Honest opinions on Bromley please

[beaglesaresweet]

Is it a good place to live, or a dull overcrowded suburb as some think?

I've been to the High street once, and it all chains and not anything special, but maybe there ae some areas away from there?

What are the best streets/areas within easy access to B.South (walk or bus)? Is it safe to walk at night?

I'm attracted by reasonable prices and quick links to London, but I wonder why is it cheaper than many other surrounding areas.

What are the people like?

If you think Bromley is not great, any recommendations nearby with a train to london? Budget is modest but not fussed about size of garden.

if you know of anyone wanting to sell a nice but smallish house or a large period flat, can you point me in their direction!?

[Ihatemytoes]

I live in Hayes. It's about 10 mins on the bus to Bromley South, I love it here because you're near to the shops of Bromley, but you've also got pretty villages like Downe nearby too. I find it safe at night, but I grew up in Hackney so not much phases me! You can get to London Victoria from Bromley south in about 15 mins too. There's also a Hayes to Charing cross service. Beckenham is nearby, which has a nice High street with independent shops.

[beaglesaresweet]

thank you, Ihatemytoes, can you point me to the street names in Hayes so I can look on google street view. Are there amenities in Hayes itself - own small high st.? I do need a link to Victoria but not on daily basis, and that's te main attraction of Bromley. Are there nice parks in Hayes or Bromley or nearby?

[Ihatemytoes]

Have a look at Hayes lane, hayes street, Mounthurst road. Old Hayes is very pretty, nice pub, The George, café, and a sort of bistro type place. also antique shops, and other stuff! station approach is a mini high street, with butcher, greengrocer, bakers, etc. I like it here! There are 2 small parks, both with ducks(!), and Hayes common is nice for walking.

[beaglesaresweet]

thanks very much, toes! it does look quite sweet and unpretentious. No properties in my bidget in Hayes itself atm, but I'm looking in the area south of B.South station, so that's a walk to Hayes, I assume.
So is the whole aera quite safe, i.e. to walk in the evenings? also, you mentioned two small parks, is te big park near Beckengam nice? or any others maybe by bus?

I'm going to look at the area this coming week.

[beaglesaresweet]

budget

[CreatureRetorts]

I live in beckenham. Beckenham is great. There's Kelsey park which is very good and beckenham place park which is more woodland - dog walkers like it but nice for a stroll with the kids.

What's your budget?

[Madamecastafiore]

ILs used to live there and DH grew up there. It has gone downhill greatly over the past 10 years.

[Ihatemytoes]

I disagree.

[Ihatemytoes]

I meant to say I disagree that Bromley has gone downhill greatly.

[ThisOneThatOne]

We used to live there. It's ok, some parts are lovely, others not so much (it's London's biggest borough!). We liked parts of Bromley North, especially 'Old Town' and Sundridge Park- trains go into Charing X and London Bridge from there (with short connecting service). Chislehurst is quite near by, worth considering, although more expensive.

[CreatureRetorts]

Yes I don't think bromley has gone down hill

I sort of know the area you mean - between Bromley and Hayes. It's a bit of no-mans land as in just residential but seems nice enough.

[beaglesaresweet]

ThisOne, I don't really see Bromlety as a london borough - it's still classed as Kent on rightmove too, unless maybe some parts (N Bromley?) overlap. Chislehurst is definitely unlike London or any city, but although I've heard it's nice, it's too expensive for me, sadly.
I prefer links to Victoria rather than LB.

Creature, I don't mind a no mans land, as to me the whole point is being able to be in Central London in 30min incl the walk to station! enough action there! Lots of places I considered before are nicer but I'm can't have lonf journeys to London, even though not on daily basis sometimes I would go daily). If anything I'd like something peaceful but quite nice-looking iykwim, i.e. green and houses well kept etc.
I think I couldn't stretch to Beckenham from what I've seen - I need a 2 bed house or a 3 bed flat (no basements), for up to 270 asking, if it needs a lot of work then less. Bromley seemed within but as I'm finding out, cheaper places get snapped up!

I'm very disappointed that the two propertied I wanted to view are under offer as I found out (the agents don't say this on the listings - they say they will advertise until contracts exchanged - what's wrong with the 'under offer' tag though?? people will keep phoning)- no trip this week as a result! seems like they get snapped up! one one was a shabby (70s) flat but really large with garage and top floor, and 10min to station - loved the room sizes!

