Move to Surrey

[ThisNewAnt]

Looking to relocate to Warlingham or Woldingham areas. Advice needed on where’s best. Are these nice places to live? Have a dog that needs off lead walking. Also looking for somewhere with community vibe to meet neighbours so do not want to be isolated.

Thanks I will look at these areas. Happy Valley - sounds great so will check this out. :) We went to Caterham and liked it but prefer Warlingham as the centre is smaller and easy to walk to. Maybe we are better renting and trying to find somewhere for a few months.

Kingston and surrounding areas (Teddington, Surbiton, Esher) might just squeeze into your travel requirements. Lovely green areas.

I doubt you’ll actually want to drive that far though. Westerham? Bletchingley? Oxted?

Sorry I see you’ve said no to Oxted

Thank you for this valuable info. We will use the train to go into london but not regularly. We will drive to south london where our kids live. Went to Caterham to drive into the centre which was great but thought it was too big to actually get to know people hence targetting smaller villages with maybe social things going on. We loved Westerham green and the little quaint shops but no suitable properties available. Its going to be hard to get it all!

thanks, again Esher areas too busy and traffic was really bad. Loved Richmond, Cobham and Stoke d'Abernon but traffic will be too heavy getting across to South East London. Hence looking under this area. Went to Kent as looking to drive max an hour but preferred Warlingham as flat. Felt Tatsfield was just hard to get to with lots of little lanes and up and down hills. Feel like we are being fussy!! Honestly now thinking we need to rent down there. I really thought everyone would say yes Warlingham is amazing but that doesn't seem to be the case so I am now doubting that village.

Do you know the Tydcombe Rd area? This seems quiet but walk into centre fine. Like that the properties are spaced out but you still have neighbours.

Yes I’d say rent for a year! That way you’ll learn the areas and what works and what doesn’t

Not particularly, because those are private roads, so I have no reason to go there (other than occasionally snooping at the lovely houses!) I'd imagine it's a wonderful location though if the right house comes up for you. I'd like it for the reasons that you mention. It is hands down the premier part of Warlingham.

Farleigh is nice walking and as you drive towards Selsdon, there is another large park. Be aware though, if you have a dog that reacts to gunshots that they do shooting near the Botley Hill pub. Scary road is Succombs Hill but you can drive throught Whytleaf and go up Hilbury road instead. Warlingham is nice but would say Caterham or Caterham on the Hill would suit you better.

Or, what about Orpington. Had friends who lived in Green Street Green - lots of dog walking and a nice community. Quick links into London too.

I didn’t go as felt it was too big. Looking for a village with green or pond surrounded by local shops. Butchers, maybe fishmongers etc.. village hall/church. Pretty place with a community vibe. Pilates/yoga classes and short drive to open fields. Westerham and Warlingham seemed perfect. Happy to drive for supermarket and train station. Max 1 hour drive to Catford

Will check Farleigh out. We did drive up there so that’s an option and walk into the centre

Caterham on the Hill has an excellent community spirit, a festival in the summer, fireworks display, carnival, street party, friendly pub, village hall, pilates, ice cream shops, coffee shops, butcher hanging in there. Not quite pretty and chi chi yet but going in that direction. A nice primary school to volunteer at, 2 or 3 others nearby. There's also the Westway Centre which is a drop in centre for older folks and lots of yoga and volunteering opportunities there. Maybe not quite rural enough for you but id give it a look. Excellent dog walking and green spaces at Happy Valley, Farthing Downs and the Aerodrome, Caterham Viewpoint as I said in a pp.

Caterham on the Hill is about the same size as Warlingham Green and easily walkable to all of the above if you live on the Hill rather than Caterham Valley. Its also strangely flat for being on top of a hill 😀 (couple of roads flood though due to an underground stream so be aware of that if looking at houses). You would easily meet people via the friendly pub and there are also very active Rotary, Roundtable, U3age etc groups. Knitting circles, book clubs etc. I live there and really like it, as you can probably tell 😃.

I do go to Warlingham as have friends there, solicitors is there, the particularly nice ice cream shop is there 😀 (though Caterham on the Hill also have 2), I use Sainsburys for the foreign exchange counter and go to Knights Garden Centre, but I feel like there is more community spirit in Caterham (though maybe im just not aware of it in Warlingham).

Why did you discount Oxted again? I also really like it there (and its probably a bit closer for the drive to E Dulwich).

I know you think you’ll just be driving to certain places but be aware that you will get free travel onto London if you live in a London Borough (ie Boroughs of Bromley & Croydon, not Surrey or Kent). This makes a big difference to popping into London.

Had you looked round Sevenoaks at all?

Oh thanks for all this info! Will look at Caterham on the Hill as sounds great. Avoiding Oxted due to some family living there 😂didn’t even visit!
Estate agent lives in Caterham and she was raving about Warlingham!
Xmas light switch on, Pilates and yoga, nice pubs, Blanchmans, farm markets so we really liked the sound of it and also loved the private roads around Overhill and Tydcombe Rd. Really attracted to the layout and quietness of that area of Warlingham as 15 min walk to the green. We loved the prettiness of Walton on the Hill and Westerham with the pond but not enough going on.

Yes we have and didn’t find anywhere we liked to be honest. 😬

Thanks for this info!

What is your budget and what size/type of house are you after? I think that might influence location as well.

Budget 1.2m as we will need to renovate to our taste, detached with 3-4 bedrooms, large garage and a garden not overlooked and not on a hillside. 🙏🤞🏻Will visit Caterham on the Hill when we come down in a couple of weeks.

I woukd be suprised if you liked anywhere that close in to London to be honest if you didn’t like it , or maybe it was more you don’t find an ok house - im not sure - Cobham also really nice - and close in , chislehust too is fairly nice - as someone said London boroughs get you free transport - thing is that close to south London you don’t get that much for you your money and whilst it’s a big budget, it’s not really for that area - hiw. About surbiton /Epsom etc ???how much childcare involved here ? Because unless it’s every day, in all honesty Im getting the feeling you might prefer Dorking Reigate/Guildford/Godalming etc ( personally I do)

You might prefer Chaldon to Caterham on the Hill or the part of Coulsdon/Caterham which backs onto Happy Valley.

Thanks. Any opinions on Warlingham opposed to the places you mentioned?

I'd stick with Warlingham, especially the road and surrounding roads you mentioned. Very lovely and quiet but a 5 minute walk to the green for pubs (live bands occasionally), restaurants, cafes, pharmacy and convenience shops.
Sanderstead shops are only a bus ride/longish walk for other restaurants, Waitrose, Cooks.
Blanchmans is good for dogs and Kings Wood is beautiful (Hamsey Green).
Caterham Valley and Hill are sadly too built up for me now to want to live there but handy for Boots/Superdrug, 3+ jewellers, charity shops and MANY takeaways and cafes.
Warlingham Green enters into community spirit with May Queen, Christmas festival, craft markets, Santa does the rounds (Rotary club) etc. so if you wanted to get involved you can.
It's a safe area with the usual occasional car theft you seem to get everywhere.
Elizabeth House doctors and Warlingham Green doctors are both amazing.
Can't think of anything else! Westerham and Oxted both nice but too far out, as you say.
And 5 minutes drive you're in the countryside, pop on the train and 40 minutes to London.
Have I sold it to you yet? 🤣

Sounds great. What crime is there in Warlingham? Do you have good police support if you do get any problems?