Owning your own home

Talking of location -

Kingston. IIRC @Scrabble lives down that way. Anyone else? Is it any good?

I would probably research locations before houses but each to their own. You can change (most) houses but not locations etc etc.

Not, I submit, if you are talking about architecturally significant houses, which this is.

But I take your point in general terms.

Tradesmen. I've had at least 20 here this week.

I can't fucking take it anymore.

What do you want to know? Good access to the parks (Richmond and Bushey), relatively quick ride into Surrey (but, urgh, Surrey), good Waitrose/John Lewis. Other shopping somewhat focused around it being a University town.

Edit: Somehow I forgot the River, which is nice, but also gets heaving on a summers evening.

It's suffering a bit from vacant shopfront syndrome at the moment, but then it's not exactly alone there.

Reasons I shouldn’t consider it really. Wasn’t immediately horrified by what I might get for my money browsing around, and schools and stuff seem good. Transport connectivity isn’t amaze but I don’t go out anyway.

Can't really speak about schools, but yeah its nice enough in terms of green spaces. In many ways I think the slow trains are good as long as you can schedule time for them, means you get more time to decompress if you're commuting, also the bus connections are not bad.

I think its pretty boring but I don't think thats a reason to not consider it.

I need boring

But to qualify what do you mean by that? Is it all a bit “standard”? That’s kind of my impression but with my money if I want a semi with garage and four beds and a garden I can’t really stretch to more ‘interesting’ areas unless I take a punt on an area that’s a bit down but will get better.

Kingston is well 'basic'

I grew up just outside Kingston, so this is my teenage self speaking.

It's a useful place to live, 25 min train to Waterloo, near Richmond Park, nice houses, good schools or whatever, but it's Ted Baker country. The entire town centre basically smells like Lynx Africa and chicken wings after 8pm and there is always a shitty air aggression. It's simultaneously bland and garish.

I've had too many atrocious nights out there it will always have a special place of hate in my heart.

Lynx Africa and chicken wings after 8pm

#wouldrep.

I like it down here. Great spot to be as an all types of cycling cyclist who (pre covid) had to work in London. It's a good cycle commute too and while the train is crap, I think that's by the by for suburban commuting.

I agree with others who say the town is bland, but the Riverside adds a certain character. Yeah it's busy in the summer, but just don't go then. The night life is student/crap style, but I can count on one hand the times I've been in town later than 9pm. Its handy having every shop imagineable on our doorstep, but we rarely go 'into town' for anything other than running an errand.

As a young family it is ideal. I don't think there is a better corner of the world to teach kids to ride bikes. So many car free routes on my doorstep - near Canbury Park. Even a local dirt jump spot with a sort of pump track. The yoof have been hard at work over lockdown so it's looking real good ATM.

The area is a little boring/plain, but we've made some decent friends through the kid's school. Schools are generally really good, which means its not an all out bun fight to get them into a good primary. Think the secondary schools are pretty good too.

Some ok pubs about, pretty much something for every mood. Independent restruants is where it falls down a bit. Some nice places in Surbiton though. There is a bit of live music going on and the Theatre gets good stuff in, if you're into that (my misses appreciates more than me).

I generally really like it, but then I'm a bit boring, so fit right in.

But to qualify what do you mean by that? Is it all a bit “standard”?

Basically what neu said; that unless your idea of a fun night out is sinking a couple of pints of larger in a Weatherspoons and then going to a shit nightclub then there isn't too much happening of an evening

sinking a couple of pints of larger

So do you mean quarts?

gets heaving on a summers evening

There's a theme emerging here. :)

Just exchanged. Finally!

Worcester Park?
https://www.barnardmarcus.co.uk/houses-for-sale/property-details/WCP105588

@Tenderloin WOOP!

Congrats Joe

I don’t go out anymore!

Sounds like Bath when I lived there tbh. Nice but awful on a Saturday night. Pretty common to mid sized towns id imagine.

@Tenderloin - strong work!!!

& @lowbrows @Señor_Bear

Thanks !

Thought it was gonna go tits up bc our buyers didn’t have enough for the 10% deposit having said they did and then making a fuss about one of the walls. After 6m you’d have thought they’d had time for this rather than leave it to the day of exchange! Oh well got it done

Did you get anyone? We've got a guy in Brixton who has been great

Not yet, it's been a struggle - would def appreciate details of someone, cheers!

The entire town centre basically smells like Lynx Africa and chicken wings after 8pm and there is always a shitty air aggression. It's simultaneously bland and garish.

This could basically be any town centre though, minus the chicken wings it's how I remember teenage nights also.

My memories are it being a £1 a pint in Brannigans on Mondays so hazy as fuck