Location,location,location - any suggestions?

[MrsN11]

Are there any "good" areas in north London that are affordable?! I feel like i've got a better chance of winning the lottery than finding a 3-bed house in north London with a budget of £400-£450k!

We're currently living in Stoke Newington & love the area and would buy a house here except our budget is far too small to buy anything bigger than a 2-bed flat. DH works in west London & I work in east London, so we'd need to be within commuting distance of both.

We've got no kids yet, but are planning to start a family next year, hence, the reason to relocate. But the question is where? We're looking for somewhere that is family-friendly, has nice shops, cafes, parks etc and is also safe. That's the ideal, but we know that in reality we'll have to compromise!

We're not from London, so our knowledge of different areas is limited. We're also open to moving to south London if the commuting time is viable. Some people have mentioned walthamstow or leyton to us.....but I've not heard feedback from mums who actually live in the area - do they genuinely like it?

Love to hear your thoughts.

leyton/walthamstow is a bugger to commute to west london! can take 1.5hrs if you take into account getting to the station also.
I think you can buy on this bidget on the North-western end of Piccadilly line (not sure how you get to the east from there but possibly some connection to overground somewhere).

budget!

ah, and you can buy in Wembley too, if house is not very big - good connections to the centre (marylebone/baker street), but you have to like the area (not everyone's cup of tea).

Thanks for the suggestions. I hadn't considered wembley - don't know anything about the area, but it may be one to check out.

Would living south of the river be a crazy idea? I need to drive to work, but DH uses TFL.

Like anywhere there are nice and not-so-nice parts of Leyton & walthamstow. Lea Bridge Road part of Leyton is not great but the area between Leyton Station & Bakers arms is pretty much ok. There are some lovely houses and great primary schools-although I don't know too much about the secondary schools as they have changed since my daughter left. I don't know about actually living in Walthamstow.

Being on the central line is good as it means you can get most places pretty quickly and there are good bus routes. Leytonstone is not far, also on the central line. Wanstead and South Woodford are a little quieter and also on the Central line with good bus links too. I think they would be nicer areas to look at. There are 3 pages of 3 bed houses on Rightmove within your budget for both of these locations!! (Took the liberty of having a peek!!)

Good luck with your search.

Where in west/east London do you need to get to? The east London line gives good links from the south, as do trains out of Clapham Junction.

Harringay? Houses off the east of Green Lanes are affordable for you: see here. I don't know the area myself but read quite a complimentary article about it recently. And it's very close to home for you.

Sorry no idea about north London, but if you're prepared to move south, look at Raynes Park. It's v family friendly, line goes into Clapham Junction then Waterloo (25 mins). Wimbledon Common on doorstep, several smaller local parks, playing fields, allotments etc as well. Lots of young families, safe, really friendly. Wimbledon town 20 min walk. Can get be on M25 in under 15 mins. 20 min drive/bus/train to Kingston, river, Richmond Park etc. Nice independent local shops as well as a few chains. Plenty within half a mile of station in your budget, both 30s and victorian/edwardian (also a lot well over the budget too!).

If you need to drive to east, though, it may well be too far - you chould look SE? We looked at Blackheath and surrounds (Kidbrooke was well priced) but no idea what prices are like now.

DH has lived in Stratford and Plaistow so know the east well - I certainly wouldn't enjoy living in Walthamstow or Leyton.

Have you looked at Tuffnel Park? Overground goes east and West. Might be too expensive but worth a look. What is your budget and what do you want in terms of number of bedrooms and a garden.

tuffnell is WAY over that budget!

So is Raynes Park - at least if you want something decent. We hated it there btw - the place has no soul . London house prices are nuts. But you might be able to get something good in Brockley, Forest Hill, or Crystal Palace, maybe?

Wembley I don't think fulfils the Op's brief of "nice shops, cafes, parks etc and is also safe", even the nicer parts! And it really isn't London but Middx. Kenton, Harrow, Pinner are nicer in that area, but it's the burbs and certainly lacks the buzz of London. 400-450k would buy a BIG house where I live, about an hour's train journey out of London but assuming semi-ruraldom not what you're after, friends in your position wanting to start a family have moved out to Bushey & Twickenham in North London. South London might be a better bet £ wise.

twickenham is expensive!
wembley is improving to be fair - wembley park i think is the right station, more 'up and coming', the whole point is a very quick tube to Finchley road or marylebone , even if not nice shops on doorstep but then for this budget for a house there is no such area! other parts (W.Central) are worse.

twickenham is SW really next to richmond!

Thanks ladies!

Ok, so DH works near Westbourne Park & I work in Leytonstone. I've looked at Wembley & don't think it's quite our cup of tea.

Maybe I'm being too ambitious thinking we can buy a house in a "good" location at this stage.....

We currently live in a Victorian converted flat & it's the noise from our neighbours (above, below and to the sides!) which is driving me crazy & makes me think that we couldn't live in a flat conversion again. But now I'm beginning to think it would be worse living in a nice house, but in a less desirable area....

What do you guys think is important, now that you've got kids? What would you compromise on (house or location)?

YOu won't get a 3 bed house in a 'good' part of London for that price.
That's the long and short of it i'm afraid.

It would take hubby 45mins to get from Leytonstone station to Westbourne park station. If you looked at Wanstead/South Woodford it would only be a few minutes more.
I don't know the areas like Richmond or Twickenham so can only comment on the East London areas!!

Southgate? You can get a three/four bed there and it's on the Picadilly Line. I lived there in the late 90's and it was fine, kind of boring and suburban but pleasant enough.

yes too ambitous unfortunately. You can buy a smaller house (2 bed), smallish garden in SE London or NE (end of central line towards Epping) but your dh's commute will be a pain! I travel from kensington to my friend in Wanstead - it takes 1h40 as to live right by the station the houses are VERY expensive, but fine further. It's very unlucky that you work in opposite sides of london as it's htis that really restrict option.
Or you could buy a maisoonette (two top floors) some even have a garden if the house is three storey, but bear in mind that terraced houses aer nt at all noise proof!! you can equally have quiet neighbours in a flat as noisy neighbours in a terrace.

Dola - but they won't find anything near the statoin on that area, and buses are not great there at all - I go to wanstead so i know. This friend is now moving to hte end of central line to affort a good 2-bed house, as even far from station they could only buy a tiny ground floor 2-bed even though with garden. It takes 20-30 min from wanstead if you count waiting for the bus and the journey. Also not great choice of shops at all.

I mean to the house from station it takes 20-30 depending on traffic, it's never just the train time.

You should consider who is going to do childcare. If you are going to be main carer you should focus on looking east so that you can be home quicker. If you are considering a change of job then go West. Whatever you do, think very long term before you buy. Southgate toWood Green are good options with good schools and community, or Harringay which is on the overground (has WiFi). This has good parks too but schools are tricky.

bed house in East Dulwich? Ticks your boxes for nice area. Not sure about commuting times though.

Sorry my link didn't work. Try again:

three bed house

There are a dozen or so 3/4 bed properties all within half a mile of Wanstead Station on Rightmove. The buses would be a pain because the road can be busy, but the trains should be ok.....and the walk wouldn't put too much on the travel and is an easy walk to Leytonstone too.