Jess5377

DH and I have pretty much decided we will be moving back to London. We aren't willing to waste any time being unhappy in the US when we realise how good we had it in the UK. Since we can't afford our dream pad in our old neighbourhood of Hampstead, we actually considering the burbs

Since dh will be working in South London, that would mean either Surrey or Kent. Obviously, we will rent for the 1st 6 months or so, but have no clue on which areas are best. So far recommended to us is Chislehurst, Bromley, Beckenham, Surbiton, and Epsom. I would love to find somewhere with a great high street that still maintains the village feel like Hampstead did for us in London. Our main concern is having a fast train into Waterloo or London Bridge for easy access. Anyone familiar with any areas that would work?

Dave_Was

I used to work down in Surrey and especially in Camberely. London was easily accesible by M3 or M25 or A30, etc. Camberely had a nice little highstreet and some other good places.

I haven't been there for nearly 8 or 9 years, but I really like it when I was working there.

Good luck.

hudd

Hi

You may want to look at SE Kent as the new high speed train will take 35 mins from London to Folkestone.
http://www.propertyinvesting.net/con...folkestone.htm

My family live in Folkestone and surrounding villages we live on the outskirts of Dover. Just brought 1500 sqft house on 1/4 ace lot for under £200K.
Housing good value by Surrey standards as well. Good Grammar schools locally in Folkestone, Dover and Canterbury if you have children.

Regards

Mark

quoll

LOL was in Camberley yesterday - hmmm, not my idea of a nice little High St I'm afraid. Had a look in the real estate agents windows (masochist or what?) and the places were absolutely beautiful but the prices were enough to bring on a coronary! Do you know you cannot buy a single post card of Camberley anywhere in town? believe me, we tried hard to find one!

Surrey is very pretty though and you would probably find something nice there - as you would in Kent too!

leepee

There are some nice places around Camberley....

Bagshot is a great little village...Not too much of a High Street but one of the most friendly places I have ever lived in....We loved it so much that when, at one point after leaving the UK we had to go back for a few months I insisted that was where we headed!!! Managed to pick up right where I had left off and everyone was so welcoming!! We used to call it the Stepford Village!!!

Only problem is that you have to get the fast trains from Camberly I think....

Good luck
Lisa

sandrainaus

Hi
Tadworth in Surrey is really nice, you have Epsom 10 mins away Kingston 25mins and Epsom Downs 5 mins away. We have a train station to london bridge, Victoria, via Purley & Croydon, or Epsom into waterloo.

Tadworth is a really nice village, walton/Kingswood/Epsom downs Have all the pubs/resturant etc,

I have a House in Tadworth Surrey, 5 Mins from Epsom Downs (Which I will be renting in Sept if I don't sell it before.

The Village is worth a look


Sandra x

Londonuck

Gotta be Surrey, we live in Surbiton. Lots of great pubs and a 15 min walk down the river to Kingston. Spent the very warm evening, yesterday, overlooking the river in Harts Boatyard pub. 15 mins non-stop air con trains into Waterloo. 4 or 5 an hour. High street has Sainsburys, M&S and Waitrose.

Epsom is a bit like heavens waiting room with poor access to central London. My parents moved out there two years ago and my brother moved there 6 months back. There isnt much entertainment in the area.

Those areas of Kent have a few crime problems i've heard. Surbiton is very friendly with low crime. High poll tax though so add 135 odd a month to your rent.

Black Sheep

I came across the following website yesterday, doing a search on 'best place to live'. (You might try doing a few google searches like that yourself, i.e. 'best place live Surrey' or same for Kent):

http://www.whathouse.co.uk/london/be...-near-the-m25/

Recommends Wallington, Surrey... anyone know what Wallington is like?

By the way, commiserations to you re Hampstead. That's where I'd most have preferred to be, there or Muswell Hill. But what the heck happened to prices in North London?! Obviously I haven't been there for many years, wish I'd held on to property there though, semi-detached houses on good streets in Muswell Hill that were going for GBP75,000 when I was there are GBP 1.5 million now - just no way in my lifetime to be able to afford that since I've been away too long. But then I guess that means the demographics will have changed, you just can't maintain a 'bohemian' feel to a place when prices get that far out of reach of the younger, less-materialistic creative types - so I'll console myself by believing that it's not the same there anymore anyway....

Black Sheep

Ohhhh... re Wallington.... I note that the article at the URL I gave above mentions 'south wallington' in particular. And now I've just read the following:

http://www.chavtowns.co.uk/modules.p...rder=0&thold=0

and

http://www.chavtowns.co.uk/modules.p...rticle&sid=443

Here's some interesting info about Surrey Heath area (click on the link just after the first paragraph of the article, for 6 pages or so of comments from 'locals'):
http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv...06-02_p_1.html

sunbather

Farnham, Surrey would tick all those boxes

Jess5377

I saw that about Surrey Heath! Sounds good to me. All I really need is a decent Indian and a M&S for groceries close by. As long as husband can get to Waterloo or London Bridge in half hour he'll be pleased.

edited to add- just saw those comments about surrey heath from locals. Hmmm....

Elvira

Surbiton is lovely, but if you have kids, you may want to consider Bromley (which also looks nice, though I don't know it well) for the grammar schools. Both have convenient transport links.

Juliecabs

I live in Ewell which is just outside Epsom.
It's a village with 5 pubs, (the one I manage is one of them, and the best ) , several restaurants, and there are several small shops. There's also Bourne Hall with it's library, doctors surgery, dentist set in lovely parkland with duckpond etc. The major supermarkets are not far away.
There are plenty of schools in the area, both primary and high schools that have good reputations.
House prices are dropping here as they are everywhere. 3 bed semi's will cost around £350K, with 2 bed flats going for around £240K. I am trying to sell my 4 bed for £470K at the moment.
It's a 5 minute drive into Epsom which has some of the larger stores, Epsom Downs with its golf course (and home to the Epsom Derby horse race). Epsom has an Odeon cinema complex with about 7 screens in it. Other nearby towns are Sutton and Kingston if you want to shop. The regular train service into London runs every half hour into either Waterloo, Victoria or London Bridge.
If you want to drive to the coast - Brighton will take you less than an hour. Heathrow is 45 mins away and Gatwick is 35 mins.
Crime is low here which is great.
It's a great village to live in. Not too big but not tiny enough to feel that everyone knows your business. But it's very friendly. I love it here.
If you need any more info, please feel free to ask.
Julie. x

lelchelle

Yes totally agree.......i live in Church Crookham not to far away !!....Farnham is lovely

Michelle

poolboy

I lived in Kingston, Surbiton areas & loved it. Still own a property there & visit regularly. Lots of people live & stay in the area all their lives.

Teddington nice too but a bit more expensive, Richmond more so.

I´d go for North Kingston, towards Richmond Park - lovely period houses, big gardens, near river, shops etc.

Been in Spain for 6 years now & still feel Kingston is my home.