To be so clueless about London

[rehomeme]

I've lived in London for most of my life, mostly north of the river. Post-childhood, in variety of mostly unsatisfactory places, either very small and up loads of stairs and in a decent neighbourhood or with more space but in middle of effing nowhere. In the other cities that I've lived in, both in the UK and abroad (US, Berlin, Cape Town) everything about housing has been much easier!

We're looking to move house from a small 3 bed house in Shepherd's Bush (which we own) to anywhere in West/S Weat London or maybe even Metroland sort of suburbia, provided DH can get in to the Tottenham Court Road/ Holborn area within 45 mins, ideally in 30 mins. I need to commute twice a week to Oxford and accept that might take a couple of hours driving, but still need to be on west side of city, OR within easy reach of Paddington.

What we're looking to find is a big garden, 80 foot + (ideally more) and not very narrow. (Not the sort of 16 foot skinny but long garden you get with some Victorian terraced houses.) Three bedrooms would be OK, four would be better. Not too many stairs (DM stays with us a lot and has mobility problems). Maybe a flat in a big house?

We have a child in reception and a toddler, so also keen to find somewhere with good primary schools. (The reception child currently goes to a private school so that's an option, but would prefer state.) Most of all, a good sense of community. Where we lie now is relatively expensive but basically a triangle of four streets of small Victorian cottages bounded by a massive shopping mall and a main road, and the population is totally transient.

We would ideally spend under 2m but could spend up to 2.5, which I realise is a large budget (much larger than we have had before). That's why my cluelessness astonishes me. We inherited some money and thought we would be able to move somewhere we really liked, given that we were going to spend twice as much money on a house. But I am failing to identify anywhere! The main areas I've been looking at are the Alphabet Streets in Fulham (but gardens small), East Putney (ditto) Queen's Park (but schools seem rubbish and nice houses are getting out of our price range), and Ealing (lovely houses but area seems pretty soulless and centre is grim).

People of Mumsnet, I am truly grateful for ideas. Tell me about where you live, if you love it.

I would look on the bakerloo line personally, out towards the north circular you will be able to get a lovely house and significant change for that kind of money

2 million
Just for giggles like previous posters done what I could get for that round here - there's one that looks like the Home Alone mansion for half the price and 4 acres of gardens
Which I couldn't even begin to afford but I can dream lol

OP - I do understand your perception of Barnes as quite “white” because it is compared to Shepherd’s Bush. However, I’m not British. DH is, but of other (mixed) ethnicities and our kids aren’t white. But it’s no issue. Hammersmith is over the river. That’s what they go to school and “White British” are in the minority probably in their schools.

On the bridge issue - if you want an Uber into town, they just take you over Putney Bridge, (which they tended to do half the time anyway). Or, if you are coming from somewhere that means Putney Bridge would be going out of the way, just get them to drop you at Hammersmith Bridge and walk over / catch a bus the other side if necessary.

The only difference now (for us) is that I would walk to Hammersmith station, rather than being tempted to take the bus (because I was lazy before, basically). It’s the same time involved. Similarly, the kids walk to school, whereas before they might have sometimes got on a bus if there was one coming and there was space in it.

We are much fitter since the bridge closed and there’s less pollution and through traffic, obviously. I’m actually dreading it re-opening tbh

I know the Mortlake area heading for Chiswick Bridge can be a nightmare, but this was always the case. It was really bad at first because I think lots of people didn’t realise Hammersmith Bridge was closed, but not so much now as people avoid it.

Also, fwiw, we’re very likely to be heading into a recession, so it’s worth considering the house price resilience in the area you buy in.

As with much of London, house prices in Barnes doubled between something like 2004-2008, but, unlike other areas, the impact of the recession meant that house prices only stabilised here, they didn’t really dip again. The market is very resilient here because it’s a defined, established area. You could say the same about Putney or Richmond.

I think with a recession imminent, I’d be more inclined to buy in a more established area, rather than a better street in a more “edgy” / up-and-coming area because god knows what the next few years might bring and you need to protect your investment.

How about this one OP ?
www.foxtons.co.uk/properties-for-sale/w4/chwk0004023

Thats a great house Milly, I love the glass extension on the back because even when it’s too cold to be in the garden, it would feel as if you are. Chiswick could work for you OP?

For 2.5 million quid you could buy my whole street of 13 houses. All with decent gardens, some semis, some detached.

Total of 44 bedrooms, 18 bathrooms.

4 hours commute

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71593029.html

Love a bit of living vicariously!

www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/53950694?search_identifier=c2d2c9089c5bf3f0ca760ab04f6bb390

Ok think I’d buy this in a heartbeat if I had you budget! With the garden maybe what you mean is not your traditional garden but something with charm and a bit different! I feel the same would rather a lovely communal garden than a little ‘private’ strip st the back of a house. Also check out Sutton court in Chiswick, that communal garden is magical.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71853636.html

The catch with that last one is you’re not in the catchment for any of the ‘sought after’ schools

Kilburn - needs work
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-81868384.html

I think North London is easier if you prioritise the commute criteria