To ask your advice about buying in London?

[SyrizaSalou]

...With a 420k budget, 2 bedrooms needed. Both commuting into Holborn/Euston daily. No kids so schools etc not a problem! Main factors are proximity to work, decent bars/pubs and restaurants nearby, good transport links. Oh and green space is always a bonus!

All and any advice hugely appreciated

I know nothing about London but my DD lives west in Willesden Green and it seems okay and not too expensive. It is on the Jubilee line. It isn’t awash with bars and restaurants but I rather think it may be up and coming at the neighbouring areas like Kensal Green and Kensal Rise are more expensive and very hipster.

SE London. Still a lot cheaper than other parts. Don't get hung up on being on a tube line, you can still have good connections (better, sometimes) without it. Even before Peckham got the overground it had very good train connections, and lots of buses too, in fact you can get a bus from Peckham to Holborn station (171).

I would look at areas that will be on Crossrail, they will still be affordable now but prices will be going up and up! Do you have a preference on east, south, west or north?

Don't do it now.

The market has been teetering on the edge for ages. With lots of job losses in finance coming through and BTL people either unloading or not buying any more there is less at the bottom to hold up the ponzi scheme.

Else my friend is selling her two bed in finchley in an ex council block for 430k now. It's nice enough. But id kill myself if a lifetime of work paid for it.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned north west London. Metropolitan line to Euston Sq. Places like Pinner and Harrow on the Hill (not Harrow town but the hill by the school) are lovely and in your budget. 20 mind on the tube as it's a fast line with limited stops. And an awful lot more convenient than Crystal Palace!

I grew up there Sally. I wouldn't really recommend it unless you had kids. It's a long way if things go wrong, it's zone 5 so expensive, and there's not much to do!

My friend has just bought a 2 bed house with garden in Anerley, about a 5 minute walk from the main crystal palace triangle, for £240k.

Has to be a typo surely?! Not possible to get that there for that price

Not a typo queen though perhaps I should've mentioned that it is ex LA and on an estate. It's still lovely though, the estate seems ok.

You can get a 3 bed end of terrace with south facing garden in Anerley on your budget, OP, here

You should try Grange Hill/Chigwell Row, straight on the central line

Ooh the Anerley one has a garage and everything :-)

The West London side of the Crossrail route has already seen massive price inflation so you might not find much in Hanwell for your budget now.