to want to move house in London just because the area where I live has become extremely poncey?

[Mintyy]

Yes, yes, of course we have been unbelievably lucky that we chose to live somewhere that became gentrified and therefore have made a lot of money on our house.

However.

We now feel like we have less and less in common with the people who live here. We are 49 and 51 and have good but not outstanding incomes.

I have just discovered that my new neighbours (who paid an extraordinary amount for their extremely average terraced house) are newlyweds in their early 30s. They are going to be doing building works, so I am imagine an extension and a loft conversion.



We are going to have nothing whatsoever in common with them are we?

I sincerely yearn for more authentic London living. Either inner city or further out and less pretentious and overpriced than where we are now.

Such a pita to have to move though! And nothing on the market .

[Golddigger]

How did your last thread on this work out?
Did you come to any conclusions?

[Mintyy]

Oh god, have I posted about it before?

[shoofly]

Umm...so do you think that everyone in a locality should all have the same kind of job and be the same age and have the same interests? Wouldn't that just be odd?

I'm 42 & am really good friends with a couple in their 60's. I have good friends who are 10 years younger also. I have friends who are academics and others who left school with no GCSEs. Unless you want to move to an area that only lets the over 50's in, I'm not sure what you want?

[BetteDavis01]

Yawn

[southeastastra]

ooh didn't realise you lived in landan.

hold tight, they will probably move out to the country later on and buy a bigger house

i really regret moving out of london myself (we lived near ally pally) and i so pine for it. Hertfordshire is boring.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

YABU.... give people a chance. When I moved where I live my neighbours were teachers and similar. Now they all seem to be lawyers as they're presumably the only ones that can afford the prices. And you know what? They're really nice people and great neighbours. Inverted snobbery is such a bad trait.....

[southeastastra]

inverted snobbery lol

and wtf is the yawn comment for! it's very easy to just ignore threads you find tiresome betty davis 01

and numbers in names are yawn

[SashaOfSiberia]

I don't agree with you. I think you're working on assumptions and being closed minded. I don't know what area you live in although based on your posts I know, I think south? I live on East London which as most know has been massively gentrified.

I appear to be part of that having bought a ruinously expensive house, am a professional seeming person as is DH, however I was born in the area and have grown up in it. My neighbours are all different sorts and ages and we all get on really well.

Why is the age such a problem? What is your definition of London living?

[EeyoreIsh]

What cogito said.

[MarshaBrady]

There's still some genuine (or grim? depending on how you look at it) parts of SE London if you're looking. And yes further out or closer in.

Sell up, go bigger.

[bamboostalks]

Where do you live? It's still pretty rough here in Tottenham and in Harlesden where my friend lives is certainly 'authentic'. Perhaps we could do a house swap?

[FudgefaceMcZ]

Does 'authentic London living' involve lots of chirpy cockneys dancing on the roof and/or buses?

[enriquetheringbearinglizard]

Mintyy
Change is gonna come.

It's part of life.
sounds like time for a good heart to heart and a think about what you really fancy for this stage of your life. Nothing stays the same, but you can engineer your own next experience.

[Mintyy]

Its not really inverted snobbery. Its more feeling out of place. People I know think we are mad to consider moving and should hold tight and cash in on the popularity of the area.

[SashaOfSiberia]

Can you please define authentic London living?

[Mintyy]

People who ask about authentic London - I'm saying more ethnically diverse than where I live now, a greater range of ages and classes living side by side, fewer really pricey cupcake-bunting sort of shops, a bit of scruffiness never did anyone any harm.

I have lived in London since 1984. Brixton, Tulse Hill, Dalston, Haggerston, Balham and where I live now. Where I live now might as well be Tunbridge Wells tbh.

I guess it is inverted snobbery.

[formerbabe]

Wow! Be careful what you wish for! Don't move down market in London unless you have to! I did, regretted it and moved back to a nicer area. Seriously...inner city London may seem edgy and cool, but drug addicts, crime and constant sirens is no fun.

[Mintyy]

Where did you go formerbabe?

[Ephiny]

I don't understand what you mean by 'authentic London living'. Does it mean somewhere with no people in their 30s, where there are never any building works?

[Timeandagain]

How do you know you won't get on with you're new neighbours?

Now you've offended the whole of Tunbridge Wells.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

Woolwich is really shit unpretentious and cheap

[Timeandagain]

Your new neighbours. Auto bugger.

[southeastastra]

it is annoying though how an area changes. to speak of inverted snobbery i bet those who want affluent living would run a mile if a housing association bought up houses in their street.

gentrification of an area can make it change alot, sad fact but lots of the middle classes can't be arsed to make friends with the neighbours unless they are 'their sort of people' it's very boring. and yes i realise i am stereotyping massively but i have found ime it to be true.

[scottishmummy]

You're in a well to do area,and want to large it in a rougher area.why

[DirtyDancing]

I am in my 30's and my elderly neighbour is in her 80's- she is popping round for coffee tomorrow morning. On the outside we should have v little in common but we have a lovely chat from time to time.

Diversity is the spice of life IMO!