Inspired by the other thread and my vague despondency over where to move in London, what would you want from your first step on the property ladder?

The girlfriend and I are getting married soon and wanting to have a place of our own. I'm a bit tired with housing 90% of my possessions in boxes in the loft and being unable to put nails in the wall.

However this means one of two things seemingly:

1) Buying a teeny weeny 1 or 2 bedroom flat in a vaguely ok area with lots of good restaurants, pubs, transport links etc.

2) Buying a nicer, larger place in somewhere that's either shit, 'up and coming' (eg. foreseeably shit for the next 15 years) or about 45 minutes commute into London.

After a year of on / off looking, we're still totally confused. Our friend base is spreading further afield by the month. Some can afford ridiculously nice places in areas we never will, others have severely compromised and are in areas they hate and so just stay in loads.

The thing is, we selfishly want the best of both worlds. As does everybody else.

We don't mind 'edgy' areas or run down boozers (I often prefer them) but likewise it's nice to have a bit of greenery around you, innit? At the same time, we both don't really want to bring up the kids we may have in 2 years time in an area which is busy and overrun.

Would you prioritise being selfish for the here and now? Good pubs? Music venues? Green spaces? Schools? Being near someone who for all you know may move away anyhow? A variety of transport links? Making money on a place?

Because the more we try and work it out, the less idea I have whatsoever. I've started to realise that most of my social life and work is an hour away anyhow, so am starting to think moving out to Zone 4 may not be a bad thing after all.

HELP. Discuss. Suggest places which are nice, not miles away and vaguely affordable. Cheers.