Moving from Glasgow to Marlow with special schooling search
The Initial Enquiry
We received a call from a couple living in Glasgow who were keen to relocate to Buckinghamshire to improve their work-life balance. With one of them commuting regularly to London for work it meant that their life was divided between London and Glasgow. Bucks was chosen as an ideal location with easy commuting access to London and also easy access to Heathrow for return trips to Glasgow.
The couple’s son needed educational support for hearing difficulties so finding the right school with the provision for in-class teachers for assistance was a necessary part of the relocation criteria.
How we helped
Our first priority was to focus on school search to make sure that their son’s needs could be met. We spoke to Buckinghamshire County Council to find out what support was available and researched schools that were particularly strong in SEN (Special Educational Needs) provision. We also put our clients in touch with a SEN specialist within Bucks County Council to answer their questions.
We took the couple out for a Viewing Day in March to explore the shortlisted areas of Cookham, Bourne End, Marlow and Beaconsfield. The couple enjoyed seeing the different areas and particularly liked the riverside lifestyle of Cookham and Marlow.
Problems we faced
Family houses within catchment for great schools in sough-after towns were in short supply. One house came to the market on a Friday evening which looked like it ticked all the boxes. On making enquiries we were told that the property would only be available for sale if the vendors were successful in their bid for their desired onward property. The estate agent said that the sale would be decided by Monday and that our clients would potentially be wasting their time travelling from Glasgow to view, given the situation was so tenuous. We agreed to touch base on Monday when we were told that the onward purchase was not secured by the vendors so the property was no longer for sale.
Disappointed but undeterred, Chiltern Relocation found out about another great family house coming to the market in Marlow and pre-viewed it alongside a couple of alternative options. With the new school year starting soon the couple were very aware of their tight time frame to secure a property. We included a Wild Card property which was semi-detached and slightly over budget but knowing their preferences, it felt perfect for the couple. On seeing the video clips the couple agreed that one property was a strong contender, they dismissed the wild card due to the garden size being too small and the third looked dated but with potential. Given the demand for such family houses the estate agent of the strong contender advised viewing as soon as possible. The couple rearranged work commitments and flew down the next day.
Conclusion
On viewing the three properties the couple were surprised by how much they loved the wild card house. The strong contender that had promoted the swift viewing appointment was lovely but the couple felt that they would outgrow it within a few years. They decided to make an offer on the wild card property. The vendor was unresponsive for a week which meant the couple would most likely lose out on the smaller property if their bid for this one was rejected. With the time pressure of school starting in September and few available options it was a nerve wracking wait for news from the vendor.
Once contact had been made, protracted and challenging negotiations followed. However, our client was delighted to get their offer accepted with the condition to proceed to exchange and completion within a tight timeframe. Given our client also wanted to move quickly this suited them perfectly.
Exchange and completion happened in the same week at end of August allowing time to settle before school term commencing in September.
Here is what our clients say: "Our journey to securing a property in Marlow was anything but straightforward. Between market challenges, timing pressures, and the sheer logistics of relocating, it could have easily become overwhelming. But thanks to Chiltern Relocation, it never did. Sharon was exceptional—bringing not just professional expertise, but a deep understanding of the local market and a genuine care for our needs. Her calm, thoughtful approach helped us navigate every twist and turn with confidence. On move-in day, Kerrin provided friendly, hands-on support that made the final step feel seamless. Chiltern Relocation didn’t just help us move—they helped us land exactly where we wanted to be. If you’re facing a complex relocation and want a team that truly understands both the process and the people behind it, we couldn’t recommend them more highly".
