...I've got no axe to grind but I can honestly say that Surbiton is a lovely place to live.  Lots of nice places to eat and drink, riverside walks on a Sunday, good community and friendly locals.

My one negative point (and hence me leaving) is that it's nigh on impossible to buy a house as you are looking at 400k plus in the nicer areas.

But anyone looking to settle in the area or buy a flat - I can really recommend it.
EG

The location is particularly amenable as London is a very easy commute while there is a countryside feel to the town.  The large Richmond and Bushy parks are a favourite picnic spot for locals.

The sense of community in Berrylands is excellent with good schools and friendly neighbours. Children make good friends due to the proximity of family residences.
Rick

...Lived here for a while, only moving out because I bought somewhere.
The people are great, there are no unpleasant surprises and there is a great parade of restaurants, shops and coffee bars.

Surbiton is so very nice, including the newer St James complex. Highly recommended.
Georgie

...It is a very convenient place to live with its 15 minute train journey into Waterloo, and 15 minute walk in Kingston.

When you want to get away from it all, it is very easy to forget you are living in a London suburb at all, as there are riverside walks to Richmond and Hampton Court, as well as a lot of parkland in easy walking distance.

The Maple Road area is a nice, relaxed place to go out in the evening, with several nice bars and restaurants. Kingston has a lot more choice, but is a lot more frenetic.

The best areas of Surbiton to live have already been mentioned in previous comments - the 'river roads' area is about the nicest (but most expensive), followed by Cranes Park, Lovelace and Oakhill. Once you get further than this, the walk to the station/Kingston becomes longer and the roads less leafy.
Dave

... Historic Kingston Upon Thames, which has very good shopping with excellent cycle parking facilities, is only about five minutes away from Surbiton by bicycle - although it's far enough away fron the centre to be unaffected by street brawling at nightclub closing times.

There's a fast frequent train service to Waterloo, on which you can take cycles except during rush hour - and even then, you're allowed to take your cycle in the opposite direction to the bulk of the commuters, allowing you to reach Covent Garden and the West End in under half an hour, and more quickly than trying to change to the tube. 

Surbiton is also close to the picturesque Hogsmill valley that inspired the pre-Raphaelites, such as Millais and Holman Hunt, who were staying in Surbiton when they painted "Ophelia" and "The Hireling Shepherd". 

Pleasant cycling routes link the Hogsmill through Horton Country Park into Epsom Downs and the North Downs. There are many other outdoor spaces nearby that are good for leisure cycling, walking and other outdoor activities, including the Thames Path and Richmond Park. The M25 is within easy reach by car - about 15 minutes to J9 at Leatherhead, and about 20 minutes to J10 at Wisley Common. 

The churches and other community groups of Surbiton are also strong, helping you to make friends quickly.
Francis Davies

... It's a pretty convenient location right by the A3 with independent shops along the Broadway with loads of take-away options (fish and chips, pizza, Indian, Chinese, Thai, etc.) There's a Marks and Spencer, Tesco Express, Budgens, Iceland and Boots for groceries, etc. There's also a large Blockbuster video rental. Loads of charity shops for bargain hunting!

I love the indian/asian grocery shops where we can get stuff you wouldn’t normally get in Tesco's, etc. (spices, noodles, obscure fruit and veg).

The rail station is in a rather excluded location on the other side of the A3, so you have to go through a series of subways and a noisy A3 overpass to get there (apparently there are plans to put in pedestrian crossings some time in 2007). There are trains every 30 mins to Waterloo that take 35 minutes (Zone 5) There's also a Charrington Bowl alley near the station (as well as a snooker hall on the Broadway).

Good bus links going to Kingston, Epsom, Putney (265) and the 281 which is 24 hour service going to Kingston/Twickenham/Hounslow.

I've never experienced any crime since living here and people just get by. Hope this is a well rounded review of the area.
Jason

... These seven roads (Catherine, Grove, Cadogan, St Leonards, Westfiield, Cleaveland and The Mall) run parallel between Maple and Portsmouth Road.

From these roads you can walk to Surbiton centre and station in 5 minutes, Kingston centre in 15, but still have the advantage of living in very quiet, leafy roads, within a stone’s throw of the river. The good thing about of having all of the roads running parallel is that you do not get one road that is used as a particular cut-through to get from the town centre to the river. As long as you live far enough from the junction of Portsmouth Road, traffic noise is very low for such a central location.

There is a good mix of properties on these roads, each having its own character. Prices for flats are reasonable, commanding perhaps 10-15% more than the Surbiton average, but houses are scarce and more expensive - typically 25-30% higher than the average for the area.

Surbiton itself has a good selection of bars and restaurants, and Kingston has a great deal of amenities, but the unique part of living in this part of town is that you can get a ferry across the Thames to 3000 + acres of deer park. 

