Where to buy in South East London

[ruggiola]

Hi everyone,
I hope someone can help, DP and myself are looking to buy a house (3 beds will be perfect) in SE or Bexley borough, we had a few viewings in south Mottingham Chislehurst border (the big estate built in the 30s) an hopefully a few more next week in Blackfen area.
Our budget is 250k and South London seems the only that matches this requirement.
We are both italian, we live in Leyton and we don't really know SE.
We also went to Bromley and Chislehurst and we like them, but properties seem more pricey.
We are looking for a safe place, clean, quite, green, with a friendly community, and easy to commute to London (London Bridge, Stratford), not babies at the moment.

Bexley is nice, on the border of London/Kent. Have you thought about stops on the high-speed? It's 25 mins into St Pancras from Gravesend, about 35 mins from Rochester/Strood areas in Kent.

Trains are too expensive and DP works on shift and public transport are not really reliable when he has to be at work at 7am on Sunday.This is the reason we are looking inside the M25.

Blackfen is not near a station. 250k will get you a nice 3 bed semi in barnehurst, Bexleyheath, welling or Falconwood. All those places are on the 'bexleyheath' Southeastetn train line into LDN Bridge. Cheaper areas in Bexley, are Belvedere, Erith and Abbey Wood, they are all on a train line as well.

Bromley is more expensive, you will get less for your money. Bexley has got grammar schools, but not sure if that's relevant.

What about Penge/Anerley? Great transport links, sense of community, lots of young families and the fantastic Crystal Palace park.

I'm not sure you could get a three bed in Penge or Annerley for £250,000.

Thanks BetteDavis01, are the mentioned area nice and safe?

Anyone that lives in South Mottingham?

Erith, belvedere and Abbey Wood are less desirable, I would say these areas are a bit dodgier but they are by no means awful.

I feel safe in Bexley and I think it has a good sense of community. M25, A2 and Bluewater nearby!

Have you looked at Eltham? Great high St, lovely Parks and fast train to London Bridge.

Eltham's very nice, safe, quiet with good High St and reasonable transport.

Pricier than Mottingham and the other areas mentioned but definitely nicer.

If I had the money I'd buy this:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-23986074.html

It's on a busy road but not horrifically so - B& Q opposite. Sainsburys and High St up the road and a choice of Eltham or New Eltham stations.

It's been a while since I lived in Eltham but it looks like a bargain to me. Houses in Ladysmith Road (across the road) go for nearer £300k.

then Eltham and New Eltham are nicer than south Mottingham?

I used to drive to Chislehurst High Street from Eltham and would drive through Mottingham (along Court Road, past Mottingham station). I don't know if that's 'South Mottingham' but I always thought it 'looked' more shabby than Eltham which is definitely improving gradually especially with M&S and Pizza Express on the High Street and a Debenhams and a big Sainsbury and all the other usual High St stuff - even a theatre too!(Bob Hope)

New Eltham is sort of a more mundane sprawling residential 'white van man' type of suburb. Fine and safe but just, for me, not as nice as Eltham and with no central focus high St. Mottingham always made me think I'd rather be in Chislehurst or Eltham - bit of an ex council sprawl - nice enough but you can get better at your budget.

Thanks
my bad I'm calling south Mottingham when the correct name , I guess,is North Chislehurst

No problem - I don't know where North Chislehurst is either !

Chislehurst has two parts - one has a high street with a Sainsbury - very chi chi little high street but not much in the way of 'real life' shopping - I always think of it as being kind of footballers' wives area, I think Jamelia lives there - lots of expensive motors and well maintained 'ladies'.

The other part, near the war memorial, I think from memory, is more traditional money, antique shops and so on.

Neither area has a train station!!! Chislehurst station? and Elmstead Woods and Mottingham are the nearest stations and they're all a good drive, walk, cycle from the retail areas - which I personally find annoying.

Eltham (Kate Bush used to live there) is the next nearest place with a High St to Chislehurst, I think, another big Sainsbury and all the proper shops a real high street needs and a train station 5 mins walk away.

Mottingham, for me, is the area that fills the space between Eltham and Chislehurst - it's surburban dormitory - but 'mainly' nice enough.

Have a look at Plumstead Common. Green open spaces, clean, quiet and you can get a huge 3 bed semi for £250k or a 3 bed terraced for under £200k.

5 mins one way on the bus to Woolwich, trains into London Bridge, Cannon St. DLR to Bank and Stratford, or connect onto Jubilee Line at Canning Town. Cross Rail being built.

Slightly longer the other way on the bus to Welling, trains into London Bridge, Cannon St and Victoria.

53 bus runs 24hrs from Plumstead Common to Whitehall, after 11pm you can be back in 40 minutes.

Woolwich isn't great, but has now got a huge new Tesco, and TKMax has just opened. Plumstead Common has a fairly decent Co-op, lovely Indian restaurant, some shops down past the co-op, and a small parade of shops round by the Slade.

I live just off the common and love it round here. My neighbours on both sides have been here more than 20 years, and have extended so they could stay when the kids got bigger.

We are happy in SE25, matches your budget and requirements and there are plenty of good primaries if you decide on having children. Commute to London Bridge takes no more than 12 mins and my total commute to work in the City takes 30 mins - not bad when you are in zone 4!

Forgoy to add that I know quite a few Italians here!

Look at Albany Park, which is the station between Bexley and Sidcup, but where houses are slightly cheaper than in either Bexley or Sidcup proper, but you are still close to both areas and good schools.

Hi littlecrystal,thanks for your reply do you commute from Elmers End station?

so suggested area are
Albany Park
Eltham
South Norwood

looking for a house to buy it's becoming a full time job!

ruggiola Norwood Junction

Plumstead Common or Shooters Hill. Lovely green open spaces, not much in the way of pubs and delis but v close to Blackheath for that. The community spirit is great - lots of great minded people. Brilliant nurseries and primary schools.