Cranleigh or Farnham

[Elllie]

Anyone know/ live in these areas? How do they compare? WHat are they like? Properties in short supply in Farnham, so having to widen net - all while stuck in the USA. Aargh.

small bump!

I like both places myself?Farnham has a train station though, always thought it odd that Cranleigh does not.

Most of the area in-between is quite nice, Godalming etc?if you are in Farnham you are also a bit nearer to the A3 and M3 which is handy.

Have you narrowed it down to just those 2 places or anywhere else in-between?

I liked Farnham when we visitednfor a look around. DH has to commute to Sunbury upon Thames by car, so we are having to stick within a certain radius. I heard that Guildford has nightmare traffic on a morning, and to be honest, I wanted somewhere a little more 'semi-rural'. I liked Godalming high Street from the little I saw of it, but the little I saw of the Busbridge area near the schools, it just seemed like a huge residential area. Is this incorrect?
We are just struggling to find in Farnham. Too few houses in our range in the catchment areas - we have up to 650- 700k to spend, and even then the houses always seem to be small or have some kind of issue. Cranliegh looked nice and the houses seem more reasonable, but then there is a rail link issue and we didn't visit while in uk.

Hi Ellie

I live in Farnham and have a similar commute to work as your DH will have.

Cranleigh is a long way drive out of guildford and would add a lot of time to the commute IMO.

Do want a town centre location? If not I can suggest some areas a little outside of both places that might be helpful.

Happy to help with any questions too.

Just let me know.

Thanks so much!! I needed to hear what you said about the commute from Cranleigh as I just see the houses and think 'that's what we should get for our money'.... If that makes sense. It looks lovely but clearly not practical for us.
I had narrowed the search down in Farnham to the Bourne area due to the good state schools. As I won't really have time to go and see each school, I have to go on Ofsted and GSG to guide my choice. So, first, The Bourne Community school. There has been one house come up in the last 8 weeks, but teeny garden. No-one seems to be selling. My second choice was Rowledge. I know less about this, but from what I have seen, it is a nice village with a good school.
My DH is a townie and is having panic attacks about the fact it is out of the centre and has one village shop . Do you know this area?
I would love to hear any local knowledge you have - I really did like Farnham and it is sooooo frustrating trying to organize this from a million miles away.
Also, where is the local hospital? Guildford?

One more question! From what you know, wouldmyou say it is a good town for children? Friendly, etc?

Apologies for erratic spelling currently feeding small baby while typing with one finger!

Hi

That bit of farnham is great. Its a lovely green leafy area. I've got friends who have a lovely massive house in Bourne area and seem really happy there.

Schools there are the best in farnham too- this is unfortuantely reflected in the prices.

The only thing about that part of farnham that is worth noting is that it gets a bit of a log jam during rush hours. Particularly where the B3001 comes down towards the A31 and past the station. There is a level crossing there and the traffic is often very slow. I know less about the traffic coming down A287 towards farnham. But it seems that the A31/ Farnham bypass gets pretty slow in both directions and particularly around the "shepherd and flock" (named due to the pub in the middle) roundabout on the east of farnham. Guess it depends what time of day your DH will leave for work.

I dont know Rowledge personally but I know my friends with the large house mansion also looked in that area and they are quite particular so I can only assume its good.

Crondall is on the other side of Farnham and its a lovely village. Not sure of the schools there but its great with a really villagey feel. That might be worth looking at too if you can get your DH to feel comfortable being in the countryside.

From Farnham you get 2 choices of hospital. The Royal Surrey in Guildford (15mins along the A31) or the Frimely Park Hospital in Frimely which is up the A331 towards the M3 (probabaly 15mins too).

Trains are good from Farnham - its about 1 hr to London Waterloo and you should get a seat from there in the mornings.

I'd say its a good town for children. The town feels safe in itself if you get what I mean. I happily spent my maternity leave in Farnham town (was in town a couple of times a week at least)with my group of mum friends and it is great for that. There are some great parks suitable for children of different ages (playgrounds etc).

