed above have intakes which are heavily skewed to private primary/heavy tutoring. There are a lot of good comprehensives in London - they may be hated by MNers insisting that private was the only possible option but the vast majority of London children use them and London schools outperform many other parts of the country.

Whereabouts are you in the SW in terms of school provision?

I’m in Bromley z4, Bromley South is Z5

I dont think you'll get a 3 bed house in London for your budget. Try a flat with share of freehold? Kingston, Sutton, Bromley have excellent schools.

yes and Riddlesdown collegiate is in catchment for secondary and it an outstanding Ofsted. All 3 of mine went there and excelled.

If you need to commute into Liverpool Street then you need to look in that direction.