Does anyone live/ know what St. Albans is like ?

[Kmx]

Just wondering if anyone can give me an insight as I've never been & will only have the opportunity to look around a couple of places before moving. So it needs to be fairly close to London but I'm mainly looking for a nice family friendly area. Lots to do like parks, high street, restaurants coffee shops toddler groups. Good schools and nurseries.

I know it's a big wish list but I just want it to be a move which I won't regret. Thought someone on here may be able to offer advice. Which areas to avoid/ go to thanks xxxx

 

[supertabby]

I haven't lived in St Albans but my sil and bil did for a few years and we visited often, it's a lovely place. In terms of family friendly restaurants, coffee shops and parks etc there's plenty. And I don't think there's much in terms of "bad" areas. It's a direct train into the city, takes about half an hour. St Albans is very popular with professionals commuting into London.

Don't know much about schools and nurseries etc, because my sil and bil moved to another town when they wanted to start a family - not because it isn't a family place but because it's such an expensive placeto live. They were in a 1 bed flat and could only afford a family house if they left St Albans - and they are professionals. I imagine being a desirable location the schools are probably good - check Ofsted website for more info though.

 

[flump1]

St albans is a fantastic place to live but very popular and expensive! The town has lots of shops, coffee shops, restaurants ect. There is also verulamium park which has lots of green space, a lake to walk round, splash park, play areas a newly built swimming pool/gym complex (westminster lodge). I wouldnt say theres anywhere that is considered a 'bad' area to live in st albans but it is quite a large place and i grew up in a local village (wheathampstead) so would only be able to help with specific roads and things there. I now live in welwyn garden city now which isnt far from st albans and also has very good train links into london. Its has very good shopping centre and lots of outstanding rated primary schools to choose from plenty for a young growing family here i would reccomend it. Good luck it must be a very difficult task when you know nothing about the areas. (sorry im typing this on my phone so might be a bit muddled with spelling mistakes!)

 

[Kmx]

Thanks for your reply. That's really useful. Yeh it's really hard where I live there are a lot of good and bad areas quite close together and I wouldn't be happy living in the bad area and I fear I choose somewhere "bad" lol. I just want somewhere with lots to do as I won't have any family to babysit so want to be able to do family stuff with lo as much as possible.

The thing is I own my house up here but don't want to sell it just yet so I'm planning on renting this out and renting down in England. I know people say it's expensive but is £1100 for a 2 bed house with a garden realistic or not? where I currently live that could get me a 5 bed lovely house to rent so it's a bit rubbish really! But just don't know if it's more expensive than this or not when people say it's "expensive" I don't really know how expensive lol xxx

 

[flump1]

For 1100 i think you would be able to find a 2 bed terraced house in st albans but probs on the small side, towards the outskirts of st albans for that money you may be able to find bigger or even 3 bed house.depends how near trainstation you need to be, if within walking distance id say that would need to be your minimum budget that you would need. you deffinately wouldnt be short of things to do here and has such good access to london but you still get benefits of green spaces and countryside around , here in welwyn garden city you could get a nice 2 bed house for around 1000 x

 

[sparkle_1979]

My friend works in London and commutes from there, she loves it. She's worked in New York, Florida and years lived in London. It must be quite nice for her to speak so highly of it x

 

[caz_hills]

Used to live near there and it's lovely - such a gorgeous place to bring kids up. Huge parks, lovely restaurants, 25 minutes direct into London - can't get better (but houses are expensive!) x