Where would you buy a family pied a terre in Central(ish) London?

[LaSorciereEfrontee]

For sad reasons (please don't ask), we have the wherewithal to buy a family pied a terre in London. It would be used for overnight stays for work/ play, longer breaks for us and visiting family and possibly accommodation for future student DCs and their cousins (all currently teens, scattered about the world.)

We have family in posh bits of North and West London that we can't afford. We live in Suffolk so are looking more East, which is where we lived as a couple (Bethnal Green.)

The location options feel a bit overwhelming (and expensive), and I imagine neighbourhoods have changed a lot since we lived there last. Any ideas for nice spots to look that have good transport links to Central London, nice pubs, cafes and a little park for visiting hounds, are safe and might fit our budget of 500k for 2 beds?

Any ideas welcomed.

Wapping, you wouldn't get a river view but a nice little apartment and good transport links. It's a nice walk to Tower bridge via St Katherine's dock.

I used to live in the same sort of area as @poppyzbrite4, still have a flat there that I plan on using as a pied a terre once I've paid off more of the mortgage. The bit of Roman Road that's nicest runs between St Stephens Rd and Grove Rd. Good points - it's getting a bit more chichi round there, nice coffee shops, easy access to Victoria Park, good pubs, pretty safe. Main downside is that it is a bit of a walk from the tube (15 mins) although you can get the bus to Bethnal Green or Mile End easily enough. Some of the streets round Mile End and the Tredegar Square conservation area are lovely, don't know if they're a bit out of budget though. Might also be worth looking at Bow Quarter and the modern flats along the canal near Gunmakers Lane.

I looked up Wellington Road and it's miles away! There do seem to be decent transport links round there but I've no idea what it's like safety wise. I imagine it's quite rough, knowing that area.

I found a two bed near Victoria Park on the Old Ford road.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/152640968#/?channel=RES_BUY

Might not be suitable but shows there are options in the area.

Not East, but Stockwell fits the rest. You'd get a reasonable size 2 bed for £500k. More and more cafes etc appearing. Short walk/bus to parks in Clapham/Vaixhall/Oval/Brixton. Good train links on Northern and Victoria lines.

IME it's a far nicer area than its reputation suggests! And it's getting better year on year.

Unless Deptford has had a massive transformation over the last few years I wouldn’t advise it felt extremely unsafe at times.

Holborn/Bloomsbury/Clerkenwell. In that order.

Since there's zero chance of me being able to afford any of them, I can only dream.

Shad Thames! Although you’d be looking at a 1-bed on your budget.

Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. 15 minutes from Liverpool Street on the Elizabeth line

Stockwell a lot nicer than Deptford. Brixton very buzzy with a great market - good food, good vibe close to quiet residential period streets. Plus Victoria line is quick to Central London.

You can walk to Moorgate within Liverpool Street station so don’t rule out the northern line.

If you like the East End, why not look within 1/2 mile of Bow Road or Mile End?

There's this place just a few moments from Mile End tube (3 tube lines) and Mile End Park with the green bridge and the canal leading up to gorgeous Victoria Park.

Or this gorgeous grade 2 listed place nearer to Bow Road which imo is a bit drearier than Mile End, but near to Stratford if you like that modern buzz of the Olympic Park and all the new fashion and arts stuff being relocated there.

Walthamstow is great and can be reached directly from Liverpool Street on the overground. Easy access to central London on the Victoria line. The village is lovely, there’s lots of pubs, food options, breweries… Walking close by at Epping Forest and Walthamstow wetlands

Peckham Rye, on the orange line so easy to go east. Buzzy, fab parks, v diverse, close to chi chi east dulwich

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149905532#/?channel=RES_BUY

I'd go for Blackheath, as it has a village feel, yet still hear enough to central London.

Walthamstow would fit all your criteria, I think, and is straight up the Overground from Liverpool Street, plus Victoria line. Have a look at the ex-Warner flats round Lloyd Park. Something like this: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/152576405#/?channel=RES_BUY

That’s lovely

And you can get the boat to London Bridge! (Not fast or cheap but a glorious way to travel)

St. Katharine Docks, Wapping

Not loads of choice but there are a few within budget around Farringdon/Clerkenwell. Easy hop on the Elizabeth Line, walk to Lincoln’s Inn Fields for dogs, nice walk into the West End for theatre, restaurants everywhere, well located for transport links, and a nice range of supermarkets including smaller ones with better opening hours, but a few big-ish ones for more variety.

Thank so much. There are some really helpful suggestions here. I think my heart is in the East End. Although I'm not sure if that's my 26 year old heart rather than my 46 year old heart. And it does need to be a spot that works for everyone in the family, and where they all feel comfortable and safe to get about.

We are going to look around Victoria Park area, but also Walthamstow, Wanstead and Wapping. And perhaps up into Farringdon just to see what we could afford.

South Islington, Hackney, Mile End, South Tottenham/seven sisters, south maybe Lewisham/hilly fields area?

I wouldn't look at that, because it is a mile from the nearest tube which in itself is right at the end of a tube line. The point of a pied a terre is easy access to the city, not a 20 minute schlep on foot and then a 40 minute tube ride.

I am fantasy house hunting there. It looks lovely.

Have a look at property in Lee.

www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/67998381/?search_identifier=afd2cea8224369a766be2b7b42a3b884

www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/67764165/?search_identifier=afd2cea8224369a766be2b7b42a3b884