Moving house ... advise needed (from the Crowthorne posse)
Discussion
Right the Cloth's are upping sticks come the new year and one of the plans is to relocate south a bit.
Charlotte (mrs C) works in Kingston and drives in, hence better access to the M3 is ideal (curr she does M4/M25 then M3 and the first two are the slow bit). However we need to stay accessible to Twyford if we want to retain Mother in Law free childcare benefits - so say 20-25 mins max from there still.
Sticking pins in maps throws up the popular Ph stomping ground of Crowthorne and the surrounds. Can locals of this enclave give me some heads up as to where is nice and where to avoid. Basically we are looking at ideally getting bit more house for the money than you get in Maidenhead without resorting to a Baghdad on Thames, we will be upping the budget as well but it all helps. Lots of areas show up near Crowthorne like Sandhurst, Little Sandhurst, Finchampstead, & Yateley. I guess Crowthorne is quite nice as a couple of you (Dave & Ben) come from there, but I know nothing of the others so just some yays or nays, to save me getting excited when I see a mansion available for 99p and wonder why it is so cheap.
Charlotte (mrs C) works in Kingston and drives in, hence better access to the M3 is ideal (curr she does M4/M25 then M3 and the first two are the slow bit). However we need to stay accessible to Twyford if we want to retain Mother in Law free childcare benefits - so say 20-25 mins max from there still.
Sticking pins in maps throws up the popular Ph stomping ground of Crowthorne and the surrounds. Can locals of this enclave give me some heads up as to where is nice and where to avoid. Basically we are looking at ideally getting bit more house for the money than you get in Maidenhead without resorting to a Baghdad on Thames, we will be upping the budget as well but it all helps. Lots of areas show up near Crowthorne like Sandhurst, Little Sandhurst, Finchampstead, & Yateley. I guess Crowthorne is quite nice as a couple of you (Dave & Ben) come from there, but I know nothing of the others so just some yays or nays, to save me getting excited when I see a mansion available for 99p and wonder why it is so cheap.
Hi TC.
I moved to Crowthorne 12 years ago, 'cos it seemed a pleasant place, esy access to the motorway network(M3, M4, M40 & M25) and to heathrow (i used to travel a lot on business) and most importantly because i could afford it
Three years later, we decided it was definately the place to be, and upgraded a little, but stayed in Crowthorne. We have three pubs, 5 restaurants and schools all within walking distance. Crowthorne sprawls out over quite a large area, and as such there are nice bits, and some not so nice. The schools seem fine, but not exceptional. Both my daughters, 14 and 17 years have gone/are going through the local state schools.
I don't know too much about living in the surrounding areas, but:
Sandhurst - there are a couple of nice streets, but i personally would avoid living there.
Little Sandhurst - could be a possibility. Fairly quiet and some nice bits.
Finchampstead & Yateley - both sprawl out too. Some very expensive areas which are out of my league, but also some good bits, and some less so.
There, i think i have said everything and nothing!
Best thing to to is to come over, and i'll give you a guided tour of the good and the bad - it wouldn't take too long.Bring a local street map and we can mark out the desireable areas.
HTH
I moved to Crowthorne 12 years ago, 'cos it seemed a pleasant place, esy access to the motorway network(M3, M4, M40 & M25) and to heathrow (i used to travel a lot on business) and most importantly because i could afford it
Three years later, we decided it was definately the place to be, and upgraded a little, but stayed in Crowthorne. We have three pubs, 5 restaurants and schools all within walking distance. Crowthorne sprawls out over quite a large area, and as such there are nice bits, and some not so nice. The schools seem fine, but not exceptional. Both my daughters, 14 and 17 years have gone/are going through the local state schools.
I don't know too much about living in the surrounding areas, but:
Sandhurst - there are a couple of nice streets, but i personally would avoid living there.
Little Sandhurst - could be a possibility. Fairly quiet and some nice bits.
Finchampstead & Yateley - both sprawl out too. Some very expensive areas which are out of my league, but also some good bits, and some less so.
There, i think i have said everything and nothing!
Best thing to to is to come over, and i'll give you a guided tour of the good and the bad - it wouldn't take too long.Bring a local street map and we can mark out the desireable areas.
HTH
I can tell you the bits of crowthorne I wouldn't want to live in... Finchampstead is nice, Nathan lives over near yately (make of that what you will
). little sandhust is okay.The side of crowthorne me and David live on is probably the easiest for getting to both the M3 and the M4 / over toward Twyford, the bits between wokingham and crowthorne probably fit the bill too
I lived in Blackwater for 17 years: on the whole not as nice as it used to be but there are some gems tucked away behind the estate roads.
I've been in Yateley for 14 years now on the "much sought-after" Monteagle estate and we were lucky to move in when prices were at their lowest. 1 bed flats to 5 bed detatched on the 20 year-old estate but, again, some REALLY nice places hidden away in the older parts of the town. Good schools, pubs, shops etc.
I've been in Yateley for 14 years now on the "much sought-after" Monteagle estate and we were lucky to move in when prices were at their lowest. 1 bed flats to 5 bed detatched on the 20 year-old estate but, again, some REALLY nice places hidden away in the older parts of the town. Good schools, pubs, shops etc.
I've just moved to Sandhurst, or the College Town part of it, and it seems really nice, quiet etc. Bracknell (Swinley) Forest is just on your doorstop, which is great for cycling.
I work over towards Kingston too, Surbiton actually, and come straight down the M3/A316 - traffic is busy, but generally it keeps moving.
I work over towards Kingston too, Surbiton actually, and come straight down the M3/A316 - traffic is busy, but generally it keeps moving.
VerySideways said:
I live in Bracknell.
And that's the kicker in't it 
. Seen some interesting looking places online, will maybe pay a visit next week (once my end of year accounts are finally packaged off to the accountant
) - David do you work all weekdays now or is more 'sporadic' than that? More good news today is that a parent who we know from Linus' school wants to know when we go on the market as very interested in buying our house, so may even have an easy sale on our hands... and without having to deal with any blaaahhdy estate agents to boot.
VerySideways said:
I'm now living quite literally a stone's throw from Coral Reef and The Look Out, fantastic access to M3 and M4, easy to Twyford, good house prices and great place to have dogs and/or kids because of Swinley Forest being on the doorstep. Donwside? I live in Bracknell.
Where do you live Pete? We must almost be neighbours, as I live in Bracknell a stone's throw from The Look Out as well! At least we can admit to being Bracknellites! The Mercedes Benz of "Ascot" garage that's 100 yards from our house are in denial they're actually located in Bracknell though
Andy_CTR said:
At least we can admit to being Bracknellites! The Mercedes Benz of "Ascot" garage that's 100 yards from our house are in denial they're actually located in Bracknell though
Bet most people who live there say they live in Ascot Edited by Dave 500 on Wednesday 7th November 22:26
VerySideways said:
Andy, i'm behind Sainsbury's and the Royal Expensive Tennis Club (or whatever it's called), Birch Hill i think? Are you in Forest Park then?
I'm in Martin's Heron, so prob about a 3 wood from the Look Out rather than a stone's throwA stone's throw from the new Merc garage on London Road though if you know it (used to be called Baldocks)...
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