Where to live in London south or east London

[butterflygold]

Hello, we are struggling on where to live in London. We have two DC’s ( soon to be 3 and 1) and currently live in the edge of London/Surrey border. The schools are not as diverse as I would like, so I would like to move to east London (I can use the Elizabeth line for work) Wanstead/ South Woodford etc, but am struggling to find a 4 bed house within budget.

Do others have other areas they can suggest looking at which are diverse? I need to be able to get to nearish Heathrow for work.

also is it a bit of a big move from Surrey to east London? DC’s are not in school though, so I feel now would be the best time.

If your looking for diverse and within budget i'd suggest south, Lewisham quite a creative area and cheaper than peckham/brixton.

Leyton, leytonstone are quite diverse. Tottenham is very diverse, i'd recommend the n15 sides but also the mount pleasant area has some very nice victorian houses that aren't too spenny. gentrification is on the rise so probably better to get in quickly.

Woolwich is up and coming, lovely and diverse, Elizabeth line has put prices up but still cheaper than Hackney/Stratford areas.
Colindale is NW but lovely area z4 with nice sized homes.

Thanks v much - I have family in Leyton so maybe we need to look again at Leyton: Leytonstone - I think Lewisham and Woolwich would be a bit trickier to get to work - from Manor Park I pick up the Elizabeth line v easily.

I don’t really know Tottenham - what’s it like to live there? Probably a preconception but I wonder how family friendly it is? Is there much crime? Although there is crime everywhere in London to be fair!

The Elizabeth line goes to Woolwich.

I’d recommend not Eltham or Bexley.

Thanks I didn’t realise about woolwich - I need to have a look at it.

Have a look at South East London, Peckham/Nunhead/Brockley/Forest Hill/Sydenham all very diverse areas. The main reason we struggle to leave.

@Lndnmummy these areas would be great, esp Peckham or Forest Hill but they don’t work for my commute which would already be quite long if we move east - I drive currently and it takes an hour - I just can’t do a longer commute with the DC’s being so young.

West London or closer into south west London would be ideal but our budget doesn’t stretch I don’t think - even Acton would be pushing it budget wise. We keep bidding on properties in Wanstead and being outbid 🫠

Completely understand. I only mentioned them as you have a decent route on Elizabethline (change from overground at whitechapel. Wishing you all the best with your house hunt!

@Lndnmummy thank you 😊. I’m torn between accepting a terrible commute for a more diverse area vs a middlingly diverse area with an ok commute. I grew up outside of London where I was the only black child at my primary school and I don’t want that for my DC’s if I can avoid it!

Yes its a juggling act for sure. We are in one of the areas I mentioned and can't bring ourselves to move. We are compromising on alot (live in a flat, no garden etc) but we have a diverse community for our children and that means everything to me.

Look at it in person. It's not a place I'd want to live in, has an empty, neglected feeling to it, despite lots of new builds popping up.

Thank you - yes definitely need to look at these places in person for sure - we have spent a long time looking around wantead/ South Woodford so would definitely do that with any other area

Why not west if you have to get to Heathrow? Hanwell is lovely, good schools, broad ethnic mix

Just wanted to come back and say thank you for suggesting Hanwell- we have decided to focus on there, West Ealing and Northfields for our search - visited a few properties this week and have a few more lined up for next weekend 😃

Just wanted to come back and say thank you for suggesting Hanwell- we have decided to focus on there, West Ealing and Northfields for our search - visited a few properties this week and have a few more lined up for next weekend 😃

Thanks for the update @butterflygold - so pleased to hear you like it, happy house hunting!!

Leyton is an absolute ish hole with regular stabbing and robbers around don’t move there if you want your child to live to past 15