A move to the Big Smoke: Holloway anyone?

[CondorFanatic]

My fiancé and I have recently secured jobs in London in the Financial Services sector. We live in Cumbria so it's a big leap for us however, we do have lots of friend in N.London primarily around Crouch end, Camden, Hampstead and Holloway.

We'd like to buy and have a budget of £900k which gets us varying properties in the areas I mentioned above. We can get far more bang for our buck in Holloway and my friends tell me it's an ok area so I wondered if anyone else has any insight or experience of living there?

I should also say that we don't have any children together but he has a 5 year old daughter so we'd like it to be relatively kid friendly for when she visits

Holloway is quite studenty and therefore depending on where you are, v trendy. It is definitely an area that is coming up and is very convenient for Upper Street. There are definitely parts that haven't come up yet!

For 900K I'd consider somewhere slightly further out, but still good for transport, particularly for child friendliness.

Thanks Dolomphious, it's quite hard as we found a beautiful Victorian terrace with 4 bedrooms and a beautifully extended kitchen in Holloway and whilst I don't mind an area that is 'edgy' I do worry that some areas are still very much in their development stage. We have a viewing in Hampstead this afternoon but it's just so bloody expensive. We also have a viewing of a different property in Holloway tomorrow, it looks trendy but I'll keep in mind what you've said.

Holloway and Hampstead are wildly different areas, and there are very different areas within them. So unfortunately it is v hard to advise from this distance. Also I know you don't have kids now but if you might ever want kids do look at the local school report and whether you have any chance of getting in. Also at pollution levels if you will be near an A road.

Before you spend £35k on stamp duty, have you considered renting for a while to get a feel for an area?

Before you spend £35k shock on stamp duty, have you considered renting for a while to get a feel for an area?

I second this. Rent for 6 months, get a sense of your commutes, what neighbourhoods you like, busy-ness of tubes, what amenities matter to you. When I was a student I swore blind that Hampstead was the center of the universe. Things have changed I've come to my senses.

There's nothing wrong with Holloway but of course there is a hierarchy in areas, just like everywhere, and Holloway is way down the list. But the benefit is getting more for your money, securing a nice home in a perfectly good area that will improve. Hampstead proper is lovely but I actually prefer being down the hill a bit.

I like Holloway. It's down to earth and pretty central and it's near your friends. If you've found a house you love I'd go for it.

I live in Holloway and I like it here. Very true that you get more bang for your buck property-wise. If you have any specific questions, ask away.

Upsides - a truly diverse area, reasonably central, good transport links, nice coffee places.

Downsides - pollution and traffic on the A1, not much green space (though that is true of Islington in general)

Last time I looked there was still a department store on the Holloway Road, it's got to be worth moving there for that!

Have you considered somewhere in between? I have friends in Tuffnell Park which is good for kids. Also Islington and Stoke Newington far more child-friendly than Holloway. Muswell Hill has some lovely big houses, quite a few Islington/Crouch Enders move there for bigger houses.

Hi OP

You may like to post on the Mumsnet Local Islington board as well - here's a link local.mumsnet.com/Talk/local_islington

Best of luck with your move!

We're Crouch End, which is lovely. Highgate is lovely. Stoke Newington too.

Further East Walthamstow is very trendy and meant to be very nice.

A bit more affordable places you have Finsbury Park , Bounds Green, Palmers Green / Winchmore Hill. Nice areas and you could get a lovely big house with £900k

Holloway is alright but not my cup of tea - I don't feel there's as much as a community or centre about it. No offence meant to anyone who lives there.

Bits of Holloway are ok, and bits are really quite grotty and stabby. Crouch End is lovely but £900k won't get you a house there. Have you thought about Stroud Green?

I think Archway is up and coming, once they finish redeveloping that central bit

Davros Selbys is fine if you enjoy paying twice the price for just about everything!

I'm in Archway, close to Upper Holloway station. We're pretty happy (renting) here, but if I had a budget of 900k to buy there are quite a few other areas I'd be looking at tbh.

I would try renting in the area for a while. I've lived in the Holloway area for 15 years now. Tufnell Park is nice but bit pricier. Transport links from Holloway are excellent. It's got shops for your essentials, some decent pubs (off Holloway Road) and plenty decent eateries. There are some great houses (out of our budget) and you get more for your money.
Personally I don't get the love for Crouch End and it takes that bit longer to get anywhere.

I've never actually bought anything in Selbys but I like an old fashioned department store for hanging round in!!

We lived in Archway for 4 years and loved it.

Good public tranport and so close to Waterlow Park, Hampstead Heath and Highgate Woods.

As well as Selbys department store, Holloway also has a huge Waitrose.

I like Holloway but it's a bit rough around the edges. It's like a lot of Islington where you have very rich people and very poor people living side by side. I'd say the benefit of Holloway is that it's zone 2 so it feels more central/urban than some of the places that have been mentioned like Hampstead. I like city life and want to be as central as possible but it might seem a bit much after Cumbria and often (not always) the more central you go, the less there is a sense of community.

That's one of the good things about London though, the mixture of people rubbing shoulders and sharing neighbourhoods. Holloway certainly is on the urban side but there's usually some green area not too far from most places

If you have any questing send me a message, I know pretty much every street in the N19 postcode, we live in Upper Holloway and I recommend the Whitehall Park area, although if you are buying Crouch End/ Upper Holloway is holding its value better at the moment and Highgate has fallen so you might grab a bargain. In N19 there are some blackspot for schools so if you have kids/are planning a family and aren't prepared to go private it's a bit tricky. I quite like Holloway it's super convenient of town and I quite like a bit of urban grit - if you are in Upper Holloway there is Waterlow Park, Parkland Walk and Kenwood House super close, and Islington has good facilities for kids in terms of playgrounds.

These are all in OK areas and within budget and are the only ones I'd consider:

First good value close to crouch end

the doer-upper

all done up

might be a bit noisy but nice

close to highgate village and waterlow park

great for crouch end Village which has a great vibe and buses

nearer Tufnell Park

new to market and good

nice road

FenellaMaxwellsPony I like how I'm not the only Londoner who describes parts of London as being "stabby".

OP, whereabouts are you both planning to work?

If Bank, commuting from Holloway either involves the central line (hell in the summer) or changing at Kings (avoid at rush hour).

If Canary Wharf, it's a bit far.

Mayfair/West End - not so bad.

OP have you considered East Finchley? We have friends who live there and they like it. Or Muswell Hill. Every time we go past there when visiting friends I've like the look of it