Advice needed - where to live in London

[notyet]

I moved to London a couple of years ago and am currently living in Islington and loving the access to "interesting" shops, delis etc - i.e. a living highstreet. We want to try and start a family within the next year and want to buy a house. The issue is where. DP would be happy with any safe/decent area, but I am latish starting a family (31 next week) and am really worried about being isolated with a young child and nowhere to go.
Money, of course, is an issue. Where in London can you all recomment where there is an "interesting" highstreet with nice shops/cafes, places to go etc, nice area, but doesn't cost the earth. I really want to be able to walk places, not be dependant on a car as well. and be within walking distance of tranport links.
I know this is a tall order but its becoming a real issue as DP, while kind of understanding my fears, also just wants to get a nice house and settle down in suburbia, and I am really frightened of being isolated at home with a small baby. My support network in London is not large and I really want somewhere where there are parent/todler groups, schools within walking distance etc.
Please help

I live in stoke newington and it is great, lots of couples with babies, many child friendly pubs, cafes etc...
and only a bus ride from Islington.

the high street (Church Street) and Kings Road were the only 2 London high streets to make the British top 100!

I didn't know that Nixnoo, thanks for the information

we're a bit further south in hackney, london fields, & it's great. very family friendly, funky shops/cafes/farmers market. easy access to islington. and very central too. the tube's coming in 5 years... not sure that 375k would get you 3 beds & a garden but you can try.

Notyet, I think you might want to check out primary schools if you are planning on staying put for a while after you buy your next house. In London this is a MAJOR issue. You can find some really dreadful schools near to some really excellent schools, and sometimes it all comes down to which end of the street you live in. Of course, this affects house prices too.

We are looking to move at the moment, and when we first started looking into new areas I was amazed at how two seemingly identical houses could be different prices. Then I looked at which primary schools they were near, and it all became clear!

A good website to use is Foxtons - you can click on a link to info about the nearest schools and it will give you the SATS results (though of course SATS are not the whole picture). Foxtons don't cover East Dulwich though.

Of course, if you're thinking of going private then this won't matter!

We've recently moved from London Fields, Hackney to Southgate, N14. We had a 3 bed Victorian terrace in London Fields and have bought a 4 bed Edwardian terrace in Southgate for the same money. Our criteria were access to Islington and the City (OH works off Essex Road and I might go back to work in the City) and better schools. Hackney is great, but schools are ok at primary level but a bit lacking at secondary level.

It's great round here...loads of other mums and babies; stacks of parent and toddler groups. And we're only 10 mins drive from Muswell Hill, 15 mins from Crouch End, so close enough for the funky shops (can't say that either Palmers Green or Southgate is great for funky shops).

We also used to live in Stoke Newington and from experience I doubt you'd get 3 beds for less than £400k...you might manage it in Hackney (E8 or E5) or a bit further east/north-east. I have a friend in Walthamstow which has some lovely victorian houses.

Happy house-hunting!

Sorry Booklover, I don't know Clapton either. As well as Wanstead, Woodford etc, I've heard that Forest Gate is supposed to be quite sahm friendly (I can't say exactly as my baby is not due until October), although I think I'd stick to the north part for primary schools.

Sorry if someone's mentioned it already and I've missed it, but a book like the London Property Guide has loads of information about areas, sometimes down to specific roads, and includes stuff about schools. There's a new issue every year. Good luck with the house-hunting. It's such a big commitment and you can't even try before you buy. Honestly, we wouldn't buy a pair of shoes like that!

Notyet, check out Merton Park (next to Wimbledon and Raynes Park) for big gardens and family friendliness. Prices are still fairly reasonable outside the local conservation area, you would do OK on your budget. Main estate agents are Finch and Hawes.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Will be checking them all out.
Anela, have emailed you, thanks for the email address

Oakwood and Winchmore Hill are nice too, similar to Cockfosters and Southgate, Palmers Green.
I live out of London now as it was too expensive for us. Now we need to move again for DH to have a shorter journey to work.
You have given me the idea to starta thread on that, Thank you. We are going to an area that neither of us know about so I might start a thread to check it out.
Moving house with family in mind is tough. All the nice places seem to be out of budget.

