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.

I've seen Archway recommended by pp's. I live there and it doesn't always feel very safe 😬

I think go North

Muswell Hill or as close you can get x

Agreed. I think, after living in a Hampshire village, it might seem fairly tatty, dirty, crowded too. And the northern line is horrible.

Wanstead, Woolwich, Plumstead, Leyton, Rotherhithe.

I've been in London since 2002 and lived in two of your areas! Currently near Richmond and while it is lovely, green, etc it is expensive and a bit...dull. I used to live in N London much preferred the vibe there, More interesting shops and restaurants, etc. I am also getting divorced and if I didn't have DC at school and college here I would go back to N London in a heartbeat!

Crouch End/Muswell Hill/Alexandra palace would be my choice. Stoke Newington is also really interesting place to live, but last time I visited full of young families.

I would go to Kingston on Thames or Wimbledon and have a really great 1 bedder

Could you afford Muswell Hill or Crouch End? You can catch a short bus to either Highgate or Finsbury Park for the tube, which is what everyone who lives there does, making it slightly cheaper than Highgate / Hampstead, but you still have beautiful leafy streets, access to Highgate Woods which are stunning, close to Alexandra Park and Hampstead Heath. Both the ideal vibe for what you describe with lots going on and super quick to get into West End of London or the City.

Alternatively, south of the river you’ve got Blackheath which has a 10 minute train to London Bridge and access to the glorious Greenwich Park.

Wanstead definitely fits the brief. I absolutely loved it when I lived there. Lots of green around and a choice of two central line stations.

I would recommend Belsize Park area, close to Hampstead but a bit less expensive.
Surbiton is also a good alternative, you can walk to Kingston in 20 mins and have Bushy park nearby.