because I can’t decide where to live in N London?

[FreedomIS]

... looking at Hampstead, Primrose Hill, Belsize and West Hampstead.

We’ve lived in our current home for 2 years but need to move because the landlord is selling(sigh). But we have to move to North London anyway because of the schools. Can’t move too far west or too far east. We do not have a car and use the underground mostly.

Does anyone have any advice about the villages I mentioned? More about the feel and vibe? Crime? Convenience? We know we can get a bigger house in West Hampstead but unsure about the area just because I don’t know it well. Never really go. It seemed more loud and busy when I visited.

I like highbury/Islington but seems like a pain to get to from N London.

Thank you🙏🏻

Bump

Within walking distance of Hampstead Heath is lovely.

Crouch end- lovely, sage, great for families, great schools, great shops, cafes, restaurants, right next to Highgate wood and the parkland walk.

Safe*

villages

Belsize Park no question! Its right in the middle of the area so easy access to hampstead and PH. Easy to walk to PH Park, Hampstead Heath and even Regent's Park. Excellent public transport. Make sure you are in Residents' parking zone CA-B, it is big and covers a lot of the local area. It's very community orientated, near the hospital and you've got your own cinema!!

I used to live in West Hampstead and I highly recommend it. Not as rarefied and posh as Hamstead, but still vair naice. Excellent transport links, lots of great amenities, decent housing stock.

If you choose somewhere near the Hampstead end rather than the Kilburn end, the Heath is a 15 minute walk away. Hampstead village is easy to get to too, if you're feeling rich, but West Hampstead has most of what you'd need.

I've lived in all of those. Hampstead is unbearably up itself, people are a bit unreal because I suppose their houses are worth so much bloody money. Maybe I'm biased becaaue it was an ex I lived with. West hampstead has a totally different feel, by far my favourite. It feels like a normal place, but has lovely houses and I love the shops. We lived just by the synagogue, was always very quiet (not so much the parking) and felt very safe. Worth considering that it's very convenient transport wise, as it's on multiple tube lines and I loved getting the overground further afield. Excellent shopping down finchley road, big waitrose right next to overground. Also lived in Highbury, just up from arsenal tube, didn't feel as safe but there were nice flats. clissold Park and Stoke Newington are also nice, best kebab shops! I also liked being able to walk to upper street.
I've also lived in Tufnell Park, you might want to have a look round there, although I think schools are a problem. It has gorgeous houses and very quiet.

Highbury & Islington is in North London, so I'm not sure how it can be a pain to get to from North London.

All of those are lovely, Prim and Hampstead are marginally nicer and have more green space.

@Whatsonmymindgrapes

thanks! I never checked out Crouch End.

@Davros Thank you!

How is Primrose hill to live in? We will compromise on outdoor space for the location.

@TheKeatingFive

Thanks. Is Kilburn a nice area? Seems like you can walk to the Kilburn Jubilee line quicker from certain streets.

I mean it really depends on your budget OP, North London ain’t cheap especially the places you mention. Have you considered Angel? Crouch End is nice but if you don’t have a car you’ll need to get the bus to Finsbury Park station.

Crouch end and muswell hill are nice. What do you value and what type of area would appeal? They all have different personalities.

No Kilburn is not great. I found it useful to be within striking distance though, for certain shops.

You haven't given much info on budget or where you need to commute to?

@Tootletum

LOL, that’s great. Do you think Finchley Rd is the pits? Every time I walked up and down that road it felt really depressing. :/

@LittleGwyneth

Yes. The children’s school will be in the middle of Belsize park. A family in islington said it can be stressful to get to because of the traffic. If they take the tube it’s about a 45 minute commute.

Sorry meant to say our budget is pretty decent. We can live comfortably in the areas I first mentioned. Again, maybe with a very small garden or patio or no outdoor space. We’re willing to compromise for convenience and location.
We’d like a friendly community. Cafes, shops. Kids activities nearby, ie football... I know there are a few teams that meet at regents park.
Oh and good transport to central London!

@FreedomIS Finchley Road is a bit like Los Angeles. Mind fryingly grim on first look, but it really grew on me, the shopkeepers are friendly and I used to love going to the little shopping centre with the Vue cinema. I'm not keen on Kilburn personally, but don't know it well. Queen's Park is OK - good old houses but I felt like it wasn't well connected. Aah I'm feeling so nostalgic for London!!

I used to live just of Crouch Hill and really liked it. So thats between Finsbury Park and Crouch End. Costs a fortune there now compared to when I was there, but it’ll be cheaper than Crouch End.

@FreedomIS ah sorry if the school is Belize I would stick with that side of the hill, so chalk farm, Belsize, hampstead or primrose. You'll probably find far more school mothers that side. Also, assuming they survive, the restaurants are lovely.

I used to live in West Hampstead and adored it. Best place I’ve ever lived. I was halfway between West Hampstead and Finchley Rd tube stations - AMAZING transport links with overground + two tube lines, lovely local shops up on West End Lane and a good sized Sainsbury’s and Waitrose on the Finchley Rd end. If I could afford it I’d move back in a heartbeat!

I would say near to Hampstead Heath if you can afford it, subject to the journey to the local school. Crouch End and Muswell Hill are nice but too far to the school and not an option by public transport (even if you have a Chelsea Tractor, it may break down, or if you were unfortunate to be unable to drive through injury or illness for a while).

Belsize Park is OK but I got the impression from friends who used to live there that it was a transient area more than the others.

Mill Hill
Crouch End
Muswell Hill