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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask London MNers for advice on where to move within London

69 replies

Wantstomove · 12/08/2020 08:18

DH and I are considering moving next year as we want to expand our family and can't afford to stay in Camden.

We both love North London but can't decide where to move to. In a ideal world, we'd spend time visiting different areas to research and get a feel for them, but given the pandemic and the fact that we have a baby and no car, most of this research is being done online.

Looking for ideally a 4-bed house + garden, in an area with lots of parks and green spaces and decent schools, and reasonably good public transport links. DH also wants to be able to cycle into the city (charing cross/Liverpool street) for work... feel free to tell me this criteria is a bit limiting and we'd need £1 million +...!

I'm leaning towards Enfield or Barnet, DH has mentioned Walthamstow, but to be honest, we have no idea what these areas are really like or if there are other parts of London we are overlooking. We have a reasonably good budget for London.

Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom of where would be good to check out, where to avoid, where's affordable, where you need to be a millionaire to afford?!
Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
Sixgeese · 12/08/2020 10:07

I am biased as I have lived in North Chingford pretty much all of my life. It is lovely being so close to the Forest and also only a 25 minute train ride from Liverpool Street.

I commuted 20 years by train into the City or Docklands and most of the time my journey door to door was about an hour and as Chingford is the end of the line I got a seat and read for my journey. Some of my friends commute by bike, they say there is a good route along side a canal but I have never tried it.

House prices are more expensive the nearer you get to the Station and get cheaper the further South you get.

But LBWF council are building flats everywhere at the moment, a blocks by, Highams Park Station, Walthamstow Central, St James Street, Wood Street and Chingford and at the moment (the one in North Chingford are at planning stage) so we don't know how that will effect people for services and transport links yet.

userbbb · 12/08/2020 10:11

I only really know SW & if you want 3 bedrooms & a good sized garden with good schools at that price look around Carshalton Beeches, Banstead, Epsom, etc.

LuckyBitches · 12/08/2020 10:17

I live in South London, for that budget I would be considering West Norwood, I lived there once and it was a bit lacking in facilities, but that's definitely changed. It has a nice family vibe, some good schools and I used to cycle to the west end in 45 mins

TempsPerdu · 13/08/2020 09:58

I’m in Enfield currently (Enfield Chase area) and I do feel that we have the best of both worlds here - plenty of lovely green spaces but also the convenience, choice and diversity that you get in London.

It definitely seems my area of Enfield is very much ‘on the radar’ now for young families moving out of central London - in our road alone we have neighbours who’ve recently moved from Islington, Brixton and Finsbury Park, all with small DC. Demographics are (slowly) changing and there’s definitely a younger, vaguely trendier vibe here nowadays - more independent shops, cafes etc. Enfield Town itself however is definitely functional rather than ‘naice’.

I’d second what a PP said about schools however - lots of the best regarded primaries are CofE or Catholic, and these hive off many of the more middle class kids so the community schools tend to have a more challenging intake (ex-teacher here so I have personal experience of lots of them). Tbh we will probably end up moving for secondary, as we’re out of catchment for the good local comp and other than a super selective grammar school there aren’t many other options.

Transport links are decent but not amazing - you can commute to Moorgate in half an hour but we find weekends and holidays frustrating as more often than not there are issues with engineering work or ‘insufficient train staff’ so any London leisure plans can end up being hampered.

I also know parts of Barnet fairly well (like Enfield its a big borough) and a lot of what I’ve said also applies there, except I think there’s more of a range of good secondary schools.

Notcontent · 13/08/2020 10:12

Can you get a four bedroom house with garden in a nice area? I think there will always be some compromise involved.

TempsPerdu · 13/08/2020 10:14

Just noticed your budget - you’d definitely get something decent here in Enfield for £700K. Lots of variety of housing stock too.

Southgate and Winchmore Hill are pricier - they’re a bit smarter and more ‘chichi’ and villagey than Enfield but (with my judgey hat on for a moment) I do find them slightly brash at times (quite money-centric, lots of arrogant 4x4 drivers etc).

NewnameNelly · 13/08/2020 10:32

Avoid Walthamstow, no free parking for any friends or family visiting, extremely built up, house prices are astronomical (for a 4bed), transport links are good and lots of nice restaurants. I agree with a pp Chingford, Highams Park, Enfield Chase or Town, Barnet, Bowes Park...

EnfieldLady · 14/08/2020 01:12

@TempsPerdu Southgate and Winchmore Hill are pricier - they’re a bit smarter and more ‘chichi’ and villagey than Enfield but (with my judgey hat on for a moment) I do find them slightly brash at times (quite money-centric, lots of arrogant 4x4 drivers etc).

YES! Grin

AngeloMysterioso · 14/08/2020 02:11

I used to live in Highams Park and it does tick most of your boxes. The actual park and the neighbourhood around it is lovely, it’s getting more of a village-y feel now with some independent shops and cafes (although how many of those are surviving Covid I couldn’t say) trains every 15 mins to Liv St or you could cycle down the River Lea and through Hackney.

Binkybix · 14/08/2020 02:35

A few people have mentioned Crystal Palace. I’m living abroad at the mo so may be out of touch, but I’d be surprised if you could get a 4 bed there for £700k?

DocOfTheBay · 14/08/2020 03:06

BinkyBix: you couldn’t. Not in Brockley or E Dulwich.

PunkMudda · 14/08/2020 03:15

Barnet is a big borough. It fits all your requirements - green spaces, easy access to central London, a nice lace to bring up kids by and large. but you’ll definitely need to consider which area, as the character of different areas is different AND catchment areas for good schools are small.

