To want to escape the ghetto

[N15]

I have name changed for this for obvious reasons.

I live in a part of London that has long resisted gentrification, and has a stubbornly high (and rising) crime rate. Stabbings, and even shootings, are far too common. Neighbours have witnessed shootings, with their children. The local secondaries are seen as finishing schools for criminals, with a lot of gang involvement, and knives carried around.

I really worry about my children when they reach secondary school age. I would sooner home school than send them to the local secondaries, but I don't have the ability to home school due to working. I work as a junior doctor, but the wages are low, especially for London.

Any suggestions for an area with decent schools that doesn't break the bank? I would need 4+ bedrooms. Even open to buying land and building, anything to escape.

I did this. We lived in Tottenham and just drove up the A10 and stopped off at places along the way that were within an hours drive. We settled on Ware which is lovely and at the time relatively affordable. Good transport links to London, rail and road.

There is a weird belief, mostly prevalent in the minds of people that have recently parted with large amounts of money to live in areas of London that even 10 years ago they wouldn't have walked through, and are then kind of surprised there are crack houses, people getting their pateks yanked off their wrist and organised gangs nicking their ranges

I moved out of Tottenham prior to kids, growing up there was bad even then and it's getting much worse. We moved out to North Herts eventually, great train lines into King's Cross and Moorgate. 4 Bed doable in a lot of areas, although no area is without issue these days. Gentrification is often wonderful only for the wealthy, just pushes the locals out, and will water down the great stuff about an area like Tottenham, great diversity. North Herts is lovely mostly but very lacking in diversity in the wealthier areas.

What about St Albans? It’s expensive but not London expensive. 30 minutes into St Pancras. This house is in walking distance of a train station. I don’t know the area that well tbh but I think the schools are good. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131817959#/?channel=RES_BUY

164 hits for 4 beds under a million within a mile of Blackheath but, you know, the OP thinks anywhere you CAN buy for under a million in London is basically a ghetto / not anywhere one would want to live so frankly not sure I would want some like that as a neighbour.

As if you can't escape the ghetto with a £million! You can totally get a nice 4-bed with that budget - move to south London. Crystal Palace, West Norwood, Sydenham, Penge, loads of places in family areas with decent schools.

Willesden Green - ok area - your budget would cover it - on the Jubilee line.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/128269211?utmcampaign=property-details&utmmcontent=buying&utmmedium=sharing&utmmsource=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RESBUYY__

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https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136014044?utmm_campaign=property-details&utmcontent=buying&utmmmedium=sharing&utmsource=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RESSBUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130252178?utmcampaign=property-details&utmmcontent=buying&utmmedium=sharing&utmmsource=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Kingston has a large teaching hospital too so good for work.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/132649079

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136370111

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136400753

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134043302

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86120205

Sd352 · Today 10:46
164 hits for 4 beds under a million within a mile of Blackheath but, you know, the OP thinks anywhere you CAN buy for under a million in London is basically a ghetto / not anywhere one would want to live so frankly not sure I would want some like that as a neighbour.”

Most places within a mile of Blackheath weren’t very safe when I was growing up. Years and years ago, though, so guess they’ve changed.

Brockley, Greenwich, Blackheath...
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E85426&insId=1&maxPrice=1000000&minBedrooms=4&primaryDisplayPropertyType=houses&googleAnalyticsChannel=buying

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E85358&minBedrooms=4&maxPrice=1000000&propertyTypes=detached%2Csemi-detached%2Cterraced&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E85278&minBedrooms=4&maxPrice=1000000&propertyTypes=detached%2Csemi-detached%2Cterraced&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=

This is hilarious. I live in Forest Hill, plenty of nice family homes in the OP's budget.

It is a bit ordinary - high street has a Sainsbury's, a Superdrug, a big Wetherapoons, a few estate agencies etc.. but it is quiet, green, familiy friendly. The most drama we usually get is the regular "big leak" when one of Thames Water's crappy pipes bursts.

Finchley - no way!

You could consider somewhere like Reading, where the transport into London is really good.

So you are linking ghetto with colour? And yet the Op hasn’t.

I think you need to look closer to home for the racist view.

I understand your concerns. I live in zone 2 in London. Great for kids while they are under 11 as so much to do and I have to accompany them everywhere, high school years, not so much, and I have brown-skinned children. I don't ant them walking around alone so much then....

I am thinking about moving, too. I am looking at zone 5/6 in NW London. Good schools, good options for you I think. Grammar schools, too.

Try Mill Hill, Stanmore, that kind of area. Be aware that racism can be a problem though. It difficult. But I am going to choose racism that I can work with my children to resist rather than drug pushers sitting in cars outside my home.

These have just come out top on right move. I haven't clicked through or anything.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134645510#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130540235#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/133891052#/?channel=RES_BUY

How about Suffolk? Good schools in Ipswich and one hour on the train to London. You could try Woodbridge or similar, small town by the river, you would get a lovely house round there for £800k

OP just wanted others to do her googling. Seems like it worked.

Move out of London £1m would get you a literal mansion in 99% of other places.

Lots of houses for your budget in areas like Sutton, Kingston and Croydon which also have very good schools.

Croydon is a tough sell on here 😅

Yes, I agree it’d be about that in Barnet. I know it well. I live further in and you’d struggle to find a proper 4-bed for less that a million. A 3-bed, definitely doable though.

House in Suffolk Here

andThis one

North of England Northumberland .. half hour from Newcastle hospital.
thw Scottish Borders are beautiful which has border general hospital .
you should take a week of work and go visit some short listed places .
Move to the highlands you could have whatever you want for that money and …. The lowest crime around

I was in a horrible part of London and moved to Sussex when my Ds was small for the same reasons. No regrets but I didn't have 1 million to spend. If you want to stay in London..
Blackheath
Bromley
Bexley Heath
Mottingham
Chislehurst
Welling