Esher v Weybridge v Walton on Thames

[rah1888]

Speed.deman said:

Seems a very long time to get into London though? We're keen to keep one leg in London, for as long as we can. I appreciate that over time this may change, so we may rent first.

Geographically it's a little further down the A3, but in terms of time sat on a train there's hardly anything in it.

[Speed.deman]

rah1888 said:

Geographically it's a little further down the A3, but in terms of time sat on a train there's hardly anything in it.

I anticipate that on weekends, we'd likely to drive to London with two small kids. So, I think the distance will probably be a factor as well.

[Woody.GTJ]

The trains at Weybridge and Walton are every 15 mins at least. Every other train at peak times is fast therefore its 30 mins for a fast train and 40 mins for the slower. Likewise Esher although it doesn't have the fast train.
Cobham is a nicer town than the above but the trains are a bit longer and half hourly from memory.
Walton has a very commercial but a bit crap shopping centre, albeit a few good chain restaurants.
Weybridge has a fairly st town centre
Esher is nice as far as village feel goes but it is 1 main road going through centre
Cobham has the best High Street.
Essentially when you live in any of these areas though, you will drive everywhere so you may do a big shop at Tescos in Weybridge, go to Next in Walton, eat out in Cobham and go to cinema in Esher. They're all 10-15 mins drive.
Don't worry about proximity to station as they all have big station car parks where you get yearly permits
Schools are good in all the areas but its all about being in catchments which can be quite tight.
As previously said, if it was me though I'd be in Guildford. The commute isn't bad but the town has everything you need and is self sufficient so you don't meed to go to different places for different things. You'll get more for your money and better value. In my opinion Guildford has plenty of room for capital growth still and isn't as overheated/ overrated as the others.
FWIW I'm an estate agent in Weybridge, Walton, Cobham, Esher but please don't hold that against me!

[rah1888]

Woody.GTJ said:

You'll get more for your money and better value. In my opinion Guildford has plenty of room for capital growth still and isn't as overheated/ overrated as the others.
FWIW I'm an estate agent in Weybridge, Walton, Cobham, Esher but please don't hold that against me!

As an estate agent in Guildford, I'm not sure I'd agree with all of that.

I would be surprised if a like for like house was cheaper in Guildford than in Esher/Walton/Weybridge, and also whether there was any significantly greater opportunity for capital growth.

The prime roads are highly sought after and good deals are increasingly hard to find.

[jakesmith]

Guildford is OK but despite being on a fast train line it is a significantly further distance drive from London which is a concern of the OP
It is also really very mixed in income and has some very chavy bits and people
Go out on a Friday or Saturday night for a meal and there will be loads of students, chavs, police about, same as Kingston
Nice shops, bars, bubs, restaurants no doubt but plenty not so nice too
It very much has the feeling of a provincial city which is what it is
Elmbridge is much nicer IMO

[fido]

Without knowing your budget - any reason why you're not looking further into London? I love Esher but if you're going to be travelling into London alot then train is king (even during the current strike). There's a 5/6 bed detached near me (short walk to Zone 4 station) for sale just over a million - in Esher that will get you a 3 bed semi-detached and you'll be driving everywhere.

[rah1888]

jakesmith said:

Guildford is OK but despite being on a fast train line it is a significantly further distance drive from London which is a concern of the OP
It is also really very mixed in income and has some very chavy bits and people

I think that could equally be said of Walton in particular, as well as parts of Weybridge.
The population of Guildford isn't far off the combined population of Weybridge, Walton Esher and Cobham, so not surprising there's a greater spread.

jakesmith said:

Go out on a Friday or Saturday night for a meal and there will be loads of students, chavs, police about, same as Kingston

To an extent it depends where you go. Thoughtfully the hoards of students/drunken chavs tend to congreagate in the same area, down at the bottom of town, avoid that on a Friday and Saturday night and you're fine.

jakesmith said:

Nice shops, bars, bubs, restaurants no doubt but plenty not so nice too
It very much has the feeling of a provincial city which is what it is
Elmbridge is much nicer IMO

Still a town, unlikely to ever become a city.

Having lived in Weybridge, and now living in Guildford, I much prefer Guildford.

None of which changes the fact for the OP that it's another 15mins or so on the A3 if you're frequently drivng back in to London

[Speed.deman]

Woody.GTJ said:

The trains at Weybridge and Walton are every 15 mins at least. Every other train at peak times is fast therefore its 30 mins for a fast train and 40 mins for the slower. Likewise Esher although it doesn't have the fast train.

Essentially when you live in any of these areas though, you will drive everywhere so you may do a big shop at Tescos in Weybridge, go to Next in Walton, eat out in Cobham and go to cinema in Esher. They're all 10-15 mins drive.
Don't worry about proximity to station as they all have big station car parks where you get yearly permits

Thanks very much. Good info about those trains.

Appreciate that lots drive to stations, but is traffic and finding a space an issue during rush hour?

[Speed.deman]

fido said:

Without knowing your budget - any reason why you're not looking further into London? I love Esher but if you're going to be travelling into London alot then train is king (even during the current strike). There's a 5/6 bed detached near me (short walk to Zone 4 station) for sale just over a million - in Esher that will get you a 3 bed semi-detached and you'll be driving everywhere.

Sounds great, but my understanding is the free state schooling isn't as good closer to London? Zone 4 sounds ace.

