Buying in the Olympic zone?

[figcake]

Do you think that prices likely to go up in the next year over and above the rest of London? I just can't decide

My guess is no. It's not really a very nice area (apologies to any Stratfordians) and the things that would have had an impact - improved transport links, regeneration etc - are already completed or well under way. The Olympic event itself is the cherry on the cake really and, once that has gone, will the cake look as appetising?

But doesn't the zone extend well beyond Stratford (which I agree is a bit grim)?

Stratford is the focus of it - there are smaller events happening at other areas: shooting at Woolwich, dressage I think is at Greenwich. To all intents and purposes, the Olympics are at Stratford and I can't see, say, parts of Slough having a boom because the rowing is taking part at Dorney Lake. As I said earlier, it's the big infrastructure changes that have made areas more amenable and will already be in place (or pretty much there) which will make an area more expensive and I don't think there is much more to roll out before the Olympics begin.

I agree, prices in Stratford shot up in the past. I think a bit of an effect was felt in Walthamstow but I don't see the Greenwich millennium effect there!

If it's the Stratford area you are looking at, I really wouldn't. Although the area is not too bad (it was very grim but a lot has been done to it, lots of money spent on it over the last few years), I have friends who are trying to sell now because as soon as the Olympics itself is over there will be an absolute surplus of housing available (the Athletes Village will go on the open market and there will in total be about 3000 new homes going on the market according to a friends brother who works in the Olympic Village).

very interesting mini- sounds a bit like a time bomb although surely they will all get rented out at reasonable rates in due course given the pressure on housing in London? Might be as social housing?

Its possible that a lot of them will become social housing, bought out by Housing Associations, but at the beginning they'll all go on the open market (according to my friends brother) which will mean a very saturated market in that area.

Nah - the area is a shithole now, will be buzzing in the lead up to Olympics and will be a dump again immediately afterwards.

but aren't there some OK areas immediately surrounding it such as parts of redbridge with good schools, nice houses etc?

I just don't think they're going to shoot up in value because of the Olympics.

Our tiny pied a terre in Greenwich has been rented out for £24k for the duration of the Olympics. I don't expect the prices to rise hugely though.

interesting Royal - I never knew that people were advertising so early on. Did you just go down to the estate agents or were you approached? That is an amazing return!