Where would you buy? - London commute

[FizzyPink]

So I’m going to be in a position to buy my first property hopefully by January and will be using help to buy so needs to be a new build.
I’d originally been looking around Chelmsford/Brentwood area but after lots of protesting by my friends and cries of them never being able to be that far out of London I’m now thinking I should look around south west London, maybe Thornton Heath or Croydon. Pros would be ease of getting into London, cheaper train fare and potentially not needing a car. My family also all live in Kent so ideal for them to visit too.
Max budget of £290k, easily commutable to Old Street (I work literally next to the tube station) ideally a 2 bed but would settle for a lovely one bed.
Oh and I’m 27, single and currently live in Zone 1. Where would you look?

Not Croydon. Horrid place to drive to from Kent. What about Bromley?

Hadn’t considered Bromley, although I think it may be slightly out of budget.
Also being able to drive to Kent was just an observation, I usually get the train so not really a criteria, just a reason I probably wouldn’t consider west/north of London.

Not Thornton Heath

Other direction but I’d look at the Chiltern (Chesham/Amersham) area. Metropolitan line straight to city, relatively affordable homes (especially Chesham) and beautiful surroundings.

I live in Croydon and it takes me 15 minutes to drive to Kent... You wouldn't get a 2 bed for 290 here but a 1 bed would be doable.

@pollypacey how do you find Croydon? I know there’s a lot of stigma around it but seems to be huge amounts of regeneration going on. And are there areas that are better than others?

Choose somewhere where the train terminates or half your life will be spent standing on it for an hour at least, twice a day.

S Croydon is nicer than West. I think your budget is ok.

What about Tonbridge? It’s 35min into the City from there, and the trains are very frequent.

At your age I’d stay as central as possible - else you’ll be surrounded by tired families! Can you find anywhere say near Kentish Town or West Hampstead? Maybe too expensive

Wallington is nice it's just outside of Croydon x

Sidcup/Bexley? You'd probably be looking at a flat for that budget but might be able to get a house. Trains into London Bridge take about 20 minutes and are very frequent.

South Croydon is a good place to live, lots to do, good travel links. Whereabouts in Kent do you need to drive to?

If you could get a house than that would be great. Definitely future proof.

Posted too soon. The London market is still dodgy in my opinion & if you can stretch to a house you will likely have better options in the future.

How about Romford? Zone 6, 28 minutes to Liverpool Street, less than a mile walk, or one stop on the tube/a short bus ride to Old Street. New air-conditioned Crossrail trains running about 50% of the time now and appreciated in the heatwave
We drive to Bearsted, nr Maidstone to see family every few months. The crossing is an occasional issue, maybe once a year we get stuck in traffic for the crossing going there or back.
Lots of new developments in the area.

Sydenham/ Penge/Bromley? Wouldn’t buy in thornton heath area.

Sorry ignore my comment about driving to Kent, not a consideration at all!
Just looked at Sidcup, Bexley, Kentish Town and West Hampstead on Rightmove and not a single new build under £300k.
I think Tonbridge is too far out tbh, I think I’d feel quite cut off from London life

What about Stratford?

Romford could be interesting, I know it well and a lot more reasonably priced than some of the other areas mentioned. Penge and Sydenham also seem to be out of budget

You usually pay a premium for Help to Buy new builds and your budget more than covers a 2 bed in Romford - could you stretch to something like this without HTB?
£265k, 2 bedrooms, allocated parking:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-82748912.html

Stratford is definitely a no, a one bed new build would be at least £350k

Does if have to be new build?

Romford is a good shout- trains out of Liverpool St/Stratford are much better quicker/frequent than Chelmsford.

But Stratford is affordable, and good train connections to Kent from Stratford International.

@AwkwardPaws27 I could and I know that’s just an example but a new build really appeals to me as I’m lazy and don’t want to have to do anything. Looking at that flat I’d want a new kitchen and bathroom at least, it looks very tired