Please clue me up about Godalming
Discussion
Wife and I have been looking at buying a bigger house for about a year. We're currently in Richmond and running out of space. One 3 year old, another child due pretty much any day now.
Our focus has turned to Godalming. What's good/bad, where should be looking, where are the areas we'd be advised to avoid? Any poor schools?
We've been into the town a few times and really like it, and have started tentatively looking at a few houses. Not seriously yet, but you have to start somewhere.
We want 3 bedrooms, off street parking for 2 cars, plus garage or car port (or space to build), 15 min walk to rail station for her commute and on the right side of town to get onto the A3 for mine - I'll be going to Slough every day.
Milford/Witley are out. We're unsure about Farncombe.
Just after opinions and any local knowledge really!
Our focus has turned to Godalming. What's good/bad, where should be looking, where are the areas we'd be advised to avoid? Any poor schools?
We've been into the town a few times and really like it, and have started tentatively looking at a few houses. Not seriously yet, but you have to start somewhere.
We want 3 bedrooms, off street parking for 2 cars, plus garage or car port (or space to build), 15 min walk to rail station for her commute and on the right side of town to get onto the A3 for mine - I'll be going to Slough every day.
Milford/Witley are out. We're unsure about Farncombe.
Just after opinions and any local knowledge really!
We've considered the Berks/Bucks area; Slough's the pits, Windsor doesn't have housing stock with parking unless you want to be 30 mins walk from Riverside station or on top of a council estate. Maidenhead is good on paper but has a distinctly 'Hounslowy' feel about it (her words), same goes for Woking. Weybridge is too expensive and a bit of a weird mix of very wealthy and very poor. Chalfonts/Beaconsfield are a bit too far for her commute and family, which is all SW London and Hants/Sussex. Mrs needs the Waterloo connection for work really. Marlow was a goer but we had a few things fall through last year and now can't afford the area we want - mainly due to Crossrail. Wokingham is OK, but falls short; it's a compromise and we'd both rather have the peace and quiet of Godalming with longish commutes rather than the bustle of Wokingham, which is basically 'just another provincial town'.
The commute to Slough is a slight concern, but I'll move my hours from the standard 8.30-5 to 7-3.30 so I should miss most of it. I'm doing a few trials runs to test the water at the moment, combined with a few viewings. Did it in 1h8m yesterday leaving at 4, the biggest problem was getting out of Slough and across Windsor.
The commute to Slough is a slight concern, but I'll move my hours from the standard 8.30-5 to 7-3.30 so I should miss most of it. I'm doing a few trials runs to test the water at the moment, combined with a few viewings. Did it in 1h8m yesterday leaving at 4, the biggest problem was getting out of Slough and across Windsor.
Have you looked at the environs of Brookwood / Pirbright / Worplesdon / Frimley Green?
They are all on the egde of Woking, Guildford and near the Surrey Hampshire borders. So not in town but near enough for visits, fantastic train and road links, and a good mix of urban/rural depending on your requirements.
They are all on the egde of Woking, Guildford and near the Surrey Hampshire borders. So not in town but near enough for visits, fantastic train and road links, and a good mix of urban/rural depending on your requirements.
I know it's not particularly desirable, but how about Bracknell or the surrounding area? Not too far from Slough and has a station that takes you into Waterloo (or Reading in the opposite direction), and close proximity to the M3 and M4. The town centre has been flattened and a new shopping centre is being built, due to complete next year. House prices are on the up and I think they'll continue to rise as the town centre takes shape. You might find you get more property for your money. Plus, it's surrounded by quite a bit of green space.
swerni said:
No disrespect, by why on earth would anyone want to move from Richmond to Bracknell?
The Bracknell suggestion is logical, as is Maidenhead etc. but where my wife is concerned, it's this in a nutshell. She grew up in the area. I grew up in nice village just outside Portsmouth. I'd be happy with a village near to a big town, but she wants more of the towny stuff on the doorstep. Not big shops, just cafes and a bit of life as she'll be stay at home mum for the next couple of years. Godalming (and Marlow) are ideal.swerni said:
No disrespect, by why on earth would anyone want to move from Richmond to Bracknell?
Quite, as I said, it's not particularly desirable town and it certainly doesn't have the prettiness of Richmond, but it does tick a few boxes in terms of location and transport links. If the OP is struggling to find a suitable property I was just suggesting another option to consider that might give them the property they want (plus more) at a price that is lower than other towns in the area.I know I wouldn't want to drive from Godalming to Slough every day. I did Sandhurst to Bracknell for a number of years (7 miles) and that could be bad enough.
Eric Mc said:
Is the Guildford or Farnham area out off the question?
How about places like Normandy, Puttenham, Shackleford?
Rather more than 15 minutes walk to a station from the villages, I'd have thought. If Milford/Witley are too small for the cafe culture (not sure that Godalming has much of that, to be honest!) Haslemere has better train services. Alternatively, if the journey to Slough is priority, what about Sunningdale, Egham, Virginia Water, West Byfleet?How about places like Normandy, Puttenham, Shackleford?
Edited to say, definitely avoid Farncombe - I have heard of these referred to as 'farncombe trees'
Edited by Dand E Lion on Friday 15th April 11:24
Farnham's nice but a bit out of budget. One we're watching though. Guildford is an area we'd go for but don't know much about it, when we had a little poke about it seemed most of the housing we'd be able to afford was in Burpham/Merrow and wife thought she'd end up driving to the station for the train, which isn't ideal. Our opinion is the middle is mainly shops and offices or smallish terraces with street parking, and everything else is more than a mile from the trains. We went into Godalming by accident having failed to find anywhere to park and getting fed up!
There seems to be a strong mummy scene in Godalming, maybe not café centred but there's plenty going on from what we've heard and seen.
There seems to be a strong mummy scene in Godalming, maybe not café centred but there's plenty going on from what we've heard and seen.
Dand E Lion said:
Edited to say, definitely avoid Farncombe - I have heard of these referred to as 'farncombe trees'
Common problem with those as the base pole corrodes from the inside just above ground level.Edited by Dand E Lion on Friday 15th April 11:24
But the main problem is the pegs, look at the size of them for gripping all that plus sized clothing.....
They were never designed for that loading
SVTRick said:
Dand E Lion said:
Edited to say, definitely avoid Farncombe - I have heard of these referred to as 'farncombe trees'
Common problem with those as the base pole corrodes from the inside just above ground level.Edited by Dand E Lion on Friday 15th April 11:24
But the main problem is the pegs, look at the size of them for gripping all that plus sized clothing.....
They were never designed for that loading
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