FTB – Advice on areas to buy c. £230k 3 bed house with good commute into central London

hhunter

Hello All,

I’m a first time buyer, currently living and working in central London. I’ve lived in inner London for most of my life, but will be forced to move away since my budget (230-235kish - could probably do 250k at a push, but I would rather not stretch it) won’t buy a shed here, let alone a 3 bed house! I would like to stay as close to London as possible, due to work and family ties, so I’m looking for advice on areas that would be best suited please.

Both train and road links / commute times are important to me, as is the safety of the area (single lady living alone to start off with, but hoping to make it a family home over the next few years). I’m also looking for something that at most will only need painting and / or new carpets.

So far, the areas that seem to fit the bill in terms of 3-bed budget and commute are Basildon and Medway (Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester), but these areas also don’t seem to have the best reputations. I’ve never been to any of the Medway towns, and I’ve only been to Basildon a couple of times, so have limited experience to go on. I’m currently leaning towards Basildon, or any area between there and London e.g. Purfleet, Grays, Tilbury, because the commute will be easier and cheaper, but there seem to be some quite nice houses in Medway. I would really appreciate any insight or advice that people may have, e.g. are there any other locations you would suggest I look at apart from these 2, or particular places in Basildon or Medway that you would recommend / avoid?

Also, do you think my search will be easier and more productive if I can settle on and focus on just one area? I’m a complete newbie at this, and don’t have many people around me that have experience of buying, so any other general advice you may have will also be very much welcomed.

Thanks in advance!

Cakeguts

You aren't going to get a house in a good area and in good condition with 3 beds close to London for £250k. To get something at that price you are going to have to be somewhere quite a long way out.

Badger50

You could get something quite nice for that budget in Rugby - only an hour by train to London Euston. Cheapest annual season ticket is about £6000.

diggingdude

I used to commute from Kettering. Just under an hour on the train

Cakeguts

I found something in Harlow to give and example of what is available. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64953571.html

Doozergirl

Why the need to get to Central London if the salaries only allow a modest (if unfairly so) purchase?

If one has a job paying six figures annually that supports the purchase of a property in London, great, but the quality of life outside London is so much better compared to house prices. Salaires may be marginally smaller but everything else is cheaper and commutes are smaller.

If you're at the point where you want to move out of London for whatever reason, then why not consider somewhere that's actually nice, with a reasonable commute, not more money being spent on travel than on the lifetime's investment of a house?

I'm an ex-Londoner too. I still love the place and am there all the time, actually enjoying it because I can afford to spend money there. There's no joy in commuting in and out of it every day to a run down area. We have a good house, a good living, kids in great schools. My husband works in London much of the week, simply because it does pay to do so when we can take on large contracts.

It's sad that people can't afford to stay where they grew up, but there's better to be found than clinging desperately to its grotty outskirts, tens of miles away. There is life after London. Food for thought, perhaps.

Haylescom

I'm from Harlow. For the money you want to spend you'd be hard-pushed to find a house in a better part of the town and one that was of a solid brick-built construction. Our 2 bed sold 2 years ago for £215k and was in a less desirable part of town, 2 bed houses in the same area selling for £250k now.

theinbetweener007

Ive lived in Thurrock for the majority of my life. Do not even consider tilbury, purfleet or Grays. Some areas of Basildon are fine but do not rush. Have you looked at corringham? Very short drives to Stanford le hope station or Basildon station to catch c2c into London (40mins). For 250k you can get a 3 bed with nice garden. Safe area especially ;old corringham!!!8217; which is either side of lampits hill.

HampshireH

Or the other way; Reading (cheap and direct into Paddington. Basingstoke 40mins into Waterloo. You can get 3 bed houses for 230-250 in both these places depending on what type of house you want.

bouicca21

Several of my colleagues live out Wisbech way. They say it's an easy commute in, but almost always standing only on the journey home.

hhunter

Thanks all, you've definitely given me some food for thought. I'll have a look at the areas suggested and take it from there!