I can’t think of anywhere else where you can commute door to door to central London in 25 minutes (5 mins walk, 20 mins train), yet be in such a large amount of open space within 5. The only other places that can offer this sort of thing are closer to London, and a lot more expensive.
John B

...the place to be is the gorgeous leafy Cranes Park area with its wide road, lovely Edwardian conversions, boasting a magnificent cross-section of 19th/20th century architectural styles all fitting surprisingly well.

Borders of Long Ditton are also an excellent purchase area with Hook Road being the price perimeter on Tolworth.
Mr J. Smyth

All in all Surbiton is a great place to live and affordable too, compared to other similar areas within 20 minutes to central London.
James

- Sub 20 minute train service into Waterloo - 12 trains an hour at peak times.

- Lots of nice period property to choose from, often in leafy, tree lined roads.

- Plenty of bars/restaurants in the town centre. Also ok for 'local' shopping.

- It is right on the river, and only a 15 minute walk into Kingston for more extensive facilities.

- Surrounded by plenty of green space - Richmond, Bushy and Hampton Court parks are all within walking distance.

- Although the nicer parts are quite expensive, it is still quite reasonable when compared to other places with a similar commuting convenience.

Disadvantages:

- The town centre is a bit 'scruffy', due to a lack of investment over the years. It is a shame because there are some nice local shops.

- Development in the 1960s-70s was particularly unkind to Surbiton, and as a result the streets of fine Victorian houses, conversions and nicer purpose built blocks of flats are often blighted by several slab fronted, concrete monstrosities.

- Parts of surrounding Berrylands and Tolworth are not so nice, but stick to the central area and you should be ok.

All in all, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages for most people.
Rob

The houses are lovely, restaurants such as 'French Table' and 'Joy' are great. Although there are only a handful of bars, 'Rubicon' could be in central London and my local beauty salon 'Spa Fabulous' could be in trendy Chelsea!

Not to mention The French Table, Joy and Red Rose Indian restaurants plus Gordon Bennett and Rubicon Bar. The riverside walk into Kingston is pleasant.

Surbiton station has a taxi rank which is useful for those who work late/had a night out.

In reality nothing could be further from the truth. Surbiton has quite a number of nice bars and restaurants, and a super-fast train service to Clapham Junction & Waterloo. The short walk into Kingston opens up a whole raft of other nightlife (ranging from bad to great) as well as one of the country's best shopping centres.

My country dwelling mates would be quite well-served too, with nice riverside walks and easy access to Bushy and Richmond parks as well as Hampton Court palace. The area has quite a safe feel as well, certainly not like a bit further into London where you sometimes feel the need to run from your car to your front door in case you get hassled by someone.

For me Surbiton offers the best of both worlds.

Meanwhile, the riverside walks, open parkland and 15 minute drive to the 'proper' countryside give you a lot of the advantages of living further out.

All in all, Surbiton represents an excellent compromise, especially with Kingston only a 10-15 minute walk away for when you need more comprehensive shopping/entertainment.

The only disadvantages are expensive council tax, and the fact that property prices in the 'nice' parts of town are quite high.

Anyone who is hesitant to move here should read the reviews listed - they are not written by estate agents - but people like us who are delighted to have moved here.

Surbiton has everything a first time buyer is looking for. Fast train into London (19 minutes, walk along the river to Kingston's shops and bars and 15 in your car south and you're in the Surrey countryside.

Look no further if you want the pleasures of Surrey with the house prices to match!

The high street has everything from great pubs, several supermarkets, and both big chains and local shops! It is absolutely gorgeous! The river Thames on your doorstep and Kingston with its fantastic bars, shops and night clubs is within walking distance!

It has everything you could possibly need and more!

There are quite a few nice bars and restaurants in the area (especially around Maple Road). People are generally very friendly and the Victorian architecture and trees in the roads surrounding the town centre give it a very nice feel.

The shopping centre has the essentials, and Kingston is only a 10-15 minute walk away with its huge shopping centre, and plenty of more 'lively' bars and clubs.

Surbiton will never be the most fashionable area to live, but this helps to stop the prices rising too high.

If you prefer the quieter side, there's coffee bars, local parks, and a convenient high street with everything from little shops to Waitrose.

The Surbiton train station has fantastic links in to London (Waterloo in 18 minutes) and this attracts the young professionals, many of which feel that Wimbledon, Richmond and Putney are not offering anymore for their astronomical asking prices!

No matter what sort of property, and lifestyle you dream of - SURBITON will delight!

Surbiton is a much quieter town, but has a good variety of pubs, bars and restaurants, access to the river, and a frequent, sub-20 minute train link to London. Shopping is limited, but there is an M&S and a Waitrose for when you don't want to venture into Kingston.

The riverside walks between the two towns are very pleasant as well. All of this is within a 10-15 minute walk of my front door.

Surbiton is also well priced at the present time. When I bought my current property, it was a choice between a flat in Surbiton, or a house in Guildford for the same money. There is now barely a 10% difference in prices between these two towns!

All are markedly different areas, each with their own advantages. Berrylands is a series of 1930's housing estates, and is green and quiet.