[jakesmith]

rah1888 said:

jakesmith said:

Guildford is OK but despite being on a fast train line it is a significantly further distance drive from London which is a concern of the OP
It is also really very mixed in income and has some very chavy bits and people

I think that could equally be said of Walton in particular, as well as parts of Weybridge.
The population of Guildford isn't far off the combined population of Weybridge, Walton Esher and Cobham, so not surprising there's a greater spread.

jakesmith said:

Go out on a Friday or Saturday night for a meal and there will be loads of students, chavs, police about, same as Kingston

To an extent it depends where you go. Thoughtfully the hoards of students/drunken chavs tend to congreagate in the same area, down at the bottom of town, avoid that on a Friday and Saturday night and you're fine.

jakesmith said:

Nice shops, bars, bubs, restaurants no doubt but plenty not so nice too
It very much has the feeling of a provincial city which is what it is
Elmbridge is much nicer IMO

Still a town, unlikely to ever become a city.

Having lived in Weybridge, and now living in Guildford, I much prefer Guildford.

None of which changes the fact for the OP that it's another 15mins or so on the A3 if you're frequently drivng back in to London

Agreed, I'm not advocating for Weybridge or Walton, I don't like either of them. Cobham, Oxshott, Stoke D'Abernon are a different kettle of fish IMO
If the OP is coming from NW3 and checked out Walton it would put him off moving out of London IMO

[fido]

Nope, but you could get on a train to one (secondary, primary schools are fine I think). It is a compromise which depends on your budget and what you are willing, or not, to give up. On a frosty morning like this week do you want to be de-icing the X5 and sitting in a jam or a nice/boring walk to the station with a hot coffee in hand?

Edited by fido on Friday 6th December 15:32

[Woody.GTJ]

Speed.deman said:

Woody.GTJ said:

The trains at Weybridge and Walton are every 15 mins at least. Every other train at peak times is fast therefore its 30 mins for a fast train and 40 mins for the slower. Likewise Esher although it doesn't have the fast train.

Essentially when you live in any of these areas though, you will drive everywhere so you may do a big shop at Tescos in Weybridge, go to Next in Walton, eat out in Cobham and go to cinema in Esher. They're all 10-15 mins drive.
Don't worry about proximity to station as they all have big station car parks where you get yearly permits

Thanks very much. Good info about those trains.

Appreciate that lots drive to stations, but is traffic and finding a space an issue during rush hour?

Theres always traffic but it moves, its not as slow as London. Spaces aren't a problem in the station car park, you just have to park a bit further out in the car park the later you arrive!

[shopper150]

What are people's thoughts on Woking?
Any capital growth potential?

[jakesmith]

shopper150 said:

What are people's thoughts on Woking?
Any capital growth potential?

It's a bit chav, you can't compare Woking with Cobham really
Who knows about capital growth potential. The days of crazy growth seem over now from what I can see
Once you move from prime London like NW3 you're out that's for sure so I'd move somewhere as premium as possible

[MYOB]

shopper150 said:

What are people's thoughts on Woking?
Any capital growth potential?

Absolutely no no no.

[Howard-]

With the sort of budget the OP has, there's no way I'd choose to live in any of these areas purely for the benefit of this fabled "proximity to London". It's this that keeps the house prices ridiculously high in these areas. Although I think Walton etc is cooling off a bit, and with good reason. It's an insanely overpriced place to live with crap congested roads, an average-at-best town centre, average crime and antisocial behaviour rates, and not a great deal of character.

There are plenty of areas in Berkshire around the M3/M4 corridor which are still only an hour-ish into London and, IMHO, much nicer and less congested than these areas of Surrey. 7 figures will get you a lovely spacious property in a quiet area with a nice garden for the children.

We moved from Walton to Bracknell (although with a considerably lower budget!!) and don't regret it one bit.

[Big Nanas]

shopper150 said:

What are people's thoughts on Woking?
Any capital growth potential?

Definitely nowhere near Cobham or Weybridge!
I'm in West Byfleet which has a fast train connection to Waterloo - about 30 minutes. Pyrford is next to West Byfleet and that's a lovely small village. Walking distance to West Byfleet train station and has a great brand new school.

[jakesmith]

Howard- said:

With the sort of budget the OP has, there's no way I'd choose to live in any of these areas purely for the benefit of this fabled "proximity to London". It's this that keeps the house prices ridiculously high in these areas. Although I think Walton etc is cooling off a bit, and with good reason. It's an insanely overpriced place to live with crap congested roads, an average-at-best town centre, average crime and antisocial behaviour rates, and not a great deal of character.

There are plenty of areas in Berkshire around the M3/M4 corridor which are still only an hour-ish into London and, IMHO, much nicer and less congested than these areas of Surrey. 7 figures will get you a lovely spacious property in a quiet area with a nice garden for the children.

We moved from Walton to Bracknell (although with a considerably lower budget!!) and don't regret it one bit.

Sorry this is just wrong
Bracknell is over an hour by train to Waterloo and is not particularly pleasant
It’s not a myth to name a place that is 30-35 mins out of town as being close to London.
I do agree Walton is crazy overpriced
If the guy is in NW3, one of the nicest parts of London, and used to being on the Tube then Bracknell is not going to be a contender

[Howard-]

jakesmith said:

Sorry this is just wrong
Bracknell is over an hour by train to Waterloo and is not particularly pleasant
It’s not a myth to name a place that is 30-35 mins out of town as being close to London.
I do agree Walton is crazy overpriced
If the guy is in NW3, one of the nicest parts of London, and used to being on the Tube then Bracknell is not going to be a contender

Bracknell is an hour to Waterloo vs 40 minutes from Walton. It's hardly Wales

Anyway, I didn't specifically suggest moving to Bracknell, I just noted that we did. Please read what I wrote.

And whilst it has its good and bad areas, that's true of most towns. Pretty much everything about Bracknell's infrastructure and facilities is far superior to those under Elmbridge council. I'd expect those in nicer areas such as Sunningdale, Ascot, Windsor, etc to be even better.

[jakesmith]

Idiotic