Another Leytonstone question

[kirinm]

Sorry! Got outbid by £35k, £40k and £8k respectively this week so we were planning on giving house hunting a miss but we've just seen a house come on that we might go and see.

Can I have your opinion on Southwell Grove Road? Is it a nice / not nice road? The house itself needs a lot of work but if it's in an okay place we don't mind that.


Thanks!

[kirinm]

Bumping...

[ftm123]

I don't particularly know that area, so all I can say is that it's not one of the best, but I don't think one of the worst. I always think of the high road getting rough around Harrow Green and Thatched House. This is north of Harrow Green, although the "wrong side" of the overground line. I suspect it is a rougher area, but one likely to improve.

It may well turn out to be a better investment than a lot of the flats in more established areas, especially if there is potential to extend in the future. I know that's not your main objective, but will help if it isn't your forever home.

[kirinm]

Thanks. I think 'not the worst' might be the best we can hope for at the moment. We are seeing it on Saturday. It is very run down but I think having the option of extending would be a good thing. Certainly can't do that with the Abraham flats.

[ftm123]

It may be very run down, but at least what you see is what you get. With the pretty freshly renovated flats you have no idea what has been painted over for a quick turnaround. Good luck!

[TheCyclist]

I live in Leytonstone, between Harrow Green and Cann Hall road.

I don't know Southwell Grove personally, but I know it has a decent community - they have street parties, for example. There was also an outcry a couple of years ago when some loser nicked the Christmas tree from outside the Salvation Army. The locals had a whip-round and it was replaced within a day. I think the people who run the high-end tattooist by the Bell pub live on Southwell Grove and they seem very community minded.

That end of the High Road is certainly run down - but is showing signs of improvement. The excellent Oven East opened opposite the war memorial a few months back. A 'contemporary' Italian restaurant is opening next to Shepherd's Inn (itself a vast improvement on some of the pubs on that site). There's also the peerless Singburi right on the Southwell Grove end of the High Road.

I do know that there have been a few ASBO issues with the chicken shop near Singburi - but I've not heard anything for a few years.

'South' Leytonstone was for a long time the poor relation to so-called Upper Leytonstone and Bushwood. But it has improved immensely in the decade we've been here. Lots of houses have been bought and 'done up', families have moved in (often from Stoke Newington, Clapham, Hackney etc). There's a couple of nice new cafes on Cann Hall road. A pub is reopening... there's a lot going on.

It's a good area to live in, in my experience. Best of luck.

[kirinm]

The cyclist - that sounds great. We are in peckham at the moment and it has a great community feel that I'm really going to miss so it sounds perfect. Thanks.

[TheCyclist]

You're very welcome. I can't lie, until five or so years ago most of Leytonstone was a dump apart from a few 'select' streets. The changes in recent years have been incredible - a sudden explosion of plantation blinds and Farrow and Ball. The Olympic Park opening seemed to be the real catalyst. Of course - all this adds up to ludicrous bidding wars in the chase for property. Best of luck (again)!