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.

You are right.

I need to find a way to link the footage of people shooting at each other with shotguns on the high street during the day, while bystanders ran for cover, for those who don't believe what the area is like. I have seen so many assaults/come across people who have been seriously assaulted with weapons.

I'd recommend Hertfordshire or Essex (Cambridgeshire or Bedfordshire at a push) if you're currently in North London. The commuting will be easier for you.

😆 at Crouch End, Highgate and Muswell Hill!
you may be ok with a house that needs improvement or a crappy road in Finchley.
Alexandra place, southgate & Friern Barnet more likely.

Milton Keynes, 35 mins to Euston.
Great variety of housing and lots of greenery.

@n15- that’s awful re high street shootings. Tottenham has always had a bad rep though, although I thought some parts were ok. I know someone who lives in Tottenham Hale who seems to like it!!

The first four are definitely out of budget. The remaining, possibly.

Winchmore Hill or West Enfield (EN2)

Cos it raises house prices way above what most locals can afford to pay for them, hence more adult children living at home for decades without the means to buy locally.

I work in Aberdeen and live in the Shire, up here there its really nothing like how you've described where you are staying. There is a few rough places in the center of town but still parents are not putting their children to school and worrying about knives guns etc, especially out here in Aberdeenshire where my kids go to school. There is also a large amount of job vacancies for Aberdeen Royal Infirmary etc so you certainly wouldn't struggle to get a Job that's for sure. Aberdeen is very boring compared to London however its the safety and the conditions of bringing up kids here is why I choose to stay.

Look at SE postcodes. Anerley is relatively cheap.

Enfield or Southgate or North Chingford or Woodford.
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Go to the other side of the N Circular and it's definitely doable.
Friern Barnet/Southgate/Arnos Grove eg 4 bedroom town house for sale in The Mall, London, N14 (rightmove.co.uk)

5 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Ramsden Road, London N11 (rightmove.co.uk)

etc etc etc

You can get 4 beds in East Finchley for £1m eg https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/133013762#/?channel=RES_BUY (close to a busy road but well back from it), great schools.

this is it! just because you went to club in shoreditch and a couple of gigs in Dalston and they built ridiculously priced flats to lure you in doesn't mean its suddenly a fancy area.

there is deprivation everywhere and what little services there were are shut down to put even more flats on top!

Yes I wouldn’t raise a family in Tottenham either.

Charlton in SE London would be the place to move to - very leafy round Little Heath / Maryon Wilson park. Walking distance to Woolwich for the Elizabeth Line which would put you within an easy commute to North London.

Alternately, parts of upper Plumstead around the common are nice and leafy, and again short bus to Abbey Wood for Elizabeth Line connection.

Just been having a play on Right Move - is Welwyn Garden City too far out? A 1 million quid could get you beautiful 4 bed house.

Also I'm sad to hear Tottenham has gone so downhill. One of my best friends lived there and apart from a police raid on her NDNs when we were kids (which we found highly exciting) I don't recall much drama.

Go to High Barnet. Schools are good and you will get a house for a million. Plus theres a big hospital right there, or others close by

Example house for Charlton: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134975678#/?channel=RES_BUY

The OP cannot (well for almost certain) cannot just jump ship out of North London as they are a Junior Doctor. People suggesting places outside of commuting distance to North London are almost certainly wasting their time.

How about Higham's Park OP? Wanstead? Barking? Forest Gate?

As a junior doctor I imagine you can get a job anywhere you like in the UK and beyond and you jolly well ought to know that

I am finding your questions somewhat disingenuous. Did you not think through your accommodation/location/career choices prior to dc two and three?

Is there a partner?

Is this actually about where to live or is it a thread about junior doctor's pay which in N15, I imagine is rather high as it is in most of the UK outside London.

If you are a junior Dr with 4 DC, I assume you are a fair way up the ladder and on £70k+ with allowances - not the salary an F2 would be on. Have you not thought of applying for any consultant roles bearing in mind the shortages?

Sell your house.
Get a job in: Devon, Wales, East Midlands, North East.
Buy a cheaper house.
Buy a second property that you rent ( maybe student accommodation as that is all managed) You have a second income as maybe Uni fund for your children.
Sorted.

OP you can move up the road to stokey or archway if you still want to be north.

though i own a house in tottenham and the stuff your experiencing seems bad because its very quiet over my sides.

Maybe move over towards St Anns and Stamford Hill. Its mostly Haredi so very quiet lots of kids

🙄

If you're working in north London, for that budget you could get what you need in Potters Bar or St Albans