Moving to the Uk - ideas on places to live?

[londonbabe]

We have just been told today that we are moving to the UK. My husband will be working in Liverpool Street in central London. We are a family of 4 (2 under 7) and want to live in the suburbs. I need to narrow down my search as there are too many places to look at and I will only have 2-3 weeks to find a area and a school over the summer. We want a garden and a bit of greenery, we would rather have space whilst we are there.

Can anyone give me a few places to research that will be commutable to Liverpool Street.

Help!!!

[Landed lord]

I own 3 properties and live in one of them. The three places - Islington, Camden and One Hyde Park are pretty good. I'd recommend it.

[kate smith]

Google london tubes and look on the tube map the convenient stops to liverpool street without having to change lines

Once you have established tube station, then I suggest you start looking for suitable schools, then look for accomodation next.

A good site is called upmystreet it has good info on the types of people that live around the area

btw its been -3C this week in London! So get ready for cold unless of course you are going in the summer

good luck with your new posting

[Derp]

Define commutable.  I used to work in Dev Square, several of my colleagues lived in Leicester and would commute daily.

[Us too]

We're in a similar situation (same train line too!).  We're thinking Chelmsford or Bishop's Stortford.  I haven't checked out Chelmsford too much yet but I have looked quite a bit at Bishop's Stortford and the schools are all good according to Ofsted - it is looking favourite for us at the moment because of that (our children are older though so I'm looking at Secondary Schools).

Sorry I can't help you with the London suburbs as we really don't want to live in London so we haven't checked them out.

[expatica]

Chingford is a London suburb (postcode E4) located on the edge of Epping Forest in NE London. It's a nice area as the countryside is on the edge of town and lots of outdoor things to do with little ones eg. feeding ducks at the ponds, spotting deer and birds, nature walks in the forest (thousands of acres) and lots of golf courses in the area, sailing school and riding school. We have friends (now expats themselves) who lived in a gorgeous spacious 1930s mock-Tudor style house (houses of this era usually have large gardens, ideal for families) within walking distance of Chingford station (and the town shops) and very middle-class. I think Chingford Hatch is the less-affluent part of town.

The husband worked in an investment bank near Liverpool St and it's a very quick commute (26 minutes) as the trains are overland and run very frequently to Liverpool St Station with few stops en-route. I can't put links here but you can google Chingford Railway Station and look up the timetable.

Alternatively check out Loughton (pronounced Lou-ton as in loud). It's also a town in Epping Forest but in the county of Essex, about 4 miles from Chingford. Loughton is on the London Underground network (Central Line) which also goes to Liverpool St, albeit with many stops. Again it's a middle-class commuter town - but avoid the Debden suburb which is more industrial and most properties are former council homes.

Chigwell, Essex....not my cup of tea, lots of new flashy/tacky mansions but it's the 'nouveau rich' eg. football stars, some TV stars - but on the edge of the countryside.

[londonbabe]

Hi, thanks for all the helpful responses.

UsToo - yes, we have been looking at that area too - Bishops Stortford, Saffron Walden and Ware. I think we are going to end up over that way too. It's quite near the in-laws though 

I have lived in the UK before, but in S. London so know it a little, but not those areas commutable into Liverpool Street.

UsToo - did you contemplate the private schools around there at all? I have been looking at a few in BS and SW but am not too sure if I wold be throwing good money down the pan if the state schools are OK.

[Us too]

We didn't look at private - I don't think I would unless the local authority couldn't put us in a reasonably good state school.

[Look to the setting sun.]

Everywhere east and north of liverpool street in london are dumps and out of london in those directions the trains are awful.

Live in west london and commute by tube.Ealing Chiswick,Richmond.

That way u wont free so let down after sgp life.

[South east?]

Try greenwich or blackheath
Nice areas, village feel, easy commute.

[BrassMonkey]

Everywhere east and north of liverpool street in london are dumps and out of london in those directions the trains are awful.

Live in west london and commute by tube.Ealing Chiswick,Richmond.

That way u wont free so let down after sgp life.

I now live in Chiswick and believe me, nice as it is compared with a lot of London, it's not a patch on Singapore. The fact that it is currently -4 outside isn't helping a lot either.

[mum 2-2]

Commutes from Hertfordshire pretty easy and housing much cheaper - St Albans and Berkhampstead are both nice

[w4 4me]

Hi i lived 4 yrs in singers and same in chiswick after 1 yr of reculture adjusting i now love london and chiswick life. Good restaurants, safe environ,parks,river walks, good transport, good shopping in richmond, chiswick westfield, ken, without the crowds.and more importantly a culture in london!
The only reason for going to sgp is salary package and travel (out of sgp).  After which it provides enough to get out and lown ur own home in the best location in london!

[kate smith]

Chiswick is a little expensive though because of its location.

[Cheapside?]

Maybe acton or shepards bush is more in ur price range/style