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Original poster

Is anyone else trying to buy a family house in London at the moment?

38 replies

levantine · 05/12/2011 11:55

Prices seem to be just insane. Houses in catchment for primary schools seem to be going up and up.

Is anyone else finding that?

OP posts:
sh77 · 05/12/2011 12:18

Yep. We bought in Maida Vale 3 months ago and the prices are still shooting up.

Blu · 05/12/2011 12:19

What's your budget?

Original poster
levantine · 05/12/2011 12:23

£500k at the absolute max
SE London,(Forest Hill/Sydenham) poss Streatham Hill (I think that's where you are isn't it Blu?)

So for example, we saw a house on Saturday - was originally on for £550k, dropped to oieo £500k

Houses on that street have recently, ie March this year sold for £450k

I mean, really.

This one is a terrace, three bedrooms. Lovely house, near v g school and the new east london line, but it is just so much.

The thing that makes it particularly hard is the need to be a near a decent school. There are quite a lot of catchment black holes as far as I can see. DS1 is in reception and we will need to transfer him.

OP posts:
Blu · 05/12/2011 12:35

Yes - and there are some very overlooked bits of Streatham Hill - if you are in the right few streets, you are in catchment for an 'outstanding' primary, and also a secondary which is currently rated in the top 10% on the country of it's type, for results.

Check out Findaproperty.com, and search Streatham Hill!

This, for e.g

Blu · 05/12/2011 12:37

Though in-year transfer is always hard. However the local primary does have a high level of movement.

Blu · 05/12/2011 12:38

or tbhis

Between 2 popular primaries.

Original poster
levantine · 05/12/2011 12:40

that's nice

I wouldn't be confident that it is close enough to the school though is it?

We are further north in Lambeth and catchment areas were tiny this year - 300m for our school

I think tbh, we are leaning more towards SE London - we have both lived in Streatham and Brixton and fancy a change of scene

It's all just so flipping expensive

OP posts:
Original poster
levantine · 05/12/2011 12:41

Oh, sorry, cross posts
Yes, also nice

Reassuring to hear that there is in year movement. At least we could get DS to his school from Streatham for a bit if we absolutely had to

OP posts:
Blu · 05/12/2011 12:48

this would be a teeny bit safer (and £10k cheaper with another agent, I see!) but all those roads have children from the school in them - though I am sure the catchment is shrinking. And in -year...it migt take a move to the other popular school first until a place came up.

But if you are keen to make your escape from Streatham High Rd, who could blame you Grin

The school thing is increasing the community spirit in the area a lot atm, but the High Rd remains grim not my favourite freature of the area! Thankfully the escape routes via public transport are plentiful!

Blu · 05/12/2011 12:48

PM me, if you like!

suburbandream · 05/12/2011 12:52

We moved from a tiny flat in Central London out to Bromley/Kent borders. It's only 30 mins by train to the centre of town (zone 6). You still have the benefit of London stuff like oyster cards and good transport, but it's more leafy, cheaper and schools are great - grammars too if that appeals.

Original poster
levantine · 05/12/2011 12:53

Can't get that link to work - which road is it?

Thanks Blu, may well pm - the main draw to the area is really secondary school - I know it sounds insane with a five year old but we don't want to move again

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HappyAsEyeAm · 05/12/2011 13:00

I second Bromley too. Its close enough to London for us, but you get so muchf or your money compared to London and the schools are generally really good for primary at least, and then decent comprehensives and grammars. Having lived in Central London for years, and really enjoyed it, I understand that it is a wrench to leave. But we're so close to Victoria/London Bridge/Charing Cross/waterloo (30 minutes by train), its been a good move for us.

fedupwithdeployment · 05/12/2011 13:34

hi Blu

did we contribute to a thread on this subject before? We are in one of those roads in Streatham hill and very fortunately got the Dss into a v nice primary school. Only about 300 m away, but it was a bit stressful.

On the subject of prices, a smaller house than ours over the road is on the market for £75k more than we paid 18 months ago....all v odd.

Good luck Levantine.

Blu · 05/12/2011 14:01

FedUp - I don't know - I have been on a few Streatham threads! Have you always had that posting name?

Original poster
levantine · 05/12/2011 14:02

"On the subject of prices, a smaller house than ours over the road is on the market for £75k more than we paid 18 months ago....all v odd."

yes - that's what I don't understand. I suppose it's supply and demand, there isn't much coming on the market at the moment. But I am not sure whether we should buy at those prices, or what.

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Blu · 05/12/2011 14:06

And yes, houses in the area seem to be holding value, and selling. I think it may well be because people are being pushed out of the more established 'good school areas' since they can't get mortgages, and it is still a relatively affordable area compared to areas with similiar good transport routes, and because of the good primary and secondary schools. I mean, it has loads of advantages, but the Lambeth / Streatham thing keeps prices 'affordable', so they don't drop.

crazycatlady · 05/12/2011 14:51

We just sold our family home in Streatham for way more than we ever expected. And it sold within a week of going on the market. Madness. We wanted to leave London at some point so did it while we could, but couldn't believe how much interest we had in the house and what it ultimately sold for.

twittertotter · 05/12/2011 15:18

We just moved to Streatham hill from Balham 6month ago. We love it here!

A house a few doors up from us which was smaller than ours, just sold for 45k more than what we paid 6 mths ago which is totally crazy!

Lots of my friends with young familiies from Balham are now looking at Brixton /Streatham as there is nowhere in sw12 that you can buy a family home for less than 500k.

Don't know about school catchment areas but Will be finding out about soon as DD is 2 and we have a second due next may.

Original poster
levantine · 05/12/2011 15:23

people, you aren't cheering me up Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
levantine · 05/12/2011 15:23

I mean Confused

So do we think prices are going to keep going up? I just can't get my head round increases of £80k-ish over one year

Also, anyone know Forest Hill/Sydenham at all and what's happening there?

OP posts:
charitygirl · 05/12/2011 15:28

How about Streatham Common? Two outstanding primaries (one RC though) and one improving. Some good Secondaries too as well
As close to several grammars. Cheaper than streatham
Hill.

twittertotter · 05/12/2011 15:39

Sorry Levantine but I do think price will keep going up round streatham hill... why?

  1. Demand from overflow from more expensive areas e.g. Balham & Clapham
  2. Currently low Availability for family homes - especially those under 500k
  3. Transport links - overground, underground (Brixton) & bus network all great

I do think an 80k increase in 1 year sounds excessive but no knowing the houses / areas well difficult to say.

Original poster
levantine · 05/12/2011 15:45

Okay. We need to get on with it anyway, just a reality check really

what about se23/26?

OP posts:
Stokey38 · 05/12/2011 15:48

I am in SE23 and we moved here about 2 years ago and paid £380k for a 3 bedroom on one of the roads off Stanstead Rd and near to Kilmorie and Dalmain. Prices near us seem to have gone up but I don't think they are going for the asking price, a house on our road was on for 500k and then dropped to £465k and then was on the market for ages so I can't imagine that it went for that. I think it really depends where you are looking in SE23, if you want to be in the catchment for Fairlawn then you'll pay for it but it's cheaper where I am. To be honest when I first moved here I wasn't very keen but now I love it and great sense of community, schools are nice and transport links good and I say this from a ex North Londoner dragged kicking and screaming across the river!

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