Relocating to North London with one year old - Where to live?

[AnouchHa]

Hi mums,
My partner and I are relocating to London with our 1 year old after two years in France where I am from. I was hoping to stay in France, but unfortunately that's not a possibility and we are finding ourselves quite urgently looking for a place in London. We are looking to rent a 2 or 3 bedrooms with good connections to Kings cross where we work. I don't want my commute to Kings cross to be longer than 30 minutes because I work a lot and I want to make the most of my free time to be with my daughter. So we've identified areas along the Victoria line (Highbury, Finsbury Park and potentially Stoke Newington), Northern line (Chalk Farm, Mornington Crescent, Hampstead station, Tufnell Park) and Piccadilly (Arsenal). One of our big priority is of course to find a child friendly neighbourhood, with good green spaces and lots of families. Schools are not really a criteria for us for the moment.
Rent prices and availability are obviously a real issue at the moment, not to mention that we are still in France so it's not easy to visit. That's why I want ot be as knowledgeable about the areas as possible so I can streamline the search...
Would any of you live in one of the areas mentioned and would be willing to tell me more about what they love about it, and what parts of it are best for a small family vs what parts to avoid? Or have any tips on how to look for a property there outside of traditional ways maybe? Or would you have any other areas to recommend that I've missed?
Thanks so much for reading me !
Anouch

Rent in London will be ridiculously expensive, obviously I don't know your budget but you would get alot more for your money further out and there are some great fast train towns that will get into kings cross quickly. I love in Stevenage which has fast trains to kings cross every 20 or 30 minutes and takes about 23 minutes. The other towns it stops at are Hatfield and possibly potters bar so other options to look at if looking at outside of London. Obviously you would need to look at train ticket prices and weigh it all up, but there is alot more easily accessible countryside in these places for your little one to explore nature

Ps what on earth do you and your partner do to be able to afford £4k a month in rent! Lol

The immediate environs of Tufnell Park are not that salubrious. I would say the same about Archway too. Holloway Road is a bit rough. Hampstead has a lot of little coffee shops and boutiques and has more a tree-lined avenues feel. More expensive though. It’s on the Edgware branch of the northern line. The others are on the High Barnet branch. All go into kings x st p

Surprised no one has mentioned Archway. Cheaper and still close to everything, easy walk to Highgate Park, everything close to the tube and hospital. A friend lived there for a long time with 2 young kids and it was perfect for them. She also rented it out for around £3200, it was a 3 bed (2 double, 1 single), so well within budget.

Places like Radlett, St Albans, Harpenden and the surrounding villages are good to look at. These places are very child friendly and have good parks etc. you will get more outdoor spaces I’d imagine.
I still say Kentish Town/Dartmouth Park or South End Green where the acres of Hampstead Heath are on your doorstep. Much more central and easy to King's X

caledonian road you can get some reasonably priced flats

Moved to Hampstead from Paris and absolutely loved it. Primrose Hill and Belsize Park also great. South End Green is maybe a little cheaper and very close to Hampstead Heath

Thank you, yes you are right that we could get better value for our money further, but I prefer to be close enough that I can cycle (when I am not too lazy!) or even walk!

Thank you, will look into South End Green, I think Belsize Park and Primrose Hill are out of budget at the moment unfortunately... Rent has gone up so much!

Thank you, I am sure these are super nice but I'm not ready (yet?) to go that far, would want something close enough that I can cycle or even walk to work! So yes will look more into Tufnell Park / Kentish Town and Southend green :)

Ha you're the first one to say something negative about Tufnell park now you got me worried :) Hampstead I know and is lovely but looks a bit out of budget to me (at least if I want to be close to the station and not too far from the park)

Completely agree with this!

Gospel Oak, Kentish Town, Parliament Hill, Dartmouth Park and Tufnell Park going to work best for small kids.

10 o’clock club (Hampstead Heath), Highgate Library on Swain’s Lane, Keat’s Library, South End Road / Downshire Hill and Parliament Hill Playground all good for you to hang out in.

Belsize Park lovely but more of a schlep to King’s Cross.

Theres also a crafty bus you can get that leaves you off at the back of coal drops yard which is possibly helpful for your office - is it out the back of King’s Cross?

Eh? Belsize Park is 4 stops on the tube to Kings X.

Thank you will look into it!

Thank you will look into it! I guess I was thinking it was a shame it was far from actual Hampstead heath but if there are still small parks could work.

Yes that was the reason why i wasn't considering it (no immediate green spaces) but true that 15-20 min isn't that far, will look into it!

We did consider it, and we may come back to it but right now we want to be closer to the center (eg. be able to cycle to work)!

Highbury would tick the boxes, you have Highbury Fields, Finsbury Park and clissold Park all in walking distance with excellent playgrounds. Very close to KX and would have rentals in budget.

Mill Hill. We lived on the Broadway and were 20 mins to KX and yet minutes to what felt like the countryside.

Do factor in the high cost of good nurseries in that part of London. Obviously your budget is high, but I would check you can afford that rent plus nursery fees.

I have a friend who lived in Highbury Fields with a little one. They loved it, but her nursery fees were insane.

Ex Tufnell Park here and I loved it for transport links, proximity to the Heath and Holloway for shopping. Not sure about schools as mine were nursery age when we moved to Haringey. Really recommend it

It’s not on the tube but 20 minutes to Kings Cross (fast train) and perfect for raising a family -St Albans.

Finsbury Park area is quite rough as is Archway. Stoke Newington not accessible
Tufnell Park bits are ok. Islington no big parks except Highbury Fields which has a children’s playground and swimming pool, but lots of small green spaces on Squares, the New River and Caledonian Park. Chalk Farm / Belsize Park could be good

This is nice and in budget
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/144624794

I would live here: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145705859#/?channel=RES_LET
Lovely french nursery just around the corner, easy walk to Finsbury park station and then 2 stops on the tube to Kings x, plus close to Crouch end and lots of parks!