Which areas of London should I think about moving to?

[wheresmymojo]

I’m currently going through a divorce and I think I’ve decided to move to London once the marital home is sold… but I don’t know any of the areas and so need some help compiling a shortlist!

I consulted ChatGPT and got a list of: Stoke Newington, Victoria Park Village, Dulwich, Richmond, Putney, Greenwich, Hampstead and Highgate (noting the last two I may be priced out of what I’m looking for).

Are there any other areas to add?

I’ll be starting to travel up of a weekend to hang out and get a feel for different areas while my house is up for sale.

Factors to consider…

I work in the City so reasonably quick (ideally no more than 30-40 mins) commute to Bank / Liverpool St.

I’d be using the savings from my current commute (£65 per day) towards dog walking / day care so commute costs are also a consideration.

I’m 43 so don’t want to be somewhere that’s mainly uni students or 20s-early 30s.

On the other hand, I want a chance to build a good social circle so I don’t want to be in a place where people are mostly married with children.

I have a dog so somewhere near a decent amount of open green space - bonus points if any woodland patches

A big part of wanting to move to London is to take advantage of things going on like live music, arts, cultural stuff, new restaurants, independent shops etc. So ideally I’d like somewhere that has a nice vibe, plenty going on without always having to travel to a different area.

I’m moving in from a beautiful Hampshire village so realistically I’m probably going to feel more at home in gentrified over gritty.

My budget is going to be around £400-550k, I’d like a 2 bed flat but will settle for a decent one bed flat. I wouldn’t consider a studio flat. I’m moving from a 4 bed detached so I’ll want something that feels like a nice place to live, if I can only afford something a bit run-down I might find it too much of a culture shock.

Putney and Richmond might be a little difficult on that budget but it depends on how much space you want. There are nice areas around Richmond which are less expensive but will push your commute time up.

East Finchley worth a look. V near Hampstead Heath & Highgate - not quite as pricey
I loved living there

Harrow on the hill

Stratford and Walthamstow - easy to get into the city from both. art scene. Lots of greenery. Good cafes/restaurants

East Dulwich. Lots of 40 something year olds and easy commute.

Walthamstow.
Wanstead.

Putney is amazing for dog walking - huge commons - we walk in woods every day

Great, thanks everyone so far!

Victoria park village is a good suggestion. You could walk/cycle to Liverpool Street if you really wanted.

Still feels quite village-y but also near all the trendy things. Lots of over 30s in gym/yoga etc whenever I go, also lots of other stuff happening.

Greenwich -100%. Amazing royal park and the river plus Blackheath for dog walks, market, good transport links, loads going on including ‘villagey’ type stuff if you want it. Good mixed community. Easy to get out to Kent/Sussex/seaside too. The centre can be busy with tourists in the summer months but they’re easy to avoid. Nice to have that bit more space and fresher air than very central London too.

You could get a nice Victorian flat in east Greenwich or Blackheath Standard for that budget. Possibly at Greenwich Peninsula too but that’s a different vibe plus a lot of the newer build flats are leasehold.

DLR from Greenwich to Bank station plus overland frequent trains (Southeastern) and Thameslink trains.

Richmond / north Kingston for the outdoors and the dog. Have a look at Ham.

I wouldn't rule Highgate out without a look. It ticks every box- easy commute to Moorgate on the Northern Line, close to Hampstead Heath (+ Waterlow Park, plus Highgate Wood and Queen's Wood which are wonderful etc etc) for dog walking, lots of arty/cultural stuff going on, a mix of different age groups.

Some flats will certainly be over budget but the area to the east of Archway Road (so Highgate borders- this is the bit where the tube is so very convenient as well as the woods) is more affordable while still being a short walk to the more chichi side (foad it's still very gentrified, just a bit cheaper than Highgate Village itself). For example 1 bedroom ground floor flat for sale in Shepherds Hill, N6- so close to the tube and the woods practically on your doorstep, short walk to the heath and shops - you also have Crouch End very close which is even better for shopping and restaurants + huge communal garden. These conversions was originally built as grand houses so build quality is excellent and they are set well back from the road. Downside- top end of budget and only one bedroom but decent size.

Wimbledon, lots of parks and Wimbledon common on your doorstep. Lots of Victorian/Edwardian conversions flats that you should be able to afford a 1-bed maybe a 2. Super safe, great bars and restaurants and the Northern line into the City or overhead to Waterloo and then Bank.

Look south-east - Dulwich/East Dulwich, Crystal Palace, Forest Hill… great vibes, loads going on and for dogs we’ve got Dulwich/sydenham woods, Crystal Palace park, beckenham place park, Peckham rye and dulwich park to name but a few!

I would check out Queens Park - really lovely there, peaceful but lots of great shops and restaurants, some nice green space and easy links on underground to the City or hop on the overground to get to South Hampstead for walks on the Heath or to Camden for Regents Park/Primrose Hill..

Golders Green (one stop after Hampstead on the Northern line) 👍

Greenwich meets all your criteria, I think, and has plenty of 2-bed flats in your budget: modern ones in big blocks between the station and the riverfront, if you are OK with a balcony, or converted ones, some with garden access, the other side of the station nearer the park.

It's zone 2, so cheap and very easy commute to Bank (direct on the DLR, or trains to London Bridge and walk over the bridge). Greenwich Park and Blackheath for dog walking, and there is a cinema, theatre, market, shops, restaurants, bars and so on.

This kind of thing is in budget for you: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/153898319#/?channel=RES_BUY

Or this one (main downside is the very close proximity to Liz Truss) https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/156257777#/?channel=RES_BUY

If it's dog walking and patches of woodland you're after, have a look at Bushwood (E11). It's a dog walkers paradise, right next to Wanstead Flats (the southern most area of Epping Forest as it turns into grassland).

Also worth considering other areas bordering Wanstead Flats/Wanstead Park: Wanstead itself is lovely (if pricey), Aldersbrook (definitely worth a look if you don't mind being a little further from the tube), Forest Gate (maybe too gritty for you, but right on the flats and very well connected on the Elizabeth line).

Another vote for east finchley! Nice and relaxed, community feel with an annual festival. V close to Highgate and hampstead heath, as well as muswell hill which is a lovely area for shopping and days out. Two ancient woodlands - coldfall wood and highgate wood, full of dog walkers!

Another area to look into is archway or Tufnell park. Close to hampstead heath but more affordable than highgate or hampstead.

I lived in Ally Pally for years (now in Somerset). That might be worth considering. The train gets you into Moorgate in 20ish minutes, Z3, Alexandra Park is gorgeous, Crouch End and Muswell Hill are nearby with lots of nice bars and restaurants

Changed my name as about to out myself, or at least my location. OP I want to recommend where I live. I am the other side of Victoria Park from the ‘village’. I have a one-bedroom flat for 400K, the two-bedrooms go for 500K upwards.
The reason I love my location is because I am reasonably central in London, but I’m surrounded by nature. I have a park on either side of me and a canal, which is lovely to walk along.
It’s a mix of families, non-families, all ages, loads of people have dogs!
If you’re working in the city you would have a 20 mins bus ride, or 1 or 2 stops in the tube. Very short travel into the west end/centre too.
As well as the green space you have plenty of cafes, restaurants, pubs, shops, nice community feel, excellent and plentiful public transport.