Rank these areas of SE London in order of preference...

[marinaaquamarina]

If you had £165k max-ish and were looking for a flat or house, ideally 2 bed or very large 1 bed, parking if possible, for a late 20s/early 30s couple, cash buyers but not big earners, no children, bookish, enjoy arts, not really boozers but like occasional eating out, theatre, museums and arty cinema. Would like a home that was not a risky investment with potential to at least, hold its value for a few years and without huge service charges. Safety conscious, mugging averse, collect Nectar points.

Need to be in south/south east London and will need to travel into central London no more than once a week.

Of course, if we can have all of this and an indoor swimming pool and a nice lush garden, that would be even better!

Where would you choose on this list - what would be your order of preference or would you choose somewhere else entirely:

1. Catford
   
2. Ladywell
   
3. South Norwood
   
4. Crystal Palace
   
5. Sydenham/Anerley/Penge
   
6. Brockley/New Cross/Forest Hill
   
7. Eltham
   
8. Plumstead
   
9. Woolwich
   

10. Belvedere
11. Barnehurst
12. Crayford

Faves, top threes, top fives, anything!!!

[DreamsTurnToGoldDust]

OK, in order of preference I`d say:-

1. Brockley/New Cross/Forest Hill
   
2. Crystal Palace
   
3. Sydenham/Anerley/Penge
   
4. Ladywell
   
5. Ok, this is where I`d fall down a bit, as I`d find them all a bit hard to rank them, so I`d toss them in a hat and pull out!

[Levantine]

I think Brockley/New Cross and Forest Hill are two different areas - they are miles apart

I would put Forest Hill
Crystal Palace
Brockley
Sydenham
South Norwood


Don't know the others

[FlouncingMintyy]

1. Ladywell/Brockley
   
2. Crystal Palace
   
3. Sydenham
   
4. Brockley
   
5. South Norwood
   

Have lived in SE London since 1996.

[Quodlibet]

There's a big price difference between Brockley/Deptford/New Cross and some of the other places on your list. If you are there, you are in the middle of quite a vibrant arts scene and a short hop into central London. I reckon you'd struggle to find much there on £165k though.

Woolwich/plumstead/belvedere feel very disconnected from Central London and have very little going on there.

Catford seems to be the line where house prices suddenly get cheaper - even Ladywell has got pricey now. Forest Hill has gone quite expensive and lots of people like it, there's some nice cafes etc which have sprung up but it feels quite suburban to me. There is a stretch between FH and Catford where houses seem to be marketed as FH even though they are much nearer to Catford, you might find something there?

Crystal Palace/Sydenham are on the up (like FH) because of orange line, but you'll probably find there's already been a very sharp spike in prices anywhere along the orange line.

[Levantine]

Catford is pretty good for transport as it is on Thameslink, which tbh I would choose over the East London Line which has got PACKED recently.

[Levantine]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24005139.html Sydenham very near station but over budget and needs work

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40021439.html Ladywell - I like this one, again over budget but am assuming you would look a bit over your budget and put in offers

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=OUTCODE^2324&insId=1&maxPrice=175000&radius=1.0&index=30 Crystal Palace/Sydenham lovely but prob too small

can you tell I'm off sick?!

[slug]

Lewisham - The bits near the Heath
Ladywell/Brockly/Hilly Fields
Hither Green
Crystal Palace
Deptford ( the gentrified bits)

[marinaaquamarina]

Thanks everyone - so the people's choice is veering towards the places on the East London Line (where we can afford a flat) rather than the the Far East of London (where we could almost afford a house).


This is as we feared - so the sad truth is that we will have to squash our sorry asses into something small and snug but eminently desirable, rather than spread our cheeks comfortably on the larger sofas of London's outer regions.

Levantine - thank you for your house tips, your SE23 search is particularly informative and that Ladywell flat is very intriguing - do you think they blacked out the window on the front to create a bathroom? I can't work out also where the soil pipe from the loo would go, unless it's a macerator thing, or it empties into the hallway
//www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40021439.html
Hope you feel better soon too

Quodlibet & Levantine - I think you're right on the Catford thing - I know it's got a bad rep. but the transport is good. Seem to be lots of flats just on the upper cusp of our budget so if we're quick, we might be able to afford a billet there.