If I could afford Bourne/ South Farnham - it would be my area of choice.

Happy to answer more questions!

Hi Ellie,

I replied to your question in the education section and as I said there we are very lucky in Farnham that there are no bad schools.
The area you are looking at is very limited for choice because of South Farnham school. Have you looked at the Wrecclesham, Shortheath, Boundstone area? Or a bit further out Frensham or Tilford. I think their infants are feeder schools for south Farnham. Like Rowledge, Frensham and Tilford are quite rural with just a village shop and some pubs but lovely locations. Otherwise look around the town centre or station area.

GiraffeYoga has already answered your other questions.

Oh and if you are interested, The Bourne school is looking for a lollipop lady

These are all very rural! I would look again at Guildford. Merrow would be a good location, close to the countryside, a good road through to the A3 (traffic is not that bad, the worst is a bit of a queue onto the A3; or if you hit the London Road in the centre of town after 8 am, and the Mummy school run jam).
The hospital is Guildford, there are good schools and if you lived in Merrow you are in the right area for a fabulous Secondary (and also a good Catholic secondary if you are Catholic).

mummytime is right, the areas around Farnham I mentioned are very rural and although in very loveley surroundings it might just be a step too far for your townie DH. I know I wouldn't want to live there even if I could afford it

But that is where you will find the big gardens and schools that feed into South Farnham. (I read in one of your other threads that you were looking at that school so please correct me if I am wrong.)

Which websites are you using for properties?

Oh and just to make clear, I have no experience with the schools in those areas of Farnham so I can't help you on that front, sorry.

Thanks everyone - it is so helpful to speak to people who know the area. At present, we are relying on the PIL to drive an hour to see any potential properties, and they don't really know the area.
I am going to rank Guildford as Plan C, simply because we used to live in Richmond/ Twickenham area and I would prefer a little less urban (no matter how much DH hyperventilates .
It feels like I'm looking for the Holy Grail, as everyone in The Bourne and Rowledge seem to be hanging onto their property. Anything nice is going way over the asking price (A vic prop needing work we saw in Rowledge sold for 753 instead of 700). There is one potential we are seeing in Rowledge, but at 575 it is low down in our range, but has a it of space to build that 4th bed - although for Farnham has a small garden. The million dollar question is do we take something 'okay' so we can get sorted, moved back and into schools, or wait longer for something else to come up - at this rate we could be waiting for ages! I'd hate to be in the process of buying one, if another better one comes up for sale. My head hurts!

Crunchbag - I am looking with Rightmove, Primelocation and phone all of the agents every week so they don't forget us (bet they are loving that!) and they are great at keeping us up to date. I think they feel our pain - especially the 6hr time difference.

Incidently the property we are looking at is this

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30433373.html

Wow I didn't realise the market was that competitive Well at least you know that you would be in a good position when you want to sell.

I think if I were in your position I would go for an ok house and sort out the schools and then start looking for something better. That way you can get a feel for the place and will know exactly where and where not to start looking properly.

I feel your pain, it must be so hard looking for houses without actually seeing them.

The house you are looking at looks quite nice but a bit small for that price.

And I assume the rental market is just as competitive.

Yep, the other option is rental, but having moved around a lot, I'd like to 'settle' somewhere, plant a garden, grow some veg etc.... and they are rare in the areas we are looking for. IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND LIVING IN FARNHAM - PLEASE SELL YOUR HOUSE!!!! [GRIN]

What about this?

I guess you must have seen already though, as it's in your preferred area, massive garden, well under budget but needs some work.

If you are time pressured you may need to consider more than one area, in which case may I put in another plug for Godalming? It's very like Farnham; maybe a little bit smaller. I love living here - it's got a real community feel, lots of families, Kirsty and Phil had it on their top 10 places to live list. Lovely high street, station in the middle of town for getting to London. Busbridge is much closer to Godalming High St than The Bourne is to central Farnham. The A3 is (IMHO) a better commuting startpoint than the A31 - the queue on to the A3 from the A31 in the mornings is terrible.

