Cannot afford to buy anywhere in London near good school

[dw4518]

I'm looking for a 3 bedroom terraced house near a good school and within 1 hour commute from central london.

After hours searching I can't find anywhere decent for under £450k. It seems like the only options are to move further out (even commuter towns are expensive!) or live in Plaistow/Canning town/Woolwich?

I'm really stuck! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated :)

[TheCyclist]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42315117.html

'Needs TLC' (but it's in much better nick than our house was when we moved in ). Got friends who live in this street. Very quiet, lots of families. Good primary schools nearby.

[YelloDraw]

I'm looking for a 3 bedroom terraced house near a good school and within 1 hour commute from central london.

All that for under 450k? Good luck!

[PotteringAlong]

Honestly? For that price you need to decide whether living in central London or owning your own home is more important to you.

[NotCitrus]

Streatham Vale? Near Streatham Common/Mitcham Eastfields stations. Decent sized 3 beds under £450.

[YelloDraw]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-45368748.html

You'd have got into Horn Park in 2015 but not Baring Primary.

Obviously you're right on the S circular which is why the house is at a seriously good price for size and proximity to train location.

[Chchchchangeabout]

Have you tried looking at ex council, near a railway/on a main road?

[Chchchchangeabout]

Or would you consider a flat or maisonette?

[YelloDraw]

Or go North London.

This one is v close to the tube and inside good primary and secondary catchments. You do have train tracks at the end of your garden but that might not be too bad.

I'm assuming there is some flexibility in your 450 and also some flexibility in negotiating these down from 475. Also that you don't mind some modernization to do over the next few years when finances allow.

[YelloDraw]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63457292.html

[YelloDraw]

There are a surprising amount of houses on RM for £450k. But they all have serious compromises (modernization, road, railway, significant distance from trains).

What are your prepared to compromise on, and what are you not?

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

I'd be amazed if there are any 3 bedroom terraced houses anywhere in London for £450,000 tbh.

[Ifailed]

checkout Bromley, the whole Borough. Decent schools, and plenty of trains into central london within 1 hour.

[MyschoolMyrules]

theCyclist, that's my area! Any e11 house is good, we have lovely primary schools (the choice of quite a few good and outstanding primary) - and the secondary schools are also on the up. Especially Wanstead High. Have a look op, it's a great area to live in.

[mrstiggywinkletoes]

This is the borough of Croydon but in reality is leafy and on the edge of the Surrey border.

Good primaries around there too.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-45332847.html

[Veganmeredith]

Have you ever thought about a house boat? I love living on the water my kids have benefited more than me. X

[YelloDraw]

mrstiggywinkletoes really nice house - but a bit of a pig of a commute unless you can get a lift to/from station? #compromise

[mrstiggywinkletoes]

Yello- it's not too bad. 5 min bus ride from Tudor Rose pub down the hill to Coulsdon South station or 15 min ride to Purley.

[YelloDraw]

mrstiggywinkletoes ah cool, I was just narrowly thinking trains! It is a v nice house for 450...

[TheCyclist]

The one I found looks perfectly habitable, if dated, on the face of it. It's an easy walk/bus to the tube. From there it's about 20 minutes to Holborn. The market seems to have calmed down after the crazy scenes a year or so back (queues!) So a cheeky offer might even get it for significantly less. Crossrail is coming to Maryland and Forest Gate - both are not far away - so might even prove a decent investment, if that matters. And that's before all the other good stuff happening in the area. We've just got two wine merchants

[YelloDraw]

TheCyclist yes yours was nice too. And the previous owners already mitigated the downstairs bathroom issue by putting in an upstairs WC. Not sure you can do better than that house for

[NotCitrus]

Looked on Rightmove for SW16, 3 beds, up to 450, and there's some excellently located terraces and semis - Tylecroft Road 4 beds, Stanford Road, both near good schools.

[FourToTheFloor]

OP would you think about a 2 bed and then do a loft conversion? We were looking for a 3 bed but can't find anything that we'd leave London for so will look at a conversion in the future if we need it (large 2 bed but have 2 dd so imagine we'll do it one day if we stay in the UK)

But we'd prefer a smaller house for a short commute, that's not everyone's ideal I know.

[dingit]

Mrs twiggy, that house is the road behind mine. You must have forgotten the hell that is southern trains at the moment

[FourToTheFloor]

NotCitus Streatham Vale seems to me like a bit of a no-man's land, not much there? Streatham / Norbury I think would be a better but then I like a proper high road.

[gillybeanz]

There are lots of people who couldn't afford it either OP.
We didn't move down south as couldn't afford a house, so stayed up here where it's much cheaper.
I think you have to decide whether it's realistic to expect to buy in the south, or resolve yourself to renting.