[littlecrystal]

My two pence:

1. Crystal Palace
   
2. Forest Hill
   
3. Brockley
   
4. Sydenham/Anerley/Penge
   
5. South Norwood

[marinaaquamarina]

tahnks littlecrystal - interesting South Norwood is making it into the top 5 for people too - will have to investigate further there too. I though it might be a top 10-er but the force seems to be stronger there -immm!

[littlecrystal]

How about something like this: here

Well within your budge. The area is nice.

[Levantine]

South Norwood deffo a good bet on your budget OP

[littlecrystal]

budget. marinaaquamarina* I have happily lived in SN over 5 years (so might be biased : ) I understand that other areas can be nicer, but SN is affordable, convenient and community-friendly.

[bruffin]

Have lived in upper norwood/crystal palace, sydenham hill and mum and sis lived lower sydenham , forest hill and catford. Of those i liked Sydenham Hill best.

[pinkdelight]

Same list as littlecrystal - spooky! But so right. We're in C Palace, but not far from S Norwood. It's very affordable and well-connected. Forest Hill/Brockley are a bit more happening though, if you can get a decent sized flat for your money. I wouldn't squeeze into a one-bed there though, if you can get way more in SN.

[pinkdelight]

This is v nicely situated:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40428281.html

[legalalien]

With a slight increase in budgetbyou could maybe get something in peckham / nunhead - more of an arty vibe

Eg www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/27475285?search_identifier=c709afbfeebd7ca4ef064a22b03c1bd9 (bit of a project). I saw a really lovely one near peckham rye for £180k but suspect that its too far over budget so won't post.

[marinaaquamarina]

Brilliant links and suggestions - thanks v much!

Will definitely be checking some of these out.

pinkdelight - we've been monitoring a few of the flats in that development for a while now - looks lovely. It's a bit off the beaten track for rail stations but as we're not daily commuters - will have to go and see if you can park a car round there and what the leases etc are like.

littlecrystal - that's really spot on what we're looking for... and v interesting - well worth a look.

legalalien - We'd crossed Peckham/Nunhead off the list because of the budget side - lot of potential in that flat but might be beyond our pockets.

Blimey - time to crack out the viewing shoes!

[fapl]

Ok, throwing my hat in the ring here?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-25636140.html This would probably be my first choice because of the square footage and location. It is a small low rise estate, borders a relatively affluent area, the bit of Lewisham residents refer to as ?Blackheath Borders?, houses are £750k 2 minutes walk away. Short walk to Blackheath village, and nice walk to Greenwich, can also walk to Lewisham for shopping and zone 2 transport , trains and DLR. Great primary opposite if that may be required in a few years time. Risk with ex council is big maintenance bills.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-35941642.html
Get in quick! A repo with an offer of £155K on it. On street view it looks like there is off road parking for 2 cars, I would check the deeds to see if 1 belonged to this flat.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37744919.html On one of the nicer roads in Catford, only one bedroom but once again looks like it may have parking (parking on street would not be a problem here anyway). Listed out of your price range, but been on the market a little while and I think probably a bit over priced.

[pinkdelight]

Marina - it's right on a fab bus route that takes you to West Norwood in 5 mins, but better still there's a magic x68 commuter that runs directly into town and back at peak hours without any stops between W Nor and Waterloo (then onto Holborn, Russell Square etc). It stops right outside those flats.

[pinkdelight]

commuter bus, that is

[ubik]

Check out Eltham Park area - lovely houses, walking distance to Oxleas Woods, Eltham Park South, A farm, horses, green belt land but good fast transport links to London/DLR, close to Greenwich etc..

Worth a look

I lived in Crystal Palace and loved it pre kids.

[marinaaquamarina]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-23463951.html?premiumA=true

Damnation!!! Just called the agent - SOLD!

[ubik]

cannot believe the price of property in Eltham now but this is nice

[sweetkitty]

Do not even think about Woolwich, Plumstead or Belvedere they are all awful for a variety of reasons, sorry.

Don't know much about the rest