Apart from Busbridge places to look are the Charterhouse area and the Godalming/south side of Farncombe.

Traumaqueen

To commute from Farnham to Sunbury DH's husband wouldnt need to go near that queue to join A3 from A31. Fastest journey would be v short hop on A31, A331, M3 so time on A31 would be minimal 1/2 mile or so- its not really an issue.

Farnham is nice but a depending where you live you can end up having to ferry you kids around a lot. Godalming is nice, if you drove around the Charterhouse area you would get a completely different feel to Godalming that you did when you drove round Busbridge.

I'd go A3, M25 M3 to Sunbry and depending what time you left in the morning it would be ok.

Or on your budget I'd live in Guildford/Horsley areas and get the DC's into George Abbot, if you get onto the A3 at Burpham or Send you avoid Guildford altogether and if you leave at 7/7.30am it's ok as you are so close the M25. The way home is ok too as you miss out Guildford altogether. If you live on the edge of Guildford you can drive one way to the country side, another to the town and you are close to the M25.

Guildford is nothing like Twickenham/Richmond!!!!! From my house I can walk 5 minutes to the open countryside, you walk then for about another two miles south, cross through a small village (there are a string of them) and then there really isn't much until the coast (if you don't hit Ewhurst/Cranleigh). Sorry, but maybe google maps doesn't give an accurate picture. (BTW in Guildford you want to live south of A3 for the best bits, and most rural.)

I would also say Godalming is also very nice.

I'm looking in the same sort of areas but have discounted Farnham as the Bourne area is green and leafy and can be very hilly but I don't get that sense of community. I live in West London and I would say that the contrast is not that great but much more inconvenient. Definitely think Godalming/Busbridge area has more of a community feel as less urban.

Hmmm... lots to think about - thanks guys! (or 'thanks y'all' as we say here )
That is reaaly useful info and just what I needed - as I agree that Google maps are not fully representative of local areas....although they did help me rule out a few 'red herring' houses.
I looked more into the schools at Guildford and feeling a bit more hopeful. I just have to say, though, that from what I can see on google earth, the houses/ streets aren't as, well, aesthetically pleasing as the areas I am seeing in Farnham - but I take the point that we will get more for our money. I hadn't factored in hilly areas, as I grew up in the North on a hill farm .
Godalming is also a viable alternative, although I was told to restrict myself to the Busbridge area because of the good state schools. I've also been on the lookout there, and properties are like hens teeth.
Another probate bungalow has just turned up (now there are three) in the Bourne area, set in half an acre at 620K. Just not sure we are ready to 1)move country 2)relocate with young kiddos 3)take on a huge reconstruction/ extension project meaning we can't live in the house 4) compete with local developers. I'm sure all of these feature on the stress scale!!!!

Hmmm... lots to think about - thanks guys! (or 'thanks y'all' as we say here )
That is reaaly useful info and just what I needed - as I agree that Google maps are not fully representative of local areas....although they did help me rule out a few 'red herring' houses.
I looked more into the schools at Guildford and feeling a bit more hopeful. I just have to say, though, that from what I can see on google earth, the houses/ streets aren't as, well, aesthetically pleasing as the areas I am seeing in Farnham - but I take the point that we will get more for our money. I hadn't factored in hilly areas, as I grew up in the North on a hill farm .
Godalming is also a viable alternative, although I was told to restrict myself to the Busbridge area because of the good state schools. I've also been on the lookout there, and properties are like hens teeth.
Another probate bungalow has just turned up (now there are three) in the Bourne area, set in half an acre at 620K. Just not sure we are ready to 1)move country 2)relocate with young kiddos 3)take on a huge reconstruction/ extension project meaning we can't live in the house 4) compete with local developers. I'm sure all of these feature on the stress scale!!!!

Ellie, I am curious,did you move, if so where to ? I just moved from USA to Farnham.