To think London house prices are unjustifiably high

[Alanis126]

I was recently visiting London, where I once lived. It was a big big struggle financially and I wasn't sorry to leave. House prices have been stratospheric for 20 plus years and while there have been some small declines in recent years, I saw a central and fairly nice but ordinary sized flat which cost £1m. There are of course many properties costing way more. There are a couple of things in particular that I don't get. Forgetting the £1m central flats, even a very ordinary property in a quiet zone 5/6 area without much in the way of social amenities was £400k plus. While some people have family money, I think it is fair to say most people start their working lives with no or negative net worth. For many the early/mid twenties will be the lowest point if their income and when they most would like to or benefit from having access to social amenities. When even rent in a grotty house share is £800 plus bills, I don't see how it becomes feasible to live while you are trying to build a career. I know there are other cities but what if you have a job in an industry only existing in London? If houses are £2m or £3m then does it matter anymore what the price is? Could they be worth £5m, £10m,£150m? And while I accept people may still choose a London lifestyle, if someone has London equity and doesn't enjoy their job, is it only fear of being priced out for good that stops them relocating and having a total change of lifestyle?

I’ve lived in London and don’t get the appeal. You pay so much to live somewhere your children will need inhalers and will risk being stabbed when they come of age.

gail the over ground finishes after 12.

Piccadilly goes all the way to Cockfosters 24/7 Friday and Sat.

I'd leave London if I were you.

Compared to the other places mentioned, Enfield is far less central

There other alternatives to Enfield

There are hundreds of other towns that offer cheaper housing dotted around London and the HC.

Are none suitable

But then those that can’t afford to buy in Zone 1 or 2 and are thinking of going to live in another town or city in the UK.

You can’t be that fussed about late night transport because I don’t think any city does anything like the transport we have in London.

I live in zone 6. Granted a 10 minute drive to 3 tube stations and 2 rail stations.

But I can be on Oxford Street in 35 minutes door to door

Those refusing to even consider anything other than absolute Central London are missing the fact that coming in from outside is often quicker than getting from one tube station to another tube station.

Dp worked in the City. It is a 31 minute train journey

I would have loved a house in Central London but I have to be realistic.

There is no way I could have afforded one.

I dread to think where I would have been if I had put my foot down and refused to consider anything else.

There are alternatives, there are options but if you refuse to even consider a cheaper alternative because you think you shouldn’t have to make sacrifices and should walk into a perfectly presented family home then I don’t really have any sympathy.

Enfield is am example, actually better connected than many other places. Other posters don't really know anything out of z2 well.

Happy renting

I would have loved a house in Central London but I have to be realistic.

Where on this thread as anyone said they wanted to be able to buy in Central London?

I would personally rather live in another city than in zone 5 or 6, however this doesn't mean I expect to live in zone 1.

I'm also not sure why some posters care or discourage others who want to move out to other cities or other counties. What difference does it have on your life? I saw a comment about the grass is greener. Well it definitely was for my parents & since most of peers at school were also the children of immigrants I would say it was for them too. It sounds incredibly sheltered, I mean thousands of people migrate all over the world for a variety of reasons. Have posters never met any immigrants?

Where on this thread as anyone said they wanted to be able to buy in Central London

Where posters are saying they would rather move to another town than move to zone 4

I dont know what you have against zone 6

My zone 6 property is in a tiny hamlet, with single track lanes and horses walking past the door
Granted not the hub of central London yet 35 minutes and I can be on Oxford street.

Where on this thread as anyone said they wanted to be able to buy in Central London

Where posters are saying they would rather move to another town than move to zone 4

I dont know what you have against zone 6

My zone 6 property is in a tiny hamlet, with single track lanes and horses walking past the door
Granted not the hub of central London yet 35 minutes and I can be on Oxford street.

Sorry coughing fit posted too soon

Also I have lived all over England and Wales so I have tried living outside of London.

I was born in the North

Growing up i couldn’t wait to leave

Had to move around because of the job Dp had

I hated every minute of it

By your own admission gigiblanks you haven’t had to struggle to buy.
Never had to do anything more than a little interior design work on your property

It comes across as quite flippant to say you would rather not live in Zone 6 and prefer to leave London altogether.

* Where posters are saying they would rather move to another town than move to zone 4*

I can't see that. But even so not wanting to live in zone 4 doesn't equal must live in central London.

It comes across as quite flippant to say you would rather not live in Zone 6 and prefer to leave London altogether.

Why? Why is that disrespectful? You don't like living anywhere but London, I don't feel the same. Not sure why you can hate the "North" but I can't dislike outer zones?
Zone 6 is just not for me, it's not meant as an insult. I like more of a buzz. I don't want to live in the Home Counties either. I live in zone 2/3, some neighbours have recently moved to Bath & Edinburgh & 2 colleagues have moved to Bristol. So clearly i'm not an anomaly in feeling that way. Plus I don't plan to live here forever anyway.

My zone 6 property is in a tiny hamlet, with single track lanes and horses walking past the door
Granted not the hub of central London yet 35 minutes and I can be on Oxford street.

Which I'm sure is perfect for you but does nothing for me.

Also I gather you're a fair bit older than me because no offence but Oxford circus as a destination doesn't really appeal to me. I'm in my 30s.

