To ask which areas of London are still ‘affordable’ for buying property?

[Acapulco12]

Looking for some advice on which areas in London are best (ie most affordable) for buying a property.

I’m a first time buyer looking for a house (rather than a flat), but willing to compromise on space for location and condition. I’d prefer to have a smaller house - but which doesn’t need a huge amount of work immediately - in a more central area that’s close to transport links. I’m happy to do work on the house over the years though - just would prefer to move in somewhere that doesn’t need a complete immediate renovation job.

Any advice on areas I could look at please?

I’ve been looking mainly at Streatham and really like that area (nice parks, good amenities and shops, have visited the area a few times and it still seems kind of affordable-ish). I also looked at Ealing and Acton, but I think those are out of my price range. I know this is a tricky question, as lots of variables, but grateful for any advice.

SE London has plenty of evening and Sunday transport, we have the London overground (ginger line!).

For £650k Croydon is affordable. I know it sounds a bit unglamorous and is on zone 5, but it has very fast transport links.

Parts of it are very nice, although at the moment shopping is dire.

Yes good point. All they need to do now is improve the links between SE and SW! 😁

This is really interesting, something similar happened in Hither Green where the council blocked HMOs in Grove Park and Downham and all the developers moved north. I think now they’re clamping down but even so council enforcement is a joke.

We have our fair share of HMOs and I agree people need somewhere to live. However stuffing more people where there isn’t the infrastructure is not the solution.

I remember we viewed a house that was an HMO, and the poor lady who was in during viewings had literally just moved in. The scumbag landlord let her move in whilst knowing that a sale was on the cards. It left such a bad taste in our mouth that we didn’t offer.

How about West Norwood? Handy for Streatham, and direct trains to Victoria. It has a great community feel - I lived there until a few years ago and really miss it!

You would get a 2, possibly 3 bed terrace in walthamstow, Leyton, leytonstone for that

See I really don’t understand this. For an extra 10 minutes on the train you could have a 4 bed detached with great schools, great transport links and great communities. In Essex.

it always used to make me laugh when I worked int he west end and everyone was like ‘I live in London‘ and I’d be like ‘how long does it take you to get to work’ and they’d be like ‘about an hour’ 🤣

Oops just seen lots of suggestions for walthamstow

The additional train fare jumps - often quite significantly - once you get beyond zone 6, which needs to be factored in if you commute. It can also be much more difficult to e.g. find an Uber which will take you beyond that, especially late at night - so if you’re somebody who enjoys going out in London (or has to do it for work) and don’t want an 11pm curfew, Essex / Kent isn’t a goer. We certainly found as much when we considered moving out.

It looks lovely. Like you said, probably not much scope for improvement other than the curb appeal. The photography angle of the external shot looks like it is trying to avoid the roof to me, so do check that.

We moved out of East Acton in 2021 and it's a hidden gem - leafy streets, zone 2 and 20 minutes on the tube into central London, the new Old Oak Station will open in the next few years on the other side of the scubs too. Not much going on on your doorstep but you can easily walk to Westfield or into Shepherd's Bush for food and shopping.

You don't mention DC so assume you don't have children - the school wasn't what we were looking for but pre-DC we had a great time there!

Anything on the Elizabeth line has improved this no end and we do have Uber in lots of places! 🤣

Yes, 10 minutes to London Bridge from zone 3 and it’s pretty reliable. My commute to work is same time as/quicker than my colleagues who live in West/North London.

I understand that people are very wedded to the tube but I haven’t found being without a hindrance at all. Trains go past midnight and on the rare occasion I’ve been getting home at 2/3am, there are direct night buses or no trouble getting a cab or Uber.

Agree, and we found that what we’d be spending on the train ticket was approx the saving in mortgage (and is subject to inflationary increases).

Yes!! It takes so long to get from SE to SW, on public transport and by car!

St Albans has trains all night, journey times similar to Ealing. Goes to St Pancras, city, London Bridge, Gatwick, Brighton. Links on to every tube line.

it can work out cheaper, especially if you are on your own:

2 bed in St Albans 515k = 2861+400=3261
2 bed in London 650k = 3612+184=3796

This one is 5 mins from station, 5 mins from lovely old pubs, 10 mins from shops, restaurant, cathedral, 5 mins from an independent cinema, and lots of green.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143784392?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

In Essex.

Every silver lining...

If you aren’t tied to a particular area of London, have you thought about one of the commuter towns? Your money will go much further and fast trains can actually get you to Victoria quicker than some of the tubes that stop frequently. Redhill, Horley, Tonbridge, Otford, West Malling, Guildford might be worth looking at on Rightmove just so you can see what your money will get you in there locations.

Parts of Forest Hill and Honor Oak would be within your budget and are generally really nice areas. Also Sydenham and Penge have good transport links and are both affordable. Primary schools in all these areas are really good too.

Those places are all really expensive! Abbey Wood is an absolute shit hole (I live here) and house prices have increased 60% because of the Elizabeth Line

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143324039#/?channel=RESBUY
Northfields is in the LB of Ealing and a short walk from Ealing Broadway through a couple of lovely parks. Also has nice shops on your doorstep in Northfields Avenue. This house needs a lot of work, but that area is in your price range and family orientated

Thanks @aliceinanwonderland! I really like Northfields as an area, but I think it’s probably out of my price range. I know Northfields quite well, and I think the houses in my price range are those that need lots and lots of renovation, which I don’t have the money to do unfortunately.

Thanks so much for spotting this house and sharing it here. As it is just in my price range - and will need lots of renovation - I think I might struggle to afford the renovation on top of buying it as well.

I'd look at Tooting. Not far from Streatham but you've got access to the Northern line (1 change to Victoria) and to Thameslink services from Tooting rail station.

Slightly out of your budget but liveable:
https://www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/66470687/?search_identifier=8be29ac2a273d2265f504b3db54aa932

Interesting but would need work:
https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/66386313/?search_identifier=3267231d87c616e7bbe1497bbf8cb7e684cab99219771e82b3b3e3dda52f2438

There's this is Southfields which would be in budget:
https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/57834117/?search_identifier=c9f810277c2be425db81c5b3a8ef4a0f1916ca012fd9c0b43f4f1cffe0e9740e

Or this in South Wimbledon but needs a lot of work! Maybe too much of a project:
https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/66444011/?search_identifier=c9f810277c2be425db81c5b3a8ef4a0f1916ca012fd9c0b43f4f1cffe0e9740e

Regarding the house you are viewing again, it looks finished to a very high standard. The attic conversion is well done. This is good because minimal work is required by you but also bad because it's difficult to add value.

I personally don't like how open plan the whole ground floor is. Not being able to close at least one door against noise or food smells would be an issue.

I agree that when you live mid-terrace the nature of your neighbours has a massive impact on your quality of life. Parking on terraced roads can be an issue.

I have lived in various parts of North West London near Wembley and Alperton. I really wouldn't recommend either of them; Alperton is especially grim and Wembley is dominated by whatever is going on at the stadium.

If you're willing to go as far as Ruislip or Pinner there are lots of houses in your price range