Expert: David Stewart White - 4/27/2009

Question
dear david,
my husband's job is relocating to london.  any suggestions as to which neighborhood is the best/safest for a family with two young children under the age of 5.  also, can you advise some reputable private schools in london.  lastly,
would you recommend living in london or the suburbs?
thank you!
Alise

Answer
Hi Alise,

Your question is a bit out of my area of expertise (London tourism), but I can suggest some online resources that may be helpful:

http://www.expatfinder.com/
http://expatwomen.blogspot.com
http://www.moving2london.com/
http://www.geocities.com/thetropics/shores/9910/
http://london.fawco.org/
http://www.americanexpats.co.uk/clubs.htm

These are a mix of commercial and non-commercial sites; up-to-date and a bit dated; and perhaps a bit of sexism thrown in (multiple sites for womens groups).  I suspect you'll find a wealth of information about the practicalities of living in London from an American viewpoint--including schools and housing.

As to where to live, a lot would probably depend upon where your husband will be working and whether he would like to avoid commuting to that location by living nearby.  London's transport system is extensive, but taking it to and from work every day can get old in a hurry.  Second issue will probably be cost of living.  Central London is more expensive than suburban areas, so if cost is an issue, then this will come into play.  

Absent all other considerations, and if you are "city person", I'd pick an area in central London like Chelsea, or a bit further out in say, Hampstead.  Both are in the city, but have lots of green areas, shops, and a mix of residential and commercial locations.

I hope this is helpful.  Best of luck with your move.

Dave White