The hypocrisy is hilarious

I dont know what you have against zone 6

and then

I was born in the North
Growing up i couldn’t wait to leave
Had to move around because of the job Dp had
I hated every minute of it

Please explain to me why I have to want to live in zone 6?

@gigibanks no one is saying you have to want to live in zone 6.

Anyway some parts of zone 6 are very expensive. Depends where they are near.

If you are young and want to buy in London you have to make compromises. Over the decades I know loads of people who have made compromises to buy and then found themselves in very expensive properties.

The poster literally said

I dont know what you have against zone 6

I don't have anything against, it's just not for me.

Anyway some parts of zone 6 are very expensive. Depends where they are near.

Of course, no one has denied that.

If you are young and want to buy in London you have to make compromises

I agree & have, I would like a bigger home but the pros outweigh that for me. However I do think young people can explore their options & look at other cities too.

But gigiblanks have you ever lived elsewhere?

Personally where I live isn’t where I want to be but I can’t afford where I want to be.

I only bought the place because it was cheap, available and had enough bedrooms

Where posters are saying they would rather move to another town than move to zone 4

Page 5 as a starter then a load of posts about Enfield and how unsuitable it is.

I was using Oxford Street as I go to lunch around there with my friends who live all over every so often

You have got your house and you are quite happy.

But there are a lot of people who would rather rent than buy in an area they don’t want.

People aren’t being realistic.

Yes I have, not for very long admittedly, but I have relatives who followed my parents to London but didn't like it so moved to other areas of the UK. My parents didn't know a soul when they migrated but they did it, so maybe because they have that mind set it's less of a big deal to me. I have lots of uni friends who live in other cities. And like I said more & more people I know are moving out & these are people are already on the ladder.

Personally where I live isn’t where I want to be but I can’t afford where I want to be.

I'd like to be in Wimbledon village but obvs can't afford that.

I can't see pages on the app, or at least I don't know how to.

You have got your house and you are quite happy.

Well Id like bigger & off street parking would be the dream! Like I said I was lucky. If I was 5 yrs younger I wouldn't be so happy as I wouldn't be able to have a house in my area or probably anywhere close to it. My lifestyle is very easy, school around the corner, work short walk away, DH has a short commute. The tube, common & high street are all minutes away. That's the lifestyle I like, I don't want to have to drive to places or travel to go to a nice restaurant or buy some shoes. Therefore if I was younger I would look at moving to other cities so I could have a similar lifestyle. I don't know why that's offensive or unrealistic. For similar reasons the countryside doesn't appeal to me.

But there are a lot of people who would rather rent than buy in an area they don’t want.

Not my experience, everyone I know rents in their fave area & buys a bit further away. They buy a flat a bit further away & then when they want a house they go a bit further again.

Unless your a multi millionaire you have to compromise in London, but obviously there's a tipping point.

So you are guilty of everything I said all along.

Can't afford z1 and 2, bitch about it, slag everywhere else off.

In the 80s you would have bitched about not being able to afford K and C whilst throwing all the same barriers up over other places.

eh, is that directed at me? I think you're still asleep.

And while I accept people may still choose a London lifestyle, if someone has London equity and doesn't enjoy their job, is it only fear of being priced out for good that stops them relocating and having a total change of lifestyle?

Just going back to the Ops original question, many of our friends have stayed in London due to having children in the surrounding schools and not wanting to move them. Quite a few will be moving outside of London once the children have gone to Uni etc.

Also, re; not liking a job, sometimes it’s ‘better the devil you know’ and needs must, bills need to be paid etc...... especially if you’ve opted to put your child(ren) through private schooling. Many will stick it out until all the children have left home too. And most people that leave London don’t want to return, we’ll that’s our experience anyway.

For us, it is definitely lifestyle and services. My son just wouldn't have the same opportunities or independence outside the hustle and bustle of Zone 1-4.

I love how this person masquerading as a well known figure in the ASD community says "happy renting". I'm not obsessed with home ownership. I've seen how that obsession with owning when you cannot really afford to has literally destroyed families. I'd probably only ever buy a place if I had 50% deposit at least and could pay off the rest within a decade or so.
I saw the hope that MT gave people and how it was ripped away from them very soon afterwards. When my boiler goes at Xmas and I just call my LL to cover the expense and not me, I certainly don't mind not owning.

course you son would have the same opportunities living a bit further out.

There are swathes of zones 3 and 4 that are less well connected than z 5/6.

Crouch End to Oxford Circus for example takes as much time as from parts of zone 6.

Where we live, in East Sussex but near the Kent border and Tunbridge Wells, a family home in our village is easily £400-500k. I am a teacher, and even with family money our home ownership may stop with our two bedroom flat.

@malylis you sound very bitter, what exactly are you so angry about?

There are swathes of zones 3 and 4 that are less well connected than z 5/6.

Who has denied that?

Crouch End to Oxford Circus for example takes as much time as from parts of zone 6

The obsession with Oxford Circus, I hate going anyone near it & rarely do!

I'm off for brunch in a minute & the beauty is I have a 8 min journey by foot, thats what I like about my area, having options on my doorstop.

When my boiler goes at Xmas and I just call my LL to cover the expense and not me, I certainly don't mind not owning

And you think you don’t pay for that boiler repair?