Corbett Estate - or other similar areas in SE London

[noidles]

So DP and I are putting lots of efforts this year into saving for a deposit and looking specifically at areas to buy. We aren't going to buy until toward the end of the year, but we just want to be able to look at as many areas as possible.

Currently we rent a flat in Blackheath, having previously also rented in West Greenwich and we just love the area around here, so want to stay South East in the Lewisham/Greenwich area.

Looking to the future, ideally the house we buy would be a 3 bed (or 2 bed that we could later extend), because although we don't have children yet and might not for a good few years, we ideally don't want to have to move once we've bought for a at least 10 years.

We'd had our hearts kind of set on Blackheath Standard or Hither Green, but since the New Year house prices in both areas are just going through the roof. A friend just bought an absolutely tiny 1 bed flat right on charlton road and it was almost £300k and it had gone to sealed bids and eventually she paid over 10% above the guide price! It's just madness (and a bit scary!).

I've just recently found out about the Corbett Estate on the Catford/Hither Green borders. I realise it's a bit of a walk from Hither Green station, but the houses look really lovely, the schools are good and it seems to have a really good community feel. Crucially, the houses are really cheap! But, is there a reason it's cheap? Does anyone live there or know the area and have advice? I'm in some ways put off by the lack of pubs and restaurants close by, but perhaps that's because we're so spoilt living where we do now. We'll never, ever be able to afford somewhere like Blackheath Village itself.

Alternatively, are there other areas close by that are better, that we should consider?

Our budget would be between £350k and (at the very, very max) £450k.

[lulupeg]

I like the look of the houses but don't know the area well, littlepicklehead was looking there earlier this year so might be able to assist?

Do you definitely have to save more for a deposit? Could you borrow from family? Reason being the prices are increasing so much in SE London it might be better to jump in now rather than wait 1 year and have £50k swallowed up by price increases?

[noidles]

Thanks for the response. I personally would love to buy now, we do have enough money combined at the moment - ideally I'd like to have saved a bit more as it's my DP who will be contributing most of the deposit, but I think at this point I'd rather buy before house prices get even more ridiculous.

The problem we do have at the moment is the contract on the flat we rent. We're not sure we can get out of it but we're looking at ways we can.

[SidandAndyssextoy]

It's cheap I think because traditionally people don't want to live in Catford! But I would get in there as soon as you possibly can as prices are just silly and there are already houses costing half a million there now, which would have been unthinkable a year ago.

[lulupeg]

In that case I would say jump in quickly (if you can be sure not over stretching yourselves of course!). Think Catford is going to go the way of Sydenham/Penge/Catford-side of Forest Hill and become rapidly less affordable. I got the train back to Catford Bridge yesterday (better connection from Waterloo than FH) and looking at the shed load of families/day trippers who piled off with me, the demographic has already changed. Did not resemble a down at heel area's crowd at all.

Re balancing out your deposit, how about making a plan to overpay with a lump sum in a year's time? Just make sure you choose a mortgage product that allows for that - ours allow 10% of the remaining capital as overpayment per calendar year (hollow laugh that we've ever managed to overpay even £1 but idea is nice!!).

[Plumpcious]

I think the Corbett Estate has been discussed here before - trying searching to see if you can find anything. I remember someone saying it was originally built as a 'dry' estate and that's why there are no pubs. Seemed to be quite popular with families though.

You could try looking at Sydenham, which has a 'nicer' (relatively-speaking!) high street than Catford and tends to be cheaper than Forest Hill, although prices are so crazy now I don't know if there are still houses available in your price range.

[SidandAndyssextoy]

It's very unlikely. My friend is looking there right now and things advertised at £475k are going for £550k.

[DancingLady]

Think you can still find something there in your budget. Lovely houses, main drawback is that there are no stations nearby (well they're about a mile away). Catford has some cool pubs and restaurants, apparently bakerloo extension coming in couple of years (an architect friend told me) and, as with rest of SE London, prices will go through the roof.

[Bragadocia]

I was looking there a couple of years ago, when lots of the roads had very lovely three bed houses for 250k. It felt a little shabby, but not in a rough way; just a bit ill-maintained. Quiet. We were looking at the horizontal roads from Fordel downwards.

We decided against it though as neither DH nor I drive, I was a SAHM and looking to become at WAHM, so I thought I might feel a bit isolated without getting out to a work environment every day. If we'd stayed in London, we may well have moved there though and learned to drive, as our options for three beds at 250k were very limited! We decided to miss out the 'five more years in London' part of our future plans and decamped to Devon instead.

[noidles]

So, other than Corbett, which are the best areas in Catford that are closer to a station? Particularly with good pubs!

I've only been in the centre of Catford to get my eyebrows done, but that particular area was a bit grim.

[SidandAndyssextoy]

I like the streets behind Lewisham Hospital but I think they may be beyond your budget now. You're near to Ladywell there, which has a couple of nice pubs and some good shops and cafes.

[lulupeg]

I like the Blythe Hill end of SE6 (Victorians, may be out of budget by now) and also by the Savacentre (mainly 30s) because of the proximity to HOP and FH respectively I think these areas don't feel like the rest of Catford and are likely to become v desireable.
Have you tried Hither Green proper?

[Bragadocia]

There are a couple of Antic places opened up between the stations and that one-way square shaped road bit, so that's about 15 mins walk from lots of the decent housing.
It's not somewhere I would have even considered pre-DC, to be frank.

[noidles]

lulupeg, in an ideal world we would move into Hither Green proper, or even around mountsfield park, but this has seemed out of our reach.

What about the other side of blackheath? Areas like charlton or kidbrooke? Are there any nice areas there within the price range?

[SidandAndyssextoy]

This is under offer but would this sort of thing suit you? Near Mountsfield Park.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39619942.html

[SidandAndyssextoy]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39619942.html

[noidles]

That's pretty much exactly what we're looking for - something that requires modernisation but it liveable but in a nice area and with a garden.

[lulupeg]

I don't know those areas I'm afraid. I do have a schoolfriend (who I'm mainly out of touch with but has 3 DCs and used to live in a VERY naice barn conversion in her childhood) who lives in Eltham and rates it. Could be worth considering... I used to work there (for a few months) and it's not very diverse but I think it's improving and family friendly, felt safe, if a little boring.

I love that house on the link SidandAndy - we live in a similar property and if the location suits I'd say go for it. Our 30s house is warm, spacious, cheaper than Victorian, we've converted the loft and added in features. They make super family homes IMO...

I like this one too, near the Savacentre, currently a bit of a void area and a bit far from stations but such good value and I think the area is close to good schools and SE23 so can only improve www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42525784.html

[lulupeg]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-29245884.html think this is a reasonable road, could convert the loft for £40k at later date...

[Twilight23]

The Corbett houses are lovely. My family live in one of them! I have always liked upper Catford but never been able to afford to live there.

I cannot believe the prices. More than double our budget!

We moved to North West Kent two years ago and I hate it here. The people can be narrow minded, especially if you look 'different' to them. I feel isolated and have no friends.

I really want to move back to South East London but the property prices are increasing by the minute.

[TheGreatHunt]

Some parts of penge and Beckenham. Or Bromley for that budget (further south of Lewisham).

Prices are insane. It's scary.

[Skippy101]

If you look on a map of London, the Corbett estate stands out as it has half the property density as most of London, wide roads and gardens, 300 acres, surrounded by 3 train stations. I only use car on weekends work in Town, not sure why so many car references in replies. This is not The west coast of Scotland. 4 bus routes down the hill one route towards hither green where another bus route goes to canada water.

Big houses but prices are rising and can start to see they are on the market shorter and shorter these days.