Tolworth is much noisier, but offers good transport links, and some shopping facilities in the Broadway.

Surbiton itself lies just to the south of Kingston. Housing here is mainly Victorian, and most are in close proximity of the town centre, River Thames and Kingston. Trains to Waterloo take 15 minutes from Surbiton. The town offers good local shopping, and quite a few nice restaurants.

Surbiton itself is markedly more expensive than the other two areas, and therefore estate agents tend to list Berrylands and Tolworth property as 'Surbiton'.

Surbiton offers a lot of handsome period properties of all sizes, often in attractive, quiet, tree lined roads. It is possible to walk to the Thames in 5 minutes from the town centre.

The final attraction is the 12 trains per hour, 15 minute commute into Waterloo. This is the quickest entry into London from Zone 6, and probably quicker than most stations in Zones 3 & 4.

Some may find the prices a little expensive, but they are a great deal less than those in more fashionable areas such as Richmond which would struggle to offer the combination of benefits that Surbiton does.

Local restaurants are suberb - try the RaJ (Indian), Ming (Chinese) Nosh (lebanese), Emporio and La Taraza (both Italians) all excellent on Ewell Rd.

Kingston town centre is easily accessible via car / bus / cycle and provides good leisure shopping, trendy bars, clubs and restaruants many of which overlook the River Thames.

For food shopping there is an excellent M&S foodstore along with Iceland, Tesco Metro, and Budgens situated in Tolworth.

The area really does offer something for everyone. I would definetaly recommend it for anyone looking to move out of London without wishing to loosing touch with it.

Although it is well located for these benefits, it is far less congested than Kingston itself, or other surrounding areas.

Prices have gone up, but other formerly cheaper areas seem to have moved faster still, making Surbiton fairly good value as well.

Now if only I could afford to move back there...

West Tolworth, in particular, has a fine grid of late Victorian and Edwardian properties the like of which is only matched by parts of North Kingston. However West Tolworth is arguably quieter and does not suffer from the parking problems associated with Kingston and central Surbiton. In addition many of the properties are very generously proportioned and have huge gardens (120 ft plus), which are idea for young families and lead to a perception of being far away from Central London when in reality it is located only 10 miles away.

Surbiton is a 15 minute walk with its excellent train service to London Waterloo which has a massive 11 trains per hour taking only 20 minutes (12-15 minutes for non stopping fast trains).

Although Ewell Road in Tolworth does provide a surprising amount of good quality restaurants and pubs, for late night activities/shopping Kingston is your best bet being only 3 miles distant (5 minute drive or £5 in a cab).

In all Tolworth is a very friendly area comprising a genuine mix of young professionals commuting into Waterloo and families who benefit from being within the catchment area for many highly regarded schools and a plentiful supply of recreational facilities and parks.

It is a very attractive area, with lots of good period property, tree-lined roads as well as easy access to the river and open parkland.

The town itself is full of good quality bars and restaurants, but if you fancy a little bit more, you are 10 minutes away from Kingston on foot, or 15 minutes from the West End by train.

All in all, Surbiton offers a combination of benefits that is hard to beat.

It is so well served by Surbiton main-line station, one of the few London Waterloo links that has over 11 trains into London every hour and it can take only 12 mins (fast service).

Historical Kingston-upon-Thames with its great shopping facilities and night life is only a ten minute walk along the beautiful Queen's promenade which flanks the River Thames at the end of Grove Road. Right opposite the end of Grove Road is a ferry which can take you across the river to the ancient Hampton Court Park where a public footpath winds through hidden treasures of lakes and oak trees and eventually to Hampton Court Palace.

Surbiton has lots of great restaurants, bars and has quite a youthful community who are generally very friendly people. I have never heard of any break-ins where I live and have never felt concerned about crime around here.

I love it here.

It is so well served by Surbiton main-line station, one of the few London Waterloo links that has over 11 trains into London every hour and it can take only 12 mins (fast service).

Historical Kingston-upon-Thames with its great shopping facilities and night life is only a ten minute walk along the beautiful Queen's promenade which flanks the River Thames at the end of Grove Road. Right opposite the end of Grove Road is a ferry which can take you across the river to the ancient Hampton Court Park where a public footpath winds through hidden treasures of lakes and oak trees and eventually to Hampton Court Palace.

Surbiton has lots of great restaurants, bars and has quite a youthful community who are generally very friendly people. I have never heard of any break-ins where I live and have never felt concerned about crime around here.

I love it here.

It represents the perfect compromise between accessibility and environmental quality - 20 minutes to London yet within walking distance of the Thames and Kingston shopping centre, and minutes from the countryside. Guess that's why I came back here. But, as you would expect, property is not cheap.

Travelling into Central London is also very easy with regular trains to Waterloo and average journey times being less than 25 minutes. In a nutshell, Surbiton offers the convenience of living in London in a village atmosphere without the hustle and bustle of the city.