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

Thank you! That's so helpful to have a true local's point of view. Let me know if you ever move to Paris and I can return the favour ;). To be honest I am starting to wonder if I can even afford most of these places with my budget, in the current market. I didn't see anything good so far, apart from two 3 bed houses on Spencer Rise which were gone before I was able to visit, and I suspect they are "fakes" that the estate agent is putting online to attract customers... My search is narrowing on Tufnell Park/Kentish Town because I feel like they may be more affordable than Hampstead/Primrose Hill/Belsize Park, while still being close to the Heath, hopefully something good will come up soon!

Thank you! That's so helpful to have a true local's point of view. Let me know if you ever move to Paris and I can return the favour ;). To be honest I am starting to wonder if I can even afford most of these places with my budget, in the current market. I didn't see anything good so far, apart from two 3 bed houses on Spencer Rise which were gone before I was able to visit, and I suspect they are "fakes" that the estate agent is putting online to attract customers... My search is narrowing on Tufnell Park/Kentish Town because I feel like they may be more affordable than Hampstead/Primrose Hill/Belsize Park, while still being close to the Heath, hopefully something good will come up soon!

Sadly, moving to Paris is just a dream but thank you for the offer 😊

Tufnell Park and Kentish Town are both lovely and definitely more affordable than Hampstead. Very family friendly. Happy to answer any questions about specific places you're looking at.

Thank you! That's so helpful to have a true local's point of view. Let me know if you ever move to Paris and I can return the favour ;). To be honest I am starting to wonder if I can even afford most of these places with my budget, in the current market. I didn't see anything good so far, apart from two 3 bed houses on Spencer Rise which were gone before I was able to visit, and I suspect they are "fakes" that the estate agent is putting online to attract customers... My search is narrowing on Tufnell Park/Kentish Town because I feel like they may be more affordable than Hampstead/Primrose Hill/Belsize Park, while still being close to the Heath, hopefully something good will come up soon!

South End Green ( hampstead/ belsize park) Hampstead heath overground.

If you're thinking about Kentish Town and worried about the tube being closed, there is also Thameslink, which is one stop to St Pancras, and about 5 trains an hour.
I live on the Islington side of Kentish Town, and its a 35 minute walk in to Kings Cross, with a nice backstreets route down through Camley St to the canal. This, for instance, would be about a 25 minute walk
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145986386#/?channel=RES_LET with some nice parks and squares nearby

What about Angel/the areas around Upper Street? It’s not long on the bus to Kings Cross at all.

We own a big (1100sqft) 2 bed flat with a 300sqft terrace in Highgate village which we rent out for 3500/mth. It’s a fab location imo. Lovely little high street, nice walks on the Heath, easy walk to Hampstead in the summer for a wider choice of restaurants etc. nfamily nursery is great if you’re going down that route. You’ve got Highgate scool or Channings or st Michael’s which is rated excellent if you go state.

Love this area and used to live there a long time ago in a house share... Visited a few places there today in fact. But within my budget I can't find anything good...

I really want to walk to the office so good to know, did not realise Kentish Town was so close! I guess it is on the Camden side. It's a nice flat! My partner may not like being so close to Camden, for some reason he has something against it ha (the tourists maybe). But will look into it, thanks so much!

If you want to walk to Kings Cross, you will have the option of the Camden High Line in the future, it's starting point is at the KT end of Camden

www.camdenhighline.com

Thinking about it, with a baby/toddler I would sacrifice on space to live in a nicer area. Getting out and about can be so hard with little ones that it’s really a blessing to be right in the midst of an area you love.

If you like Angel, have you looked around Highbury? Still very close to King's X by bike, tube, bus or even on foot and maybe a bit cheaper than the Angel end of Upper St.

Alexandra Palace (the Muswell hill side) trains to kings x, lovely park and short walk to Muswell Hill centre. Good primary schools and a fair few French families around!

I used to live on this road 15 years ago as a student and it was lovely! Walked in to Waterloo most days in an hour but good tube and bus links no time at all to kings x my nephews and god children born and lived here for 10 years. many baby groups available. gorgeous days on the heath and swimming in the ponds. Makes me nostalgic now I’ve left London.

Oops as in upper park road

We're getting a High Line?!? Brilliant news! It looks amazing. I'm donating first thing tomorrow. Thanks for posting this!

There are bits of N7 that I’d consider. There are some nice old Victorian houses near Paradise Park and Arundel square. Paradise is a nice park for kids and it’s only 10 mins to Highbury and Islington and 5 mins from there to Kings X or very walkable/bikeable. It’s not quite as nice as some of the areas mentioned but it’s gentrifying quickly and Holloway Road and Upper street have some great restaurants/bars etc. You feel very in the thick of things.

Also the other side of the road between Drayton Park, FP and Arsenal but I’d stay off the main routes past the stadium as you will be affected by football.

Having said that I’ve just had a look on Rightmove and it seems the rental market has gone a bit bonkers so you might struggle to get 3 beds and a garden for 4k even in the slightly ropier bits. It almost makes me want to rent out flat out, go and live somewhere super cheap and pocket the difference!

Caledonian Road has gentrified a lot and the new flats round the clock tower are nice. My husband lived there before we met and really liked it.

What do you think about the area around St Paul's Crescent? https://maps.app.goo.gl/oSpGNeCAFU2s1Wcj9 Seeing a nice flat there but don't know that exact area or Caledonian Park which is neary... THank you!

Thank you! This flat in particular seems like it has some stairs which may be scary with my 1 year old (who runs everywhere already...) but I found a similar one on St Paul's Crescent, do you know this area and what do you think? https://maps.app.goo.gl/oSpGNeCAFU2s1Wcj9

Camden Sq near there is lovely @AnouchHa .

I don't know if it would fulfil your need for green space though. There are small parks nearby but it's not as green as round the Heath.

Its a quiet street, close to a couple of pleasant if small parks (Camden Square, Caledonian Park), and an easy walk to Kings Cross. Its only disadvantage is that, by the standards of inner London, its a wee way from a tube station - about 15-20 minute walk to Kings Cross, 10*15 minutes to Camden Town. A few nice, child friendly pubs and cafes nearby - the Lord Stanley is a personal favorite.

Its a quiet street, close to a couple of pleasant if small parks (Camden Square, Caledonian Park), and an easy walk to Kings Cross.

Just adding that the walk from there to Kings Cross - down the alleyway to Camley st and under the railway - is not one I'd like to do late at night. It's fine in daytime, and fine on a bike, but the part around the auto body shops is kind of an urban blackspot.

@zaxxon I'm pleased you are as excited about it as I am, I think it will be great. There's a bit of a campaign against it, instead wanting the railway line to be reopened 🤷‍♀️

Thank you that's exactly the kind of info I was looking for! Will most likely not walk late at night but still making me think twice about it... But looking at Google Maps it's even quicker to go via York Way rather than Camley street, would that be better?