I wouldn't mind places a bit further if they aer nicer, but have no clue (up to 35-40min to Victoria), though the shorter the better. Don't like Sutton though, only one fast train an hour and it's further out and dull.

I so wish I could find a private seller - the agents are a pain.

[beaglesaresweet]

'I can't have long journeys', that is.

[saintlyjimjams]

We lived in Bromley common 12 years ago - we liked it

[beaglesaresweet]

sorry for lots of typos and exclamation marks , been a long day...

[Chottie]

The area around Bromley North is currently undergoing a massive facelift.

Bromley schools are really popular, there are two new primary schools being built, plus one free school and one bilingual school. Lots of outstanding schools both primary and secondary.

Bromley is really good for easy access to other areas, motorways, airports, tram routes, coast and bus routes. However it is the south east and there has been lots of in fill building, so lots of people live there!

[beaglesaresweet]

yes, sounds like the majority quite likes Bromley (I didn't expect it to be great, in fact expected a less positive feedback), so the question is really, how to manage to buy a place. I was hoping it was less dog-eat-dog there compared to London, and less game-playing from agents, but it's still tough. I think, anything good value but shabby attracts investors/developers in no time, and the agents give them priority?

[ThisOneThatOne]

Actually Bromley became a London borough in the 1960's but as far as I know still has outdated Kent postcodes from the 1930's (which would take a lot of time and £ to update). Certainly I grew up there thinking it was part of Greater London, although it's often referred to as Kent. So we have the Met Police, London Ambulance Service etc... True, areas like Chislehurst don't feel very 'London' but neither does somewhere like Hampstead for example, I think.

You could walk to Bromley South from the Bromley North area, I did it for several years (to catch the Victoria train) and it used to take me about 15 minutes. Maybe look out for a property like this or this. These houses have sold but they come up for sale fairly often. Its a nice quiet area, good community, close to the shops.

[monkeytennismum]

OP, we've been buying in this area. I would suggest going to see some properties which don't quite fit the bill just so that you can get yourself known to the local agents. They won't take you seriously unless you are ready to proceed (own place under offer, or true cash buyer). But if you are, then they will call you as soon as they take instruction on a property they think you might like. HTH and good luck!

[beaglesaresweet]

thank you, ThisOne and monkey. I wouldn't rule out N.Bromley at all but it looks like it's more expensive than South, towards Hayes, though I do quite like the second house you've linked to, and it's near the park. I thought also that N.Bromley is more rough (crime-wise) as it's nearer to Mottingham etc (but I was thinking of NOrth-west, whereas NE does sound nice - thanks for letting me know).
I think Hampstead is very London-like around the High street, all the usual shops and places, tube and busy with buses and quite crowde. Obv the Heatrh and beyond is very suburban and not city like but the Heath gets very crowded on weekends which again makes you aware it's london. If I move out of london, I'm happy for the place to be not city-like, I think I'd prefer that tbh! a bit of a retreat after days in London.
monkey, yes, seems like it has to be a rush and a battle rather than an easy ride! My place can not be under offer until I find something - not much on the market that I like in Bromley (the agent did take my details in case those two places don't proceed), whereas if I put my flat on the market it would get under offer within a week or two as it's a popular area and the good flats go fast. No one would wait for me for weeks or months to find a place in bromley unless they aer themselves in a long chain, as it's not easy and I imagine gazumping can happen too. I couldn't rent either. I'm a good buyer though, won't be any glitches with finance.

[beaglesaresweet]

monkey, aer you pleased with the area, assuming you've moved? anything you don't like?

[CreatureRetorts]

It's worth looking at mouseprice which tell you what properties are actually sold for as opposed to what the asking price is. You do get considerable differences.

[EleanorRugby]

I've lived in Bromley for past 7 yrs and I love it. If your budget is up to £270k it may be worth looking at the "Chatterton Village" which is the area of syreets around Chatterton Road, off Bromley Common. Very easy to get to Bromley South as lots of buses, takes about 5 mins by bus or is walkable if you're fit!.
The housing stock in this area consists of loads of Victorian and Edwardian 2-3 bed houses. There
also has a small Co-op supetmarket, post office, pharmacy, couple of Indian and a Chinese restaurany

[EleanorRugby]

Posted too early with mistakes - blooming phone!
To add- my neighbours recently sold 2 bed mid terrace for 272k.

[eurochick]

I like Bromley. It is one of the possible areas for our next move. The mainline train connections are decent and it is a reasonably "naice" area. The town centre is not as nice as it used to be, but it has most of what you need.