Please recommend an area in London for families

[Fabi76]

Hello! I am not very familiar with London and need to move in three months. My husband and I have a baby and are looking for a house where we can stay for at least 10 years, so big enough for a growing family. I am appalled with the house prices, could you suggest an area with relatively good schools, access to public transport (to commute to Central London)and some nice parks nearby? We were thinking about north west or west but it could also be anywhere else as long as it's well connected.

Many thanks for your advice!!

Richmond chiswick kew barnes (there is plane noise in all but chiswick but they are gorgeous)
Hampstead also gorgeous
Brook green (v close to shep bush)
Stoke newington
Dulwich
Wimbledon Putney east sheen

Thanks What'sWrong! I will look at "between the Commons" in Northcote Road. You are right, we are not considering paying for private schools because I don't think we could easily afford it.

with your budget look at clapham, balham or wandsworth common, known as 'nappy valley' afaik, good transport links, close to 3 commons, good choice of schools.

Eveline, that's exactly where I was talking about!

Northcote Road.

Thanks bigTilly, isthismadness and eveline! I am taking notes! :)

Well, you tend to gravitate to places where you have friends or that you know and like (or you can afford). I live in Clapham which tends to be a bit middle-class and not very bohemian - there's some great schools/restaurants/shops and, of course, the large common as well as tube stations. Brixton which is next door definitely feels trendier and more exciting but some people worry about crime (never had a problem myself). If you are thinking about private schools, then they tend to cluster in the more chi-chi neighbourhoods - there are a tonne in the Clapham/Battersea area.

Greenwich is beautiful and interesting and generally lovely but transport isn't great - the DLR is quite slow and limited, the mainline rail often takes an age to crawl into London Bridge and North Greenwich tube is out on a limb (I've lived there, I know). If I didn't drive and was reliant on public transport, I would definitely want at least one tube station on my doorstep.

WWWY - thanks for the link!

Oh, you're not wanting private schools, well there are two brilliant state primaries off Northcote Road. But it's a bit of a schlepp to the tube (20 minute walk from Honeywell, more from Belleville and you have to live next door to get in).

Are you abroad at the moment?
It's such a massive decision I would rent somewhere first and then discover london over a few months seeing which areas you like

Most of the areas I mention are close to restaurants and shops that's the great thing about London. The parks aren't so beautiful near brook green but it's more central.

The best schools in my opinion are in Richmond, and you've got the river loads of shops and the heavenly Richmond park

Could you come down and spend a bit of time in the possible areas to get a feel of them - not just houes-hunting but hanging out in the park/going for a coffee, etc?

My vote is Battersea and Clapham too. I disagree somewhat with lalalonglegs that Clapham isn't very bohemian, I think it is.

You should be able to find a house with good links in that area. SW4, SW11, SW8, etc.

thanks lala - you are right about the importance of closeness to tube stations. I'm going to investigate Clapham and Brixton more.

You are all so kind for sharing your time and knowledge, I really appreciate it!

Blackheath is nice - village feel. Lovely common.Trains intolondon bridge, less than 15 mins. Can get to millbank via tube from to Westminster. Millions of buses. DLR and more trains from lewisham nearby.

yes bigTilly, I think that we need to go out and spend some time in the areas we like.

I am embarrased to say that we live in London, but my husband works very long hours and I have had to travel a lot since I moved here, so I haven't had time to really get to know the city.

Oh, ok, 900K will get you a decent house!

Definitely second the idea of looking at the most convenient commute (by following tube lines) and narrow down your search that way. Commuting time is really important in my opinion, especially if you've got children. Changing tube lines really adds to your journey, especially when there are problems on one or more of the lines you take.

If you've got 900K you will def be able to find a 3/4 bed house somewhere very decent in London.

Or how about St Albans? 20 mins by train into London St Pancras, very family friendly attractive historical market town, Abbey cathedral:

Lovely 4 bed detached close to station

Very interesting 4 bed house right in the town centre, near station

5 bed detached, walking distance to town centre and station.

You asked how long it takes to drive into central London from Hertfordshire (although you also mention later on the thread you don't drive?) - absolutely no one does this during the week or at rush hour because it would take 10x longer than using the train. We used to live in St Albans and did sometimes drive into London at weekends. It completely depends where in Hertfordshire you live (some parts are a lot closer to London than other parts) and what bit of London you are trying to get to. But generally from St Albans we would probably expect to take an hour into central London (ie zone 1) at the weekend.

Where do you live at the moment?

Thanks Iggly!

Excuse me Lala - I lived by Honeywell School a few years ago and daily trekked up to M&S at Clapham Junction with my buggy.
That's how you fill your day when you have a little one - and it kept me thin .

Anyway, I've found Fabi a house: www.ukpropertyshop.co.uk/estate-agents/andrew-kent-472.shtml one of the few in that area with a big garden. I'm sure they'll take an offer!

Battersea is a huge mix imo - there are lots of moneyed types around (someone's got to keep the posh cheese shop in business!), but there are teachers, journalists and creatives as well.

And you can get a bus that takes you to the Kings Road in 20 mins. Drive in to West End in about half an hour.

How about Crouch End, N8? Lovely village feel, no tube but W3 bus to Finsbury Park, where you can pick up the Victoria Line straight to Pimlico (near Millbank)and Hornsey overground rail takes you to the City (Moorgate) or Kings Cross, where you can take the tube to wherever you need to get to - www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/static/pdf/network_route_map.pdf

Crouch End is expensive but for £900k you could get a 4 bed house like this - www.findaproperty.com/displayprop.aspx?edid=00&salerent=0&pid=8182710

Some nice pubs and restaurants, including some surprises on the Stroud Green Road (between Crouch End and Finsbury Park).

Crouch End has a couple of parks with kids' playgrounds - I go to Priory Park. Finbsury Park is the short bus ride away - huge with cafe.

Schools wise, Coleridge Primary School is excellent.

Muswell Hill, N10, which has a similar feel to Crouch End, is a 7 min bus ride away from Crouch End via the W7 bus. As with Crouch End, there are lots of paid and unpaid activities for kids to do, and N10 schools have a great reputation. Coldfall Primary, Coppetts Wood Primary, and Fortismere Secondary.

Hope helpful!

Thanks Wigeon - I don't drive, but my husband does and sometimes we rent a car on the weekends, and wanted to have an idea how far it is driving. But I see that it would only make sense on weekends, as you said.

We live in Central London - thanks for the links!

Ooh, live in St Albans, I am drooling at the lovely houses you can get for that budget there! Loads of really excellent schools there too - both state and private.

£900k would also get you a 5 bed house in Beckenham - trains to the city on the Hayes line (London bridge/cannon st) plus trains to Victoria on the Orpington line for millbank (or to charing cross on Hayes line). Puts you in the range of the (free) Kent grammar schools. If you do get a car (we did after not needing one til DS arrived), you can get to the countryside too.

Thanks for the link Creme! and also for all the information about Crouch End, will look into it.

I miss London, reading this thread!

We moved to Oxfordshire and then Gloucestershire a few years ago, but I'd love to go back to living in London.

Nothing compares to London life (and I say this is a Northerner, from Durham)!

Will definitley look at St Albans but I'm afraid that it looks a bit too far away