To buy a house near the North Circular

[Notts198]

Posting here shamlessly for traffic.

I am a single woman looking to buy a house in north of the river. I currently own a flat in South London. My budget is up to about £625k.

I do not require loads of room, as it's just me, but I do need good transport links as my work takes me all over the city and South East. So somewhere like Enfield is probably out.

I have been looking at the Bounds Green area, but I am concerned about being so close to the North Circular for noise / pollution reasons. Is it really so bad up there?

Are there any other areas that I should consider? I think I am priced out of most places, sadly.

Any help much appreciated!

I wouldn’t buy anything hard on the North Circular, both noise and pollution are not great.

If being near the North Circular would be helpful, I’d look at Walthamstow or, probably more realistically for a house, Highams Park or perhaps Chingford. Both are well connected on the Overground to Liverpool Street, with the option to change for the Victoria Line at Walthamstow Central, and access to the North Circular and M11 (for M25) is really easy.

Thanks @MyCatShopsAtAldi. I would probably be looking at an estate next to it - so not hard on it, but not particularly far away.

The NC isn't particularly important to me - its the transport links and the connection to either the M1 / A1 that I am looking for. I had looked at Highams Park, so thanks!

Posting here shamlessly for traffic.

You won't be short of traffic.

How close to the North Circular are you looking? I know North London is expensive but 625k should be enough for a 2-bed house somewhere that isn’t so compromised?

I used to live in Hendon and there are some parts there that are quite nice on the Golders Green side but not as expensive as GG

Highams Park is charming and well priced. Chingford is worth looking at too. Around Chingford Station.

I live near the 406 ... woodford, South Woodford, highams park that area

The pollution isn't horrendous; they were introducing quiet streets etc
I can see the 406 from where I live but I can't hear it

Not sure if over here is too far for you though

Air Pollution around roads tends to be in pretty close proximity to the road. Noise pollution from traffic travels much much further. Unless your doors and windows open onto the road air pollution isn’t a particularly major issue. Noise pollution will be an issue to some people and not others

Hendon and Golders Green both lovely. Parks. Quieter spots. And v v v close to start of M1 and A1. Also both have tube stops for northern line. Hendon probably cheaper than GG but in your budget if you aren't looking for mohoosive house you'll be fine in either. Nice period mansion block apartment or cottage should be doable.

Don't take my word for it, let Anthony Joshua show you around!

Bounds green is rough.

Ealing and Acton on the west side. Near to new cross rail plus tube and access to the M25. You could be neighbours with the North Korean embassy.

Surely with that budget you can get a 1 bed flat wherever you want

Bounds Green definitely isn’t rough! Are you thinking of Wood Green? But it is pricey. There are obv estates there, just as there is in Notting Hill. Doesn’t make it rough though.

I’ve just moved from Muswell Hill/Friarn Barnet. Very close to A406 but also with lovely views over a golf course. Tbh I hated the north circ being so close but I was desperate to move to the country so I think any big road would’ve annoyed me. Brilliant for driving to anywhere from though. It really depends what your budget is though. I would say Woodford, Highams Park etc you get much more for your money and they are lovely. That’s where we would have moved to if we hadn’t ended up leaving London.

In fact if you’ve got the budget, I’d really recommend Bounds Green. Little high street has got some lovely shops and cafes opening. Easy reach to town and Muswell Hill/Crouch End (and Wood Green for all your Primark needs!). Parts of Bounds Green are bang on north circ, other parts are so far away you wouldn’t ever notice it. It was too expensive for us as we needed 3 beds but if you can afford it, I think it’s lovely.

I certainly wouldn't want to live in any of the houses right on the North Circular but close by not so bad.
I don't know much about Bounds Green but it's not rough. It's not as naice as Muswell Hill which is super close. It's certainly a decent location.
I'm not up on house prices but Finchley is also a good location for accessibility to A1 and M1. Am guessing it's more pricey than Bounds Green.

North Finchley is nice and Whetstone is lovely.

I think on a £625k budget you could find somewhere in north London not near the A406.

Pleased to know that you want to live north of the river as opposed to merely existing south of the Thames.

Snaresbrook / Wanstead?

Just waiting for Jojo to come on and suggest Sutton

One thing to think about OP is that the ulez zone is being extended to the north and south circular and there is discussion for the congestion zone to extend there too, so you might want to buy just outside of that area

Bounds Green is fine, if a bit of a "non" area. Lots of things like yoga/pilates, a few nice cafes and pubs, and fab transport connections. Lots of buses, and tube and overground train options.
I've lived here a long while, the transport connections are what puts me off moving somewhere else, it's so easy to get anywhere!
The pollution is not great if you are right by the A406, but there are plenty of houses/roads further away from it.

@ShirleyPhallus So you can get boorish? If you’ve had a bad day, you could try dealing with it in a healthy way.

I would look around Crouch End/Hornsey. Good bus links into central London and walking distance to Archway/Highgate/Finsbury tube depending on which side of Crouch End you are. I think from memory there is also an overland train station near Crouch End as well as at Finsbury Park. A1 very handy & easy access to the North Circ.

will you be driving.
why do you want to move.
do you esp want a house rather than a flat.
where will you have to get to, the city/west end or out further.

Brilliant, thank you everyone. That is extremely helpful. I will definitely look into some of those areas. I am pleased to see that my initial impressions of BG are right! @DelphiniumBlue that is exactly the kind of area I thought it was, and it appears to be the place where my money can go furthest without compromising on transport!

It is this kind of place that I am looking at, but was worried about its 406 proximity:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/73086795#/

I am sad to be leaving South London, but sadly family ties call me north.

I’m not too sure about prices, but I used to live in Finchley and that was close to the M1 and A1, had a tube station and was generally quite nice!