Commuting to Tooting, where to live?

[NKFell]

My friend is looking at moving to London because she’s been offered a job in Tooting.

She’s really not sure which areas she should be looking at to move to with her family (we live over 300 miles away!) so I said I’d post on here in the hope that you lovely London MNetters could offer some advice.

She has 4 DC from 2yrs to 9yrs, would like at least 4 bedrooms but ideally 5 and her budget would be around £750k but could squeeze a little more above but not much. She doesn’t want a huge commute but more important is an easy commute so if an hour away that’s alright as long as it’s easy without too many changes.

Having no local knowledge of the area she’s really struggling to know which are good areas and which aren’t.

Any help or advice will be appreciated. It’s a nightmare.

Look down the train line from tooting. The commute from website is useful.

She could prob live in Mitcham or Colliers Wood or anywhere out towards Croydon on that budget I’d imagine but they aren’t all that nice. She’s not far off being able to live in Tooting itself if she does a bit of leg work - assume it’s the hospital she’s got a job at?

Crystal palace / West Norwood / Dulwich / Streatham / Tulse Hill would all be short commute (could cycle) and affordable - although would have more choice in the first two areas. 5 bed would probably be a 3 bed with loft conversion rather than true 5 bed.

Parts of Lower Morden are nice enough & would fit budget. This for example

www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/57356685

Lower a mordern, Rayne's Park, that sort of area, four beds about 750k and theres a train into tooting station. If shes at the hospital would it be an idea to see if they offer short term accommodation while she looks, prices are coming down in London and she may get relocation costs pwid. If she rented for a while she could see what areas she likes.

Thank you for the replies, yes it’s the hospital. She has short term plans and will investigate more once she’s down there but she’s trying to get a head start.

It’s hard when you literally have no idea where is nice and where’s not!

Round by the hospital is very busy & full of the sounds of sirens - mostly Victorian terraces. Merton Park where we are now would be just out of budget, but Lower Morden, Worcester Park would be within budget & are nice places, affordable & an easy commute.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53709552.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67301575.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65859532.html
loads within walking distance of Georges

Thank you!

Yes, when chatting about it she was saying she doesn’t think she’d want to live in Tooting but, who knows once she’s spending more time there she might enjoy it. She’s from a very rural area in Cumbria (as am I) and I think it’s all going to be a shock tbh!