Where to buy a house? SW London Zone 1-2, maybe 3 with good public transport.

[SW1XMother]

We moved back from NYC to London a few months ago and live in our flat in SW1 at the moment with our nanny and two children. Flat is large enough but we all dream of a house and a garden, so that we can possibly have a dog. Eldest daughter is just over two now and we need to think about pre-schools but also if we want to stay in the area. We would like to buy a house but buying a house that we like in SW1 is despite our high income nearly impossible.

Can anybody recommend a lovely part in SW London Zone 1-2, possibly 3 if there are good transport links to the City that has an excellent school?

[PureQuintessence]

Off on a tangent, I had to take the train from Barnes to Teddington a couple of times the last month, and was amazed how fast it was.

Living in this neck of the woods, it is easier to go into Kingston for some major shopping than central London, you have John Lewis, and you you have the Bentalls Center, which is pretty fab for shopping, hand bags, designer clothing, linen etc. Venture outside, and you have coffee shops, the Theater, furniture shops, Clothes, Outdoor gear and sports shops, and also nice little shops such as Jo Malone, Radley, Molton Brown, The White Company, a nice fruit and veg market.

When you live south west, it becomes the Center of your existence, and your wider circle becomes Hampton, Kingston, Wimbledon, and these are all some pretty fab areas! At the same time, Central London is within easy reach. High St Ken is 15 minutes drive from Putney were we live now, but equidistant to East Sheen. You can still go to the museums of Sout Ken, you just cant walk there. But that is a small price to pay for being just on the outskirts of the hustle and bustle and traffic.

[SW1XMother]

Hi,

We need to be in the office well before 7am so we don't usually have the typical rush hour anyway.
I am tipping from my iPhone while BF so I get back to you later when the children are asleep.

[LadyIsabellaWrotham]

Oh in that case the Northern Line from Clapham Common/South becomes well worth considering, although you'd still need to change/walk in order to get to Chancery Lane.

[allaflutter]

Pure, you do paint a nice picture, I agree Richmond village and along the river/around the green is very charming. But two points that put me off - plane noise (though you some areas are better as away from flypath - but these are further from station), and very congested narrow roads in Richmomd centre (mainly weekends and rush hour) and Sheen high st is a nightmare and very fume-y - most of the time in the day! Kingston too -= very busy with traffic, and slow to get out of.
But I love the walks along the river - we went from Richmond green all the way to Ham house (near Petersham nursery, as Katie mentions) and had tea and cakes in the Ham house cafe - great cakes at that!
I'm not sure it will work fr daily commute what with buses from waterloo - it does add time and OP has to be in so early. At least she would have to be a quick walk to the station, so Richmond Hill is out (unless she uses minicabs I suppose).
Btw Battersea is a pesk with finding cabs - it's virtually impossible to hail one near the park, when you are in a rush to get the tube, so would also need mnicabs!

[abbyfromoz]

Allaflutter- get hailo app.

[redandblacks]

I would not look twice at Clapham with that budget tbh. Hillgate Village?

[abbyfromoz]

It's called 'off market'. My husband deals with this (owns a property company). Prime London deals in a lot of off market acquisitions (within a higher value threshold) usually it's to do with keeping it in house- vendors not wanting it publicised (i.e if it's held in a trust, if it's a distressed asset or sensitive sale etc) this also means the seller is often ruling out non serious buyers and can be good for the buyer as if it's a distressed asset, the banks are more likely to write off the sale at a percentage given the buyer is of good status. A sensitive asset would usually be at market value and would usually be something unique where the seller is only willing to sell to a certain party.

[abbyfromoz]

Sorry for the long explanation! Lol
I think what i am talking about is more acquisitions and development- the reason a normal agent would hold off some of the better properties from the general public is because they have a list of reliable buyers that they can guarantee won't mess them around (not in a chain, quick sale, cash buyer etc) and would rather see if there is any interest with them before advertising. So if you can prove you can get the sale concluded quickly then you are in with a better opportunity from agents.

[SW1XMother]

Thanks for letting me know abbyfromoz. I have a look at the Richmond area. Richmond would suit me well very for various reasons (German School etc.).

[SW1XMother]

Friars Stile Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 6NE I like this one.

[minipie]

Richmond is lovely (if traffic choked) but it definitely feels like its own self contained small town rather than part of London. And it's a long journey to Chelsea if that's important to you.

Trains from Richmond go to Waterloo not London Bridge so you'd need to change and get on the Jubilee line for a couple of stops.

for any area you are considering, it's worth testing the commute at the time you would do it.

[Hanginggardenofboobylon]

If you work fleet st then Waterloo is actually pretty good, you can walk it or get one of about 4 different buses

[bunnymother]

Re Richmond, I wouldn't live anywhere further than Zone 1 or 2 if I worked long hours in the City. Even if work provides a car to take you home late at night, its still a drag going so far. And it inhibits going out at night in central London (eg Soho), too. That's the experience of City workers I know.

Re Hillgate Village, its charming, but the properties aren't big and they don't have any real garden space. The houses in the streets closer to High St Ken eg Bedford Gardens, Sheffield Terrace etc are far larger. And, actually, some of the houses on Sheffield Terrace and Gloucester Walk back on to one of the few communal gardens in the area (most are over in W11 near Ladbroke Square, which is the biggest). See: maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=sheffield+terrace+W8&ie=UTF-8&ei=6nFPUciRN5Cr0AWqkoB4&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg

If I was OP, I would definitely get a property search agent to help, as well as asking Mumsnetters.

[SW1XMother]

Can somebody recommend a property search agent?

[ChippyMinton]

OP - you have given away waaay too much personal information on this thread. I seriously recommend that you report it to MNHQ and ask them to delete some of your messages

I'm enjoying the links though - some of those properties are gorgeous. Hope you find something suitable. Personally I'd avoid anything under the Heathrow flightpath, which rules out some of Richmond and Barnes.

[bunnymother]

None of the info makes OP uniquely identifiable IMO. OP - your HR department may have the names of property search agents, if they relocate people between offices. Good luck.

[PanicMode]

SW1XMother - I'd try Tracy Kellett or Henry Pryor - or see the link below.

bdihomefinders.co.uk/2013/03/11/the-top-20-buying-agents-in-the-uk/

[SW1XMother]

chippyminton

I don't see a reason why I should ask MNHQ to delete some of this post. There is nothing to be embarrassed etc. about it. I think.

[ChippyMinton]

Nothing to do with being embarrassed .
Your first two posts basically identify your home address.
Am I the only one who has noticed this, and is concerned?

[MintyyAeroEgg]

You are not the only one who has noticed Chippy but op seems very gung-ho and "lets get everyone on board" about all this.

[ChippyMinton]

Thanks Mintyy
I was worried that she hadn't realised.

[abbyfromoz]

Loads of people there. It's one of the most densely populated areas in London...i think she'll be fine.

[SW1XMother]

Do you know how many people live on Sloane Street? I might also live just off Sloane Street and lots and lots of people live here. Many bankers too. Even if it does out me I don't have a problem with it at all. Otherwise I wouldn't have posted on here in the first place.

[MintyyAeroEgg]

I know Sloane Street extremely well. I know Chelsea very well too and I know a lot about property in that area as well, as it happens.

However, op has stated that she has an x bedroom flat in a specific road on the market for x amount of money. It is easily searchable.

If she isn't bothered then that is fine.