Wendover or Tring to buy?
Couple in early 30s looking to buy a cottage and narrowed it down to Tring or Wendover... advice needed please!
PROS WENDOVER
Found a brilliant cottage in Wendover at a steal of a price, <320k for a really spacious cottage with original beams, garden, fireplace, couple of mins walk to high street/station, large potential for attic conversion. Needs updating but not tearing apart. The place is stunning, lots of beautiful walks on doorstep, rolling hills in the distance, feels like being close to nature, like a postcard village but with shops and pubs and a small high street.
CONS WENDOVER
Wendover concerns...that will get sick of having to drive everywhere - the train line isn't the best, work (STA) would be a 40-45 minute drive away assuming traffic is OK, and going from no commute to driving daily with only a little driving experience. Would limit options for socializing / seeing friends without going to London, which we both hate. No way to get to work via train if it was ever needed, Marylebone isn't the most convenient station to get into. HS2 passes by Wendover, but having studied the maps, it will be in primarily in the green tunnel, but you obviously have construction work going on the outskirts.
PROS TRING
Tring is the other option, the pros of Tring over Wendover are transport links: the train is faster and more regular and into Euston, better connections / closer proximity to other towns in Hertfordshire like Berko, St Albans etc, nice areas with a bit more going on, slightly quicker commute, and options for doing things without necessarily having to drive everywhere are better. Could feasibly get to work via train or train with x1 change, or train/taxi, if needed. Tring looks to have more going on vs Wendover, slightly bigger high street, more to do.
CONS TRING
Tring doesn't look as picturesque, it's less green, and less options for nature on the doorstep - Wendover is prettier. The train station is 1.5-2 miles out of Tring so that would add faff and travelling time onto the journey even if the trains are better. The drive is a little shorter to work, but marginally, as Wendover isn't far past Tring. Tring is more of an unknown, as haven't found any property there, and I worry this is a "grass is greener" scenario.
Anyone live in either Tring or Wendover and can share some insights? Are these places even comparable? Doing nothing means pumping more money into rent but potentially avoiding the stress of making the "wrong" decision. Thank you!