Moving to a new part of London or outside - need positive stories about selling and relocating!

[krugerparkrules]

DH and I have decided that our two bedroomed flat is getting too small for our family and want to move out of north london (which we love but wont be able to afford anything bigger in this area) , and find somewhere where we can afford a three bedroomed home - I long for cupboards and space in the kitchen for a dishwasher! It seems that property is selling in our part of London, so we are thinking it might be time to sell and see what else we can buy.

We love our flat, but think its time to move. I need some positive stories if anyone can find the time about relocating to another part of london - or outside of london and communting ....
Did you get cold feet as well! How on earth did you make the choice on location .... we are not from the UK so have no indepth knowledge of areas, and just visit them and go with our instinct.

At the moment we are guided by schools (our DD will start school in about a years time); transport links (if we move outside of london it needs to be within 45 mins - 60 mins train commute.

I am looking for inspiration!

We moved from London to north of St Albans area six years ago. Am very glad we did. Great schools round here, nice and green, plenty of space for kids - ds has even been able to play out perfectly safely since he was four (only in our road but still). We have country walks, parks and streams within minutes of our house, as well as a station with fast trains to London (30 minutes to St Pancras).

It's very pleasant - plenty going on (was the local carnival last weekend, and the scientific research station had an open day where ds and my niece got to do 'real' experiments) but small enough to have a community. Can't walk down the main road without ds bumping into several schoolfriends.

Thanks for that edam ..... I think I am holding on to our "place" mentally because I have made lovely friends here and feel like I belong in the community, I want to know that that is possible again to do!

Being guided by schools and transport links is very sensible. I'd say if you can narrow it down to a few areas you can afford, start viewing places, visit the areas at different times of the day, get a feel for the place.

We relocated from trendy, villagey area of London to far northernly suburb 3 years ago and haven't looked back. Yes, I miss the pubs and restaurants and knowing that it's all going on on my doortsep, but only in theory. In reality, we have good schools, a lovely park on our doorstep, nice neighbours (that we actually know) and it is still on the tube and 25 mins into central London.

bafanabafana - like your name! Think we might both originate from the southern hemisphere. Can I ask you what area the northernly suburb is?

Pubs and restaurants plentiful round here, btw! I did miss that sense of being in London where everything happens for about six months - every time I had to go back to my side of town. But I'd lived there for 17 years, it's only natural to feel a bit displaced. Am very glad we did it. Just come back from ds's sports day and feeling happy about being part of a nice community. He's off to another local school later on for a multi-sports day but he'll know some of the kids and parents there thanks to living in a small town, so he's excited rather than nervous.

sounds good edam ...... and good to hear that you are positive about your move .... before any move i seem to stall and suddenly cant find a thing wrong with place / house even though i want change and have identified all the things i want to change! I guess its just a process I need to go through ...

I lived in a flat in north London, on the tube line. Essentially could've bought a house there but my work had moved and I hated the commute. I had no particular ties to the area other than some mummy friends so we moved closer to my work. Where we moved to was further out, still suburban London, but the other side of town. I had always lived in the same area in London and knew nothing about the new area other than a few trips there to view houses. Crazily I didn't research the schools, only the nurseries as DS was 2.5 at the time. The new area is much greener, better parks and much more affluent and pretty, but that was more by accident than actual choice.

I'm so glad I made the move. May not have the same job in years to come (the primary reason I moved to this neighbourhood) but really glad I made the move. i hadn't realised how much I loved the prettiness and extra space, greenery etc until I experienced it (old place was very built up and urban)Schools turned out to be much beter, despite shameful lack of research and I'm beginning to feel part of a community although it has taken a long time as I work full time.

I think if I had stayed where I was I would have grown tired of it, so made the move before I had 'grown out' of my old lifestyle.

I did cry, though, when we moved, it felt like such a leap into the unknown but it was really good fun exploring a new area.

I'm the kind of person who can make a home out of anything, though, I've lived in a lot of different places, so the adventure of a new setting outstripped my apprehension about leaving an area I knew so well. I liked where I lived, but this is so much better and I would never have found out without taking that leap

soopermum1 thanks for that - i think it covers a lot of what i am feeling, i know its the right thing to do, and am looking forward to exploring different places to live, a bigger space and some more "green" areas. I think you make a good point of moving before you grow out of the place!
Have organised for estate agents to come take photos next week ....

krugerpark - can you give a rough idea of your budget for a 3 bed?

I think that if we move around London we would need to look at between £375 - £450 - £450 would be top end of our price ..... Actually I am not sure £375 would buy us much around london! But those are some rough figures we are working with ....
any ideas bleachedwhale?

It's great when you've done it!

Was in your shoes 5 years ago, couldn't upgrade our 2-bed to a 3-bed in our area at all, so came south of the river and got a large house in need of Work. There's green bits near here - the playground and park 2 minutes walk away, and we have a small garden. Ironically we wanted to be about a mile or two further in, in a slightly posher area, but couldn't afford an intact house, but where we are is much better now we have kids, as there's more parks and easy to escape southwards - it's only about 3x a year when we want to drive north and it's up to an extra hour to cross London that we're miffed. There's a few good restaurants and shops here, but loads a 5-10 min train ride away (for drunkenly coming home...)

I'm working on the principle that I know many people who've sent children to 'poor' local primary schools and they've all been fine - assuming there's enough places in the borough, we should be OK as all the local schools are apparently good-ish.

I was you 2 years ago
We now live in a sub-rural village 30 miles from London
DH commutes straight into LIv Street where he works so no faffing on the tube and it takes about the same time
Commuting cost is greater but cab bill greatly reduced

So much more room for DS to play, more for your ££,
Yes it was SCARY but I don't regret it for a second
A v kind local MNer came and visited me and told me where all the local baby groups were etc and I soon made mates.

That said, I moved just (1 month!) after I had my first baby - so it's v difficult for me to differentiate between my life changing because we don't live in London any more or because we have a little boy now (iykwim)

Anyway best of luck with whatever you decide.

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In this area would get you into a choice of two very well ofstedded / league tabled primaries (Christ Church if you have CoE credentials, Streatham Wells if not, and down the hill Corpus Christi if catholic), and a choice of v good state secondaries - Elm Green or Dunraven. Check out the primary schools here

Excellent overground from Streatham Hill to Victoria, or walk the other way to the Thameslink line from Tulse Hill - very fast journey times. Excellent bus connections - a short bus ride to the tube. Good local park.

We are planning to move to this neck of the woods within 3 years, for the secondary schools - so maybe I shouldn't encourage you

thanks for that bleachedwhale - it really helps hearing about different areas/neighbourhoods - what lovely choices you have given me as well! Good transport links as well, will keep this earmarked - dont worry DD not ready for secondary for a while!!!!

When doing your research don't forget to check out the local secondary school. I know it's a long way off and schools can go up and down in that time. Some lovely areas lack a decent state primary as many children may go to private schools.

Your budget would buy you a nice house in Shepperton, Middx. Great schools, friendly and a so much to do around here and green spaces too.

thanks 2oldforthislark - trying to get my head around primary school, but its a good idea to keep an idea on secondary's .... so much to think about!