Good Luck in your search.

i now live in isleworth, near richmond, but used to live in walthamstow, which was very different, but i have very happy memories of living there when my son was born. not much in the way of green spaces, but there was a lovely lake up by whipps cross hospital. the high street is also bustling, and i made loads of mummy friends there, there were loads of mum and baby groups. epping forest, also lovely, is a car ride away, epping itself is absoltely lovely as well. isleworth is great as it seems to be a little pocket of affordability sandwiched between richmond, twickenham and ealing, i only have to walk ten minutes til i'm walking along the thames.

I can highly recommend Stoke Newington. It is baby central (and apparently has the highest birth rate in western europe!) and there are loads of baby related things going on. Church St is full of lovely cafes, shops etc and is a short ride on the 73 to islington. If you cross the high st and head east a bit into hackney proper the house prices aren't too unreasonable. Also what with the Olympics the transport links and property prices are really going to benefit. I am expecting my first baby in nov and a lot of my friends are deserting london for the burbs. I can't think of anything worse than being isolated in a souless town on the m25 even if you do get 4 bedrooms and a double garage for your money! My one worry would be schools in Hackney but i've got my head in the sand for now! Hope this helps.

I live in Kennington SE11 - have been here for 12 years and have dd 4 years and DS 1 year - There is loads to do here once you get into it - we are 10 mins on the bus from Central London and DH is 30 mins on bus from The City. Spent many happy hours on The South Bank with my babies - Central London is your oyster. Also St Thomas' has one of best maternity units in the country. Nearest Starbucks is 10 min walk and Kennington Park has a fab cafe and new playground plus plenty of other options.

Must recommend NCT as way of meeting people - I have made some lifelong friends.

You would def get a 3 bed house for your budget depending on where you live and if you are happy to ditch period property - Try Winkworths/Daniel Cobb/Barnard Marcus. Also check out schools - our dd is about to start at a v well regarded local state primary - but it is a lottery as to whether you get places and there are some terirble schoools and some rapidly improving ones - Lambeth is pumping money into education although secondary is dire. If you want private then looking at travelling to Dulwich/Pimlico.

Kennington is full of kids but isn't "Nappy Valley" where every house looks the same, has 2.5 children, matching manicures and a house out of town !

Hope this helps

sidneyb how old is your dc? I live around SN too and have got head in the sand too. I am scared even to start thinking about it. I want to stay but also want good school for DD.

sidneyb how old is your dc? I live around SN too and have got head in the sand too. I am scared even to start thinking about it. I want to stay but also want good school for DD.

I agree with Hoxton chick. Hackney, especially London Fields has an amazing family community, is really friendly, and you would still be close to Islington which you already know. 375 would be tight for a house with garden but there is still the odd thing around. it would certainly get you a good sized maisonette with garden.

Would also recommend East Dulwich. We moved here just under a year ago and it is perfect for kids: lots of green spaces, parks, playgrounds, cafes, etc and easier to get to central London than people think. You should be able to find a 2 or 3 bed for your budget, even though prices have gone up. Forest Hill or Sydenham worth looking at too.

How about Northfields/Ealing/Isleworth

Ealing expensive but v good and v mummy friendly with loads of parks and things to do with new babies (singing, swimming etc etc) and a thriving network of mums through nct and mumsnet.

Northfields less expensive but got some lovely shops and 10-15 mins walk through park to Ealing

How about Northfields/Ealing/Isleworth

Ealing expensive but v good and v mummy friendly with loads of parks and things to do with new babies (singing, swimming etc etc) and a thriving network of mums through nct and mumsnet.

Northfields less expensive but got some lovely shops and 10-15 mins walk through park to Ealing

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I am overwhelmed by the response.
DP and I have found ourselves getting v stressed about what we can afford vs where we want to live so all these suggestions really help. Thanks again to everybody who has posted suggestions, I will be checking them all out.

Soopermum1 - where did you live in Walthamstow? I, too, am a 'stow ex-pat now living in Isleworth! I must say Isleworth wins hands down in terms of location