1 bed flat as a single parent

[poppop2]

Currently in the process of separating. Looking at my finances and because I live in London - I would probably be able to buy something for 420k or thereabouts. That would get me a one bed flat in an ok ish area with good schools. Would it be so terrible to live in a one bed flat if you are a single parent? Ds is 5 but am not sure that I will be able to afford to move again. I am an academic so my salary is unlikely to increase all that much over the years as am already at the top of my payscale.

I guess the plan would be that I sleep in the living room and Ds has the bedroom. It's not ideal but am looking at 500k plus for a two bed flat and I just cant afford that. Cant afford our current mortgage on just my salary so we have to sell that but my 50% would only add up to 220k which will only get me a one bed.

I am reluctant to move out of London because my parents and siblings are all here which does provide a bit of a support network. Plus it's hard to move universities so I would have to commute into London anyhow.

What do other single parents do?

Where in London are you looking to buy? There are lots of areas in London with good schools and two beds for less than £500k.

Anything with a box room or even a little nook or large living space that you could separate out? As a long term solution I think it would get pretty wearing not having any personal space for yourself.

Honestly? I'd probably buy a one bed now but look to secure a new role somewhere cheaper in the next five years. Your property will hold its value but you don't want to be living like that with a teenager.

What about shared ownership??

You can get a two bed Warner flat in Walthamstow for around just over 400K with a garden. Ratings are mainly good and a couple of outstanding. Which area do you want to live?

@Simonjt I know there are places where 2 beds are less than 500k but my max limit is around 450k and there arent many areas that have ok schools etc for 430-450k. sadly, I just don't think that I would be able to afford the repayments on more than 450k.

I am not against looking to move - just conscious that my support network is all here - I wont need that as much in five years time but right now it's useful to know that my parents/siblings can help out a bit.

Carshalton has some fantastic schools, it is also very close to very good grammar schools.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125392124#/?channel=RES_BUY

What areas of London are you looking to buy in, what sort of places do you like etc?

PPs are trying to help you OP

It would not be great to buy 1 bed flat with there being two of you. So PPs are suggesting areas with good schools you could afford 2 bed on, asking what side of London you need to be on

If your answer is continually going to to be that you won't move area ie not even to another town in London, bc of where your family are, then please say so that PP don't waste their time.

If you won't move even to the next town then your post would be pointless. As you said you can afford up to to £450k so that is what you can purchase only.

But You won't get people telling you a 1 bed is a good idea- sharing a bedroom with your son when he grows up or you camping out in the lounge,is a terrible idea if you can avoid it by moving a bit further out.

Have you thought of shared ownership housing?

Yes it’s fine with a 5 year old but if you don’t want the hassle and expense of moving again, it’s not so fine with an older boy. London is a huge place; there are loads of places you can get a 2 bed for £450k where the schools will be good enough. Can you make your family’s area your starting point, look at transport links and move a bit further out from there.

If you don't think you'll be able to move again, I'd look for a 2 bedroom. As your son gets older (and it happens very fast!) you will both need your own space. There are places where you can get a 2 bed for your budget.

Get out of London and commute. There'll be limited years you can share a bedroom for.

Most 1 bed places have a decent sized bedroom.

Could you partition it and make it into two small rooms?

It's not really a long term solution. While he is small you can get one of those double beds with a single bunk on top, but that's not going to be suitable when he is 10 or older. And sleeping on a sofa bed for years will be bad for your back - they don't have proper mattresses - and for your mental health not having any space of your own.
It seems crazy to me that £450k can only buy a one bedroom place. You could move slightly out of London and commute in and still be within striking distance of the City and your family.

Agree with others there are definitely places in London with good schools (unless you have a very narrow definition of what you think is a good school) and 2 bed flats for £450k.

i think a 1 bed flat should be an absolute last resort when it’s you and your child. You both will need your own space as he gets older.

The only way I'd consider it is if I could find somewhere with enough space to either split the bedroom or wall off an area of the living space in the future. Even if you can't afford the work right now, it will be easier to save for insted of having to move once one bedroom stops working out.

I think you'll manage sleeping in the living room as while your DS is young enough to go to bed early. Once he's a teenager who stays up as late or later then you, it will be wearing never having your own space.

This looks nice? zone 5 but good transport links and close to outstanding primaries and secondary. There must be plenty of options like this all across suburban London.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124748678

there arent many areas that have ok schools etc for 430-450K.

That isn't true.

London has got good public transport.

It will just mean that instead of being 5 minutes away from your family you will be 30 minutes to 1 hour away.

I really don't think you need to tie yourself to a 1-bed for the whole of your DS's childhood (which may make it hard for him to have privacy/friends over when older) to stay in London.

I can only speak about the area we live in but there are whole swathes of South West London (Morden, Barnes, Southfields, even Wimbledon at a push, some parts of Wandsworth, Earlsfield) which have reasonably good commuting links into central London and where you could get a 2 bed house or flat for your budget so long as you're not too picky. You're right that you'll need to consider schools but there are plenty of decent schools in these areas.

I'm going to say that I've lived in a lot of different sizes of places, and my DSes would happily share a room with me even now (8 and 11), but it's me that struggles with no alone time, and has had to set boundaries so that (the 8 year old in particular) they sleep in their own beds on school nights, and are only allowed in the big bed at the weekend.

The advantage is that going on holiday is never a problem, as they have no problem sharing a bed with each other or with me. The downside is they both have the same bedtime, and as they get older I'm finding it harder to have no quiet time in the evening without them being there.

Depending on your son, a one bed flat could see you through to secondary - but it's whether you can cope with no place to yourself ever, and how you feel about having to move again in about 5 years.

Not sure whether it has been mentioned, but Sutton apparently has very good schools and your budget might stretch to 3 beds there, if you were prepared to go a little further out.

If you can stretch a little I think you can get a 2 bed in a good area, there are outstanding state schools in St Margarets, Twickenham, next to Richmond Upon Thames (tube is District Line).
Here is a 2 bed flat, communal garden and near to Marble Hill park.
2 bed flat

I think there are strong advantages to staying near your support network for the next few years, but you would need to plan to move again when your child gets to secondary age. If you do this, look hard for a 1bed where there would be space for your bed to remain in 'bed mode' during the day. For example, it could be in an alcove behind a curtain, or on a mezzanine or something that gives you a bit of flexibility. and then go for it.

if you give us an idea of what region of london you are looking in (or what university you commute to), then i'm sure people can make suggestions.

@poppop2 Are you married? You may get more than a 50% split of equity if you are. I had a 70/30 split in my favour due to the children primarily living with me.

I would not have managed without my own room/space. Also. If in the future you do meet someone it would make things a bit awkward.

I had a quick look on rightmove and found a couple of 2 bedroom flats in mansion blocks near Hammersmith. Good schools and transport links.

If you look in areas that have had lots of new builds lately, you're likely to find 2 beds for c. £420k. In many cases too many 2 beds were built since they are the most profitable for developers but not necessarily what local people need. Loads of 2 beds in Tower Hamlets for example at that price. Primary schools are decent across the board but you may need to be more selective for secondary.

Looks like your looking for long term, which would be ridiculous being stuck in a 1 bed flat with a teenager. Look to the outskirts of london. E.g watford
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85760577#/?channel=RES_NEW
example of a property.
And a 20 minute train journey into central london.