Help where to move? Barking, Plumstead etc.

[Sonodays]

Posted here for hopeful traffic (namechanged).

Considering moving to London. With very small budget (300K) only affordable areas are Plumstead, Barking&Dagenham etc on the outskirts.

What are these areas really like to live in? (Will look at areas once decision to move is made).

Move is mostly for work (IT contracting). Lone parent and struggling outside of London with lack of contracts, commute and childcare.

Have 2 young children (infants) schools are a concern. Currently in catchment for outstanding schools (hoping having support at home and both very bright. With schools following the same curriculum won't be such an issue. I may be naive?)

Currently in a 2 bed terrace. Naice area, although dreadful neighbours.

Advice very welcome.

Chingford 2 bed, this for sale in a lovely part of Chingford. There's a fab park and great school nearby. Lower price probably due to no train station close by but the buses are regular and reliable.

Whoops sorry... my link didn't work!!! Anyway, a quick trawl through Zoopla and you'll find something in your budget.

You will definitely get more for your money in Bexley (Erith, Belvedere, Northumberland Heath) than in Greenwich (Plumstead, Abbey Wood, Woolwich). All within close proximity but the prices can differ quite a lot.

Bexley schools are generally good too, with a few grammars for secondary.

Here's one: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48770298.html
I actually lived on this road and loved it!

General guidance:
Plumstead - stick to the Common, the high street is grim
Abbey Wood - avoid Eynsham drive estate, houses on the other side of the railway line are nicer/the area isn't so rough
Belvedere - generally OK, Upper Belvedere is much nicer than Lower (next to the train station). Nuxley Village is lovely
Erith / Northumberland Heath - again, generally OK - aim more towards the Belvedere/Barnehurst side, avoid Slade Green end!

There is also Barnehurst, Crayford and Dartford which are all on the commuter lines (into Central in about 30 mins)

If you have any questions about specific roads/areas let me know, I've lived here for a long time!

Crayford is being over built - 31,000 ne homes going on the brown fill estates, and no infrastructure to cope with the increase in traffic.

Dartford, constantly gridlocks with the M25/A2 Bridge. nightmare.

Barnehurst is nice enough as are parts of Bexleyheath.

I'll try again http://m.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/43839855?search_identifier=ce7342c8e24554c715f79dc59031ca5e

If you were thinking of Barking (better than Plaistow btw) then I agree that you could go further out into Essex then you have the overground to Liverpool street.

100% will not get anything in Loughton but Debden is a possibility.
South Chingford isn't lovely but would be affordable. North Chingford definitely not in budget if you want a house.
You can still go further out without your journey being ridiculous.
Second what everyone else says about Edmonton - not nice at all.

Finchley?
The areas you mentioned are the worst in London, with the worst schools, etcs.sorry)

I used to live in Plumstead many moons ago now. I LOVED the place, friendly relaxed feel but easy to get to central London. Look for places above or near the common though, the high street area is a bit rough.

OP, I'd avoid all the places you mentioned like the plague. Try south of the river. Crystal Palace, Upper or South Norwood.

I lived in Plumstead Common for 12 years and I liked it. Loads of green space, decent transport links. The High Street was a bit tatty, but I loved the Indian grocery shops and the Turkish ones in Welling.

I know Plumstead well and it has some great schools. Prices are on the up thanks to Crossrail coming to nearby Woolwich next year. Could be good for your commute if you don't know where in the city you'll work. Lots of young professionals moving in. Obviously it's a diverse area with lots of deprivation too. The areas around the Common and between the Common and the High Street are the best. You would probably just get a 2 bed Victorian terrace with your 300k budget.

IMO Plumstead is still relatively cheap because it's so far out (Crossrail will help). If it was nearer and on the tube, it would have already gentrified similarly to areas like Brockley and Peckham/Nunhead.

OP you won't find anything for 300k in Hornchurch. Maybe a tiny 2 bed flat

Barking is very slowly gentrifing. Artists have moved there from Hackney and are now demanding barista coffee
..but it's not visible when you go there
Still a bit of a BNP vibe :/

Come to Highams Park! Lovely community, lots going on and decent connections for zone 4. Not sure if it's still affordable tho....

Moves from Barking to Bexley. I miss the convenience of living on a tube line and nothing else. Would NEVER move back. Love living in Bexley

I second the poster who suggested Bishops Stortford - and actually all that bit of North Essex / East Herts. The Stansted express line is very quick into Tottenham Hale for the tube & into Liverpool St. Many local people commute daily. It has lots of outstanding schools and lots of nurseries. Very family oriented area and nicely diverse. It is a pretty part of the country, you could get something decent for £300k and it is midway between London & Cambridge which is another fab city. Worth a look. .

Look at the C2C line into Fenchurch Street, better than Liverpool Street Line and the trains are the modern and air conditioned.

I grew up on n Hornchurch and it is perfectly fine with good schools, the C2C line goes to Upminster which is probably outside your budget possibly but lots of people go 2 stops back to Hornchuch.

Harold Wood way could work. Good regular trains in to Liverpool Street and set to get better as it's on Crossrail. This is a 2 bedroom end of terrace in your budget which is walking distance to the station and in catchment for an outstanding infant and junior.

There's not masses going on but it's a nice safe area.

Also have others have suggested Hornchurch could work, or Upminster.

I definitely think south of the river is better in value terms.

There's this 3 bed for £270k. Needs work and is St Paul's Cray (though not the worst part) rather than Orpington but very close to Sidcup and Chislehurst which are both lovely areas.

Sorry ignore that last house, just realised it is cash buyers only as non standard construction.

There are plenty of brick built houses around the 300k mark in Bexley area though. Also out towards Swanley - I know a few people who have bought there as the prices are lower. That said the train fares are higher as its outside the zones.

I would look at Hainault. Right on the Central line, good schools, fabulous transport links. Hainault Forest Country Park and Fairlop Waters sporting and leisure centre. Multi-cultural, with every on well together. Lots of New Builds.

I moved from Plumstead Common last year, it's a lovely area. Unless prices have dropped you won't get a house for £300k though. I sold my two bed terrace for £325k and that was only because we didn't want to hit the inheritance tax limit, could easily have got another £15k if it had gone on the market with an estate agent.

How about Debden? It's green, (you can see actual fields) on the central line and at least as cheap as Barking. Much nicer atmosphere too.

Sorry, but Plumstead is a dump.

At least the area near the High Street is...