Also, because of excellent transport links (Northern line is fast in to central London) and very good schools, it’s more expensive than Enfield.

More suburban than Walthamstow, which sort of reminds me of Stoke Newington 20 years ago - pretty rough around the edges, but prices going up because it’s become popular with middle class couples having kids and moving further out.

hahaboink · 14/08/2020 06:20

For £700k you could probably get a 4 bed on the SE6 side of Honor Oak Park. Officially Catford but much closer to HOP stations/shops. Or Sydenham if you don’t mind more of a 70s town house vibe rather than a Victorian terrace. Commute into city by bike or train really easy. Good schools. Nice community in both areas. Nando’s in Sydenham 😀

hahaboink · 14/08/2020 06:21

Oh and lots of green space nearby and super easy to get out to proper countryside in Kent quickly.

Aramox · 14/08/2020 06:24

Don’t count on combining cycling and train- trains are way too full to take bikes in peak hours!

JuniperFather · 14/08/2020 07:08

an area with lots of parks and green spaces

Hackney.

reasonably good public transport links

Hackney, if you're not averse to buses or can walk to Cambridge Heath/Hackney Central for overground

DH also wants to be able to cycle into the city (charing cross/Liverpool street) for work..

Hackney.

Twilightstarbright · 14/08/2020 07:25

@JuniperFather I live in hackney and love it but I don't think the OP would find a 4 bed house with garden for £700k here (I wish!)

@Wantstomove how fixed is the 4bed plus garden?

NW3E17 · 14/08/2020 07:38

We've recently moved from Hampstead to Walthamstow. Quite a lot of my friends have also followed us out (from Hampstead, and also from SW London (Fulham/Chelsea).

Honestly, I feel safer here than walking out of either Belsize Park or Hampstead tube stations at night. There has been a few car break ins and a lot of bicycle theft recently - but as I understand it this is also the case in NW3/NW6 at the moment, and is not a usual pattern of crime.

There is a lot of support for independent businesses, the environment and cycling in our local communities. It is very much a community feel where we are (perhaps more so due to lockdown) and are all much more relaxed with the vast amounts of outdoor space we have access to.

I was told that recently that E17 has consistently been in the top ten places to live in London in recent years (I haven't actually looked into this myself, but it was from a friend who was moving here).

Public transport is good - Victoria line and Overground, plus a little further south or east is easy access to the Central Line. Westfield Stratford is a million miles better than Brent Cross!

I would perhaps (if you can) reconsider the four bed. We did and financially it's been a great move - we went for three bed, and are now in the process of extending - financially it's saved us around 150k (there's quite a price gap between 3 and 4 beds here and it was much cheaper to do the conversion ourself).

Our place was liveable in, but definitely not our taste so we are renovating and redecorating further - I do think that a lot of the properties here that are on the market are from older people so that's something you may want to factor into your finances too.

Regarding "pockets" - yes there are here, just like there are in Camden, but I certainly haven't found myself in them, or affected by them. There's bus route we take regularly and do sometimes walk which goes through an area that is similar to Parkhill Road NW3 area and I honestly have never felt threatened in the E17 equivalent. Did in Parkhill but that was largely due to the freaking moped muggers.

Oh, and prices are going up here as well (at least according to the new estimates we've had, and the number of estate agents we've had knocking on our door asking if we are prepared to sell)...

Hackney really doesn't fit your bill - it has less green space than NW3/NW6 - E17 has the green space that Hackney has on offer, plus a whole lot more.

whittingtonmum · 14/08/2020 07:40

For your budget and requirements I would be looking South of the river in the areas people have suggested.

SillyUnMurphy · 14/08/2020 07:48

Enfield is an absolute hole now.
How about Cuffley/Goffs Oak or Epping and Loughton - if you don’t mind being a bit east. Both are on the Central Line.

firstevernamechange · 14/08/2020 07:53

I've just moved from Finchley(Barnet) to Walthamstow 😊

Well, Barnet is lovely, leafy, has great parks and decent schools, Walthamstow has all that, too. Plus a great community feeling, plus you will get a lot more house for your money.

Transport wise, Walthamstow wins (Victoria line is fast), plus you have two overground lines. WF has also provided great infrastructure for cycling.

Alez · 14/08/2020 07:59

I would add Leyton and leytonstone to your list. They are south of walthamstow and don't have quite the same name recognition but imo are similar, but cheaper! When we were looking we found lots of places in walthamstow seemed comparatively overpriced given how far they were from tubes/nice villagey street etc. Leyton and leytonstone both have good schools, green spaces (they edge onto Epping forest and wanstead flats) and the odd hipstery chi chi bits, and they're cyclable to the city with good transport links.

Alez · 14/08/2020 08:05

I was about to laugh at the hackney suggestion - a 4 bed for 700k! But then checked on Rightmove and there are a few places - all ex LA but still. Prices there seem to have gone down a little, maybe I'll move back!

JuniperFather · 14/08/2020 08:11

@Alez

I was about to laugh at the hackney suggestion - a 4 bed for 700k! But then checked on Rightmove and there are a few places - all ex LA but still. Prices there seem to have gone down a little, maybe I'll move back!
Thank you, exactly!

They do exist, if you're prepared to accept the architecture and enjoy the neighbourhood, parks etc.

peachypetite · 14/08/2020 08:29

Had a look and there are a few four bed options in Highams Park within your budget. Under 25 mins to Liverpool St, interchanges at Walthamstow Central and lots of bus routes. Plenty of green woods, parks and forest.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-82758937.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-96033473.html