Where to buy in outer London with £200k budget?

Hoploz

I'm also near Woking. Good trains but you don't get a seat.

200k you'd get a 1-bed but only a downmarket 2-bed in this area.

I have had a property between Guildford and Aldershot for some years. It's cheaper that way, I've just sold it for 170k, modern 2 bed, neat, can walk to Ash Vale station. My husband used to commute from there. We later moved on but have had it let almost continually for the last 12 years, so it's been a useful nest-egg

chris198232

I'd look at an investment, it's clearly not a forever house so somewhere in East London with good links is a decent idea. Woolwich is up and coming so might be worth a look for 3 yrs!

laurathree

Hayes. We have a similar budget and are in the process of buying a lovely 2-bed. It's a great investment opportunity due to the Crossrail, and the mainline trains into Paddington are already fast and frequent. It's actually a nice town on its own too, and easy reach of Uxbridge for shopping, etc., if you don't want to go all the way into town. Also, it has the benefit of being within the "Greater London" area, and is a short busride away from Piccadilly, Central and Metropolitan lines should the mainline ever be playing up. I have found out the hard way that having more than one train line in to your place of work is essential.

Here's the current Zoopla listings for Hayes +1 mile (from the last 30 days). Quite a few around her budget despite the Christmas quietness:

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/flats/hayes/hayes/?added=30_days&beds_min=1&include_retirement_homes=true&include_shared_ownership=true&new_homes=include&price_max=220000&q=Hayes&radius=1&results_sort=newest_listings&search_source=refine

zizu73

Thank you all for your input. Reading sounds good but the transport costs are a bit too much for her.

Leatherhead, Epsom and Woking seems to be out of her budget, at least the nicer parts, although she might be able to get a 1 bed flat.

East London isn't really an option as she wants to be not too far from us (north west London) and our mother in Surrey (south west).

Need to check Hayes. Thanks.

What about Sutton or Croydon?

laurathree

I have only ever been to Croydon once, but a colleague lived there and when we were starting to narrow down our own search areas, she was full of horror stories and told us to steer well clear of it. I didn't see anything wrong with it when I went there but she lived there for a couple of years and felt very unsafe there.

We chose Hayes for all the reasons above plus similar to you - we wanted somewhere "affordable" in West London so it's easily for our family (who live along the M4 in various places) to come visit.

Good luck to her! It's a bloody nightmare searching, but worth it when you find somewhere.

pickles13

High Wycombe? Fast train into London Marylebone. My commute from High Wycombe into central London is 30 minutes.

andrewm1981

I've just bought a house in Mitcham (about 2 miles north of sutton). I guess you could describe it as "up and coming", but £200k gets you a 2 bed flat, zone 3, and it's going through a £6m town centre upgrade so that's always a good thing! There are nice bits like on the cricket green (where I've bought),so I'd certainly suggest it as somewhere to consider!

Andrew

Running_Horse

Dartford?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49019321.html

Running_Horse

On a different railway line, but a nice enough village near Dartford.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=STATION%5E3425&insId=2&minPrice=180000&maxPrice=210000&radius=1.0&googleAnalyticsChannel=buying

buglawton

Consider Slough. There are a few posher bits within walking distance to the station (Paddington 20 to 35 mins). It's the new 'East End' in terms of image but going through massive regeneration.