I'd heartily recommend the villages around Aylesbury (though we're at the very edge of that district so we're actually closer to Thame) - reasonable prices, big gardens, lots to do, kids are all really well behaved, nice country pubs, and easy to get into Oxford or London. No clue about IT jobs out this way, but you'd be close to Milton Keynes which was already mentioned, Oxford, and Aylesbury which I should think might turn up something....
