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Original poster

HELP! Need ideas of good areas to live in close to London and quick!

22 replies

Amberc · 04/08/2009 14:27

We have sold our flat and need to find a new property. Want a detatched house in a town with good shops and a train to London which takes 30 mins or under. Good schools nearby. Er..would it be awful to say middle class? We have looked at Chislehurst and Beckenham but there really isn't much on the market. Happy to look anywhere - we have no ties. Please help!!!

OP posts:
randomtask · 04/08/2009 15:19

How big a house?

Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Farnham are all about the 30 min train journey mark and are all good for shopping, nice houses and definitely middle class!!

ComeOVeneer · 04/08/2009 15:21

Budget?

smallwhitecat · 04/08/2009 15:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

PortAndLemon · 04/08/2009 15:26

Which bit of London do you need to get into (which mainline station is nearest)? Because if your train line takes you into the wrong side of London for work it can take longer to get across London than it did to get in.

St Albans is good for the Citylink line, Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells good in the SE (does depend on budget, though, as they are not cheap).

ComeOVeneer · 04/08/2009 15:26

Around this area (Esher, Thames Ditton, Surbiton) good trains into Waterloo, very middle class. Good shopping in Kingston, near Bushy Park, Hampton court and Richmond Park. Good schools state, private and grammar.

Original poster
Amberc · 04/08/2009 16:20

Thanks everyone. Ideally would be Waterloo or Charing X. I work 3 days a week finishing at 5 and nurseries close at 6 so that's why I need the short train journey. We are looking for a 4/5 bed detatched house with a fairly decent budget c. £1m. I had a look at Kingston and I don't think we could afford it (would like to be near the shops and walking distance from a train). I think I'm asking too much!

OP posts:
SecretNinjaChipmunk · 04/08/2009 16:26

i grew up in kingston and live in surbiton, i reckon you could get what you want here pretty easily in your budget, you just need to know where to look. surbiton has faster trains than kingston btw, and is easy to walk to kingston by the thames.

randomtask · 04/08/2009 16:30

You could get what you wanted in Sevenoaks (or T Wells) for that budget and probably quite close to the station (town is a 10 min walk from station). There are also nurseries close to the station which helps.

It's 30 mins from Waterloo and 35 from Charing Cross.

PortAndLemon · 04/08/2009 16:50

Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells do sound like very good options if that's your budget.

These in Tunbridge Wells are all inside your budget and within half a mile of the station:

Calverley Park Gardens
Molynaux Park Road
Madeira Park
Linden Gardens
Warwick Park

PortAndLemon · 04/08/2009 16:53

Or this in Sevenoaks about a third of a mile from the station (doesn't seem to be so much choice there, and personally I'd prefer Tunbridge Wells to Sevenoaks if you want to live actually in town (there are some lovely villages near Sevenoaks, though, if you were more of a village person)).

ComeOVeneer · 04/08/2009 17:32

thames ditton

Hinchley Wood - we were looking at buying this one, its lovely less than 5 mins walk from station, trains into Waterloo.

goldenpeach · 05/08/2009 00:20

Leighton Buzzard? Nice little town, 30 mins to London. We were originally looking there but too small for us, perfectly close to London though. Nice NCT branch.

Unconventional · 05/08/2009 02:32

Kingston upon Thames has all you need. Trains to Waterloo in 25 minutes. Riverside, parks, great schools, lovely Victorian houses. I love it here. Very middle class ( in north Kingston).

Original poster
Amberc · 05/08/2009 09:09

I certainly do like the look of Kingston. I think we will go and have a look around this weekend. Thanks everyone - wow Mumsnet is fecking brilliant!!

OP posts:
SecretNinjaChipmunk · 05/08/2009 09:18

let us know if you need any advice on local areas. we only bought our flat in 07 although i know the area v well since i was a kid, have loads of links to local estate agents if you decide you want them?

Essie3 · 05/08/2009 15:43

Kingston is a great area - it has a John Lewis and a Heal's so I think we can safely say it's middle class.
Second what everyone says - great houses, good transport links, lovely shopping, and you're close to the countryside but not in a remote village. I think it gives you the best of both worlds.

It's also only 20 minutes from Tooting, which is another plus point.

stripes200 · 05/08/2009 15:50

St Albans.

No more need be said on the matter.

stripes200 · 06/08/2009 14:14

Look at that- Nobody did say anymore...

notnigella · 08/11/2009 21:28

amberc, if you are still lurking would be interested to see where you ended up? we are thinking of moving to sevenoaks but want to move to the right part with good schools etc...

cece · 08/11/2009 21:32

Woking or Guildford

bran · 08/11/2009 21:45

What about a bit further in? Greenwich, Blackheath or Dulwich are all good for schools I think.

cece · 08/11/2009 21:54

7bedrooms

this is a lovely road

big rooms by the look of it

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