Harrow

[whatshallmynamebe]

Having finally decided against moving out of London just yet, and having decided that we can now afford to buy (thanks to PIL), we are looking at Harrow.

We need at least a 3 bed, pref within walking distance of Harrow on the Hill Station, up to £400k. Having searched the internet this seems more than achievable for our budget, but I can't find anywhere that give real opinions on what the area is like to live in. Does anyone live there/know it well? Have any advice on which areas to avoid/prefer?

Lived here for 4 years. Not the most exciting of places - you wont find a plethora of nice cafes, restaurants etc. But it's good for transport links - in to central london from H-o-H in about 25 mins.

There are also some good primaries (not sure about secondaries), decent parks and generally very family oriented.

Harrow on the Hill is nice but not sure if you would get what you want for your price. North and West Harrow have some nice roads and are within walking distance of HoH.

Pinner is nice but more expensive - farther from HOH but has a met line station.

Look at estate agents - Robertson Phillips, Gibbs Gillespie, Baker Pearce - these come immediately to mind.

Someone I know has/had a lovely 3 bed for just under £400k on Headstone Lane which is walking distance from North Harrow tube or short bus ride from HOH. I remember seeing it on Robertson Phillips' website and thinking 'I know that house!'. At the time I recall seeing a few other nice stuff that they had.

Have you actually visited the area yet?

Thanks for your response. Have visited it, we don't live too far away from it at the moment (Zone 2), but are renting and can't afford to buy where we are! Where we are at the moment doesn't have any nice cafes or anything, so we are used to that, although it would be a bonus.

We looked at Pinner originally and thought it was lovely, but just slightly too far out for DH's liking, and it looks as though we couldn't get anything near the tube for our price range.

Glad there are some good primary schools. DD is 17 months and our plan is to move out of London altogether before she starts school, but it is possible that we will end up staying for a while at least.

I have booked a couple of viewing in for tomorrow afternoon, so I guess we will get a better idea then, but I will take a look at the agents you have mentioned.

Don't live in Harrow but know it well enough, as live nearby. I'll second what maggie says about the neighbourhoods and agents. There are quite a few agents in Harrow, and what you want on your budget is doable.

Schooling is much better than back in the day when secondaries didn't have sixth form in borough of Harrow, so all those studying A-levels had to go to sixth form college. I had a lot of friends do that and hate it for lack of support etc. Not a problem anymore thank goodness, but I can't comment on any individual schools.

GL with the viewings!

My friends who lived in Pinner did not esp like Harrow as they said it got rowdy at the w/end and eves. But Pinner is a very quiet place so I think it is all relative, really.

We're living in Harrow. It's changed a hell of a lot in the last 10 - 15 years since we moved back here (I grew up here and then moved away for a while. I'd go for Pinner, Hatchend, Northwood or Ruislip. These are better areas and although further out still have metropolitan line stations or with Hatchend you have British Rail. Best thing about Harrow are schools and very easy commute but that's about it.

stfranksdisco - agreed, we used to go out of a Saturday night in Harrow as teenagers (like 18 yrs old) that was 15 yrs ago, and it was fine, never had any problems. Not sure what it's like now at pub chucking out time, lol

Whatshall - I know you said your DH thought that Pinner was too far out, but the extra tube journey from either Pinner, Northwood or Ruislip is negligible, and they are all great places, each one has it's own particular characteristics.

Thanks everyone. We saw two properties yesterday; one near North Harrow which we were't keen on (the house that is), and a beautiful house between Harrow on the Hill and Harrow & Wealdstone Stations. I am just not really sure about the location to be honest, I didn't get that nice gooey feeling that I have got from other, more greener and leafy, areas. BUT the transport links are pretty perfect for us; me in the West End and DH in the city.

Stikmatix Ruislip is an area I know a little better, and I have been trying to persuade DH to look there as well, maybe he will consider it now?!

We might go back and have a second look. We are only looking at 3 years before we plan to move out, and the house had a number of ways in which we could add value to it in that time, so we could put up with the area not being spot on iyswim.

Oh I mean't to ask which areas of Ruislip do people think are best/to avoid? When I say I know it, I only really know the High Street, which I like as compared to where we are now it is like Knightsbridge

Stikmatix, There's not many pubs left in Harrow any more unfortunately and the one's that are left are lively to say the least! We're old fogies now but when we go out it's never to Harrow, more likely to be Watford, Pinner or into Town.

Whatshallmynamebe, don't wish to put you off but the areas between Harrow and Wealdstone are not the best. There has been alot of gang trouble and there are special zones the police have installed to prevent kids from hanging around after a certain time. Also not sure if you are aware of the enormous Mosque on Station Road between Harrow and Harrow and Wealdstone. It does get very congested all around that area.

As far as Ruislip goes I think most areas are very pleasant. South Ruislip is probably my least favourite but the rest is lovely.

The most desirable part of Ruislip is North Ruislip, i.e. the part to the north of the High Street. Of course, this is the most expensive. Whether you could find a 3 bed semi for 400k I don't know...Maybe at a pinch.

Ruislip Manor has some decent streets too, for sure you could find a terrace or semi for 400k. Bear in mind the High Street in Ruislip Manor has totally gone to pot, there's nothing there, not even a bank. People who live in the Manor have to go to Ruislip proper for everything (feel really sorry for the old people who have to get the bus just to go the bank!).

South Ruislip is my least favourite too, and the lower house prices = less desirable area. Plus it's under the flight path so can be noisy.

To bear in mind: the HS2 rail link to Birmingham may be passing through South and West Ruislip (look on the map to see the train tracks). Although the trains wouldn't be stopping at the stations, there would be a lot of extra noise from high speed trains. The route has yet to be finalized, but it is worth keeping ears open. There are quite a few decent streets just south of Ruislip High Street (like the Herlwyn Avenue area) that although don't back the railway, might just be affected by noise.