Moving to London

hazyjo

Brock_and_Roll wrote: »

I dont want to sound rude, but you are currently living in a great part of Bristol with a relatively short commute to a pretty well paid job.

Didn't hear the OP state their current salary... Might be half the London offer for all we know.

Jx

BitterAndTwisted

The OP's and their OH's long-term career prospects might be a lot better in London than they could be in Bristol. On a combined income of £50k-odd they should be able to afford to live somewhere quite decent. Once kids come along with the consequent drop in income versus cost of childcare it might be a different story.

isisini

I've got friends who recently made this very move - from a lovely Georgian terrace in a square off Whiteladies Road, to a flat in Crouch End. They are both loving it - better career prospects, plus London is a very fun place to be if you are unencumbered, plus it's a place that lots of our Uni friends have gravitated towards so they feel much more connected. Of course, the cost of living is so much higher and in the long term they may move back West, but living in the capital can be a fabulous experience.

bluecheese1987

Thanks guys you've been a real help. I'll take this information and make a choice. Thanks again.

Cissi

I second the suggestion of looking around Kingston/Surbiton - or you may be able to find something in St Margarets / Isleworth which would keep you in Zone 4 - and maybe even within walking distance (or a short bus ride) to Richmond. Great area to start out as a young couple, and it's also a really lovely area to start a family in if this is a consideration - great sense of community, lots of parks, good schools, huge variety of activities.

I also agree with a PP who asked if you have friends in London - we moved here from Cambridge in 2000 and at the time had a number of friends in Chiswick/Barnes/Kew. As we were a few years behind them in moving to London and properties were booming, we couldn't afford those areas but ended up in St Margarets - and with hindsight, feel that that was very lucky as we absolutely loved it there. In any case, it was great to have a bit of a network nearby when we first got here. Also, for us, easy access to the South Coast (Southampton/Portsmouth) was a consideration and so we wanted to be near the A316/M3. As a PP said, if you'll be going back to Bristol regularly it's worth looking at the West side of London as anything else could easily add an hour to your journey back home.