Thoughts on St Albans

russelsprout_2

St Albans is probably a 'better' place to live in than Harpenden but if your priorities are schooling and transport to Farringdon then you'd be better off in Harpenden. Thameslink train into London is great and will only get better as the 12 carriage trains get introduced.

As said, more likely to get a seat on the train from Harpenden and it's only 3 minutes longer into Farringdon. Regarding secondary's, St Georges is probably the best mixed school in area (aside the privates) and I don't think anything in St Albans can match it. Both St Albans and Harpenden have great primary's.

But.. It will probably cost you more to buy. Plenty of 4 bed choices in Harpenden and St Albans but the value would be in St Albans - which sounds kinda odd!

Plenty of little villages (Wheathampstead, Gustard Wood, Kimpton, Redbourn etc) around the area to look at but with your budget you'd be better off in the towns as you can easily afford to live in them and reap the benefits.

Harpenden does have its social stigmas though..!

KLB

St Albans is also feeling the credit crunch- at one end of town (Catherine St end) about 4 or 5 shops in a row have closed down.

BiggaThanBen

KLB wrote: »

St Albans is also feeling the credit crunch- at one end of town (Catherine St end) about 4 or 5 shops in a row have closed down.

I do not think it has much to do with the credit crunch, - the St Albans council is not extending expiring leases, as they want to build a hotel there, that's the reason ..

nollag2006

So what did you decide?

metroman

Check out the Park Street area of St. Albans ... I live there and feel it is greener and quieter, and you can in some parts get that "out in the countryside" feel, if you like that sort of thing.

Unclepetey

We went through to St Albans and weren't really that impressed. You don't get much house for your money and the city centre was absolutely packed (and that was on a weekday).

Harpenden looked nice, but expensive.

We ended up driving on a bit and found Berkhamsted which was lovely (though the commute is not as good for the City)...

It's all about compromises, isn't it...?

silvercar

What is the commute from Berkhamstead like? How much is a season ticket?

I would have looked south along the first capital connect line to lower the house prices and lower the commute.

mattwallisuk

Hmm... Berko and St Albans dont compare.

Lived in both... Very happy in St Albans now.

Indeed you do not get a lot for your money in St Albans, but if you can afford to live here its quite a place!

carolt

Berkhamstead is lovely too.

Both nice areas to live, pleasant shops, quiet pace of life, nice old buildings.

Can't believe I'm raving about life in the Home Counties.

When did I turn into an old fart?

carolt

nollag2006 wrote: »

I live in Harpenden, and really like it. Schools are excellent, and its got a much more intimate feel that St Albans.

You are only 5 mins away from St Albans on the excellent 24 hour train service too. Other big advantage is that you usually get a seat on the morning rush hour trains, while there's very little chance of that by the time the train gets to St Albans.

Harpenden is much more expensive than St Albans though. You will struggle to get a 4 bed here for much under £800 in a decent area (avoid Southdown and Batford)

Just out of interest, that's balls.

I was in Harpenden today and saw lovely period 4 bed for 650K, asking price, lovely area. Obviously if it's asking 650K, it would be lucky to go for 600K.

So I think nollag is a bit behind the times.