Husband wants to move to Peckam. I don't!

[speckledpig]

We have been looking to buy a place on the outskirts of London in some of the more affordable places in Kent as we are growing out of our 2 bed flat in north London. We have two girls coming to school age. I am not a London person, I don't enjoy living in London but am here for my husband's work. We have been looking for a few weeks now and have found a few places we both like but husband keeps wanting to move further in to his work. He has now got his sights on Peckham!
With a budget of £250.000 I just don't think we will get anywhere very nice at all. I am really not keen on moving this far into London and Peckham doesn't seem like the safest haven.
So please correct me if I am wrong. He is getting fed up now and doesn't want to move any further out (even though there are places within our budget a 30 min train journey away)
This weekend I have agreed to go and view a couple of flats in Peckham but I am not happy about it at all.
Can anyone please correct my misinterpretations of Peckham to help me change my mind?

I like south london (lived in brixton and stockwell) -- I don't like Peckham, at all. If you don't like London generally I think you'd be miserable there.

Everyone I know getting priced out of brixton and streatham is moving to Crystal Palace.

It's fair enough your DH doesn't want a long commute but there are soooo many places to consider! He needs to think about what's best for everyone, not just him.

Eltham is worth a look, you will get a three bed house with a gardens ton't and back for that money, try Progress Estate, regular trains straight into London. Also Bromley, great for shopping.

Does your DH realise that "up and coming" is a euphemism for rough? (i live in an "up and coming" area btw!)

You can even consider Orpington, which had fast trains to London in the mornings.

Also look at national rail lines. We live in Forest Gate, which is 12 mins to Liverpool St. Dh cycles to Southwark. I do think it's great that he can be home (just) to put the kids to bed. The lesser commute makes a difference. We live in a really lovely area, a huge park called Wanstead Flats, very leafy, good primary and not too expensive.

here, a lovely road. 5 mins to Woodgrange Infants. It does require some work, at this price, but I'm sure they'd take a lower offer on it.

Ps if moving to a new area i think that there is a lot to be said for having a holiday there or renting a flat for a week. Maybe later long term renting as a step to buying too.

mumble, I absolutely agree with you. I am so tired of having them both stuck in a 2 bed flat. Pooka, I keep saying this too. :( I know commuting may cost a bit more but IMO it is important to live somewhere where you feel happy.
TBH looking around I doubt we will get anything very nice for our money there. I am a SAHM of 2yo and 9 month old and being stuck in this flat for the past 2 years has nearly driven me insane. (I know some people don't mind but I find it really hard)
There is nothing in Forest hill apart this one which he wants to view www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34926586.html
and it looks pretty grim to me :( .

tricot - I said to him that in my book up and coming means it is still a S*hole at the moment but he doesnt agree!

about this

Another vote for crystal palace / upper Norwood. Dunno if link will work but just search around there generally. Lovely parks, shops, good connections - and a few 3-bed houses with gardens in your price range...
m.rightmove.co.uk/quickPage.html;jsessionid=76AEDEE719240B30D3A937731B61A703?page=8&cc=html5%2Fhomepage.html%3Fpid%3D37982792%26goto%3DRESALE_PROPERTY_DETAILS#details

this

Yes I used to live in Crystal Palace and it is fab, definitely worth considering.

He needs to be very careful if he is counting on trains through Peckham Rye to get him to Blackfriars. The train services are about to change, I am not sure of the exact details, but this thread on the local forum is essential reading.

I live nearby and if I had a budget of £250,000 I would not move to Peckham either.

garden needs some work! I love where I live by the way, but I've always been East.

Beckenham is really great for children. Excellent schools, Kelsey Park and Beckenham Place Park. Decent high st and Bromley close by (and purely way for bulky stuff shopping).

It's an hour door to door central London commute.

Parts of Beckenham you may just get a 3 bed house in your budget (Eden park and elmers end).

I doubt you would get more than a 2 bed flat for your budget in Peckham or even Honor Oak and Forest Hill.

Eltham is worth a look as is West Wickham.

Your DH needs to think about prioritising family and child friendly type areas with good family amenities.

If it helps I used to live in Islington and I now live in Beckenham. And yes the selfish part of me still wants to be in a small house in Islington but my DC love it here and have a massive house and garden to run around in.

Oh no the links don't work!

this may be a bit small
for you but has a garden and is between nunhead (trains to blackfriars) and brockley (overground & trains to London bridge), there are loads of young families in the area, plenty of activities and a new free school at primary run by haberdashers askes opening at the top of telegraph hill and other 'good' rated primary schools around.

Or this in crofton park is bigger.

I agree with everyone else don't go for Peckham, I'm not a London person either and I feel fine in brockley/telegraph hill/nunhead/crofton park but the one time I went to Peckham I had my purse stolen so I've not been back although I admit that does give me a slightly biased view... I've had a great time on ml in this area as loads to do and friendly mums

Crofton Park definitely. Train goes to Blackfriars and City Thameslink and it's still cheap(ish). DH's commute to City is about 20 mins. Primary schools are good and there are loads and loads of little kids to play with. Your H could go and stand about further into Brockley proper if he fancied feeling a bit more urban one afternoon.

Streatham Hill, close to a v good overground line to Blackfriars from Tulse Hill, in catchment for an excellent primary and secondary here

not sure what the school is like though I think Woodmansterne has a good rep

Peckham is a big area, and has some really trendy smart bits, and some rough bits.

I lived in south London for 13 years, but would not have moved to Peckham, sorry. If its not an area you are familiar with tread carefully.

Peckham's vile, its about the only place in London you actually couldn't pay me to live in. Come to Crystal Palace, it's great! I have two children the same ages as yours and there is just so much to do with them around here. So many chidrens centres, 1 o clock clubs, classes etc and of course the amazing park & sports centre. There are some excellent primary schools particularly on the Gipsy Hill side of CP. Good train service (less than 25 minutes direct to London Bridge or Victoria and also linked up to east London on the new Overground line). There's a flat for sale for 250k in my very building which is lovely too. I won't link for fear of totally outing myself but can PM you if you like. I'll give you a guided tour if you want to come and explore the area

Sutton is definitely worth a look. We moved here last year and love it - also have two young children, I am also a SAHM and we were also previously living in a two bed flat with no outside space so I fully sympathise Sutton is great for families: loads to do, lots of green space, can get out to the countryside easily as well as into London easily, and trains go direct to Blackfriars.

I like Peckham a lot. I live in nearby Nunhead on a low rise council estate and spend lots of time on Rye Lane, in Peckham Rye and surrounds. I've never had any problems with safety and do my fair share of walking alone at night, slightly drunken. Great mix of people. Schools really on the up. It has a much less suburban feel than lots of the other places mentioned on here, which I like, personally. You will definitely struggle to find family sized accommodation on your budget, however, unless you are prepared to consider flats without gardens, ex-council houses etc. I think it has the potential to be the next Brixton. Your husband is probably right to think of it as an investment area.

I hate Peckham. I have lived there. I don't think you have misinterpreted at all: it is as rough as a dog's arse and I wouldn't want to raise children there.

I agree with others that Crystal Palace, Beckenham, Forest Hill, Honor Oak, Brockley all worth consideration.

I realise I have now earned the scorn of hardened urbanites like scummymummy