Found the perfect house - want, want, want!

[woozlebear]

We weren't even looking really, but found a house for sale totally by chance over the weekend, put a note through the door and got a viewing yesterday rather than wait til the agents opened again. They'd already had an open house day Saturday, and had 3 offers. One offer is asking price from buyers with no chain. We offered over the asking price, but would have a chain, and are still waiting to hear. They said they'd speak to the agent this morning.

So on edge I can barely breathe! This house is PERFECT. We didn't even know it was there. Would give us almost everything we've always wanted in a house, and we would stay in the same area and not have a big relocation. Never thought on our budget, in the location we really need to be in for family/work/practicalities, we'd ever ever get a house that I actually LOVE.

Want it want it want it want it want it soooooooooo much.

Just needed to let of steam

Woohoo!! Fantastic news

What are you looking for higgy, and what sort of area? I don't know north at all - do you want to stay there? I live south west. There's some nice 3 bed semis for that price around Worcester Park sort of area, a little further out from me....

East London higgywiggy. You'd get a house for that money in e11 or e17.

Or a house in South East London. It's lovely here. I don't miss North London at all.

PrinceRogersNelson -E17 is top on our places to move to!! E11 is too east for me - the Viccy line appeals for Walthamstow.
Woozle - I had to Google Worcester Park - it is proper countryside!! If I go suburbs it will be with my head hung low back to Brentwood in Essex to take advantage of grandparents babysitting...!!
I'm not particularly adverse to SE London, or anywhere thats not north for that matter, it's just that all our friends are here - again, if we move somewhere far away, I'd rather it was at least toward family and not just away from friends AND family. Having said that - where's nice y'think in SE London TuttoRhino?
Having said that - I just got carried away with the countryside idea and found a beautiful little two-bed near the South Downs.... :-/

Forgot to say congratulations woozlebear. Would also love to see a link.

We're in Forest Hill (SE23) which is nice and green and has a series of really good schools. Relatively easy access to Highbury & Islington and Hackney via the Overground.

Other places in Zones 2/3 worth a look where your budget should stretch to a 3 bed house / flat are Sydenham, Crystal Palace, Hither Green, Crofton Park, Brockley (probably a flat), Lee, Catford, etc. South East is cheaper and much, much greener than the equivalent places in North London. Not sure whether it would be easy/hard to get to Essex from any of these places. Moving from North to South took me a long time to get my head around but it has been the best thing for us. It is just nicer in the South for what our budget could buy.

Only thing I would say is since you're pregnant, buy a place now that is near a decent school. You don't want to have to move in a last minute hurry because you find out at the last moment that you're in a catchment black hole or something.

at higgy and her south downs find!

Friends / family thing huge factor. We're in SW cos my family are (I do like it too, butI know it's a tad dull for a lot of people's tastes! Makes zero sense to move to some random place you don't know miles from anyone unless it offers some radical lifestyle change or you just massively love it.

What commutes do you have to do?

Woozle - I've totally taken over your thread!!! Sorry!!
I work in South Kensington - although, tbh I may quit work shortly after bubs born and find something different and part time (my current job is incredibly stressful as I'm a one-man-band and the only UK employee). DH works on the edge of the City opposite Blackfriars stn (hence the South Downs house browsing - the Sussex trains all go into Blackfriars!), walking distance from St Pauls tube stn and has to be in work at 7am (ouch) and works usually til about 6ish, so the commute is actually really important for him. At the moment he gets up at 6 and manages to be at his desk for 7 - a big factor for staying in London.
The more I think about it, the more I think Walthamstow is for us - closer to Essex to drive 'home' to family, on the Victoria line for me going West or Central, on overlands going to City, or Snaresbrook not too far on Central line for St Pauls.
I looked on Rightmove at some of those places you listed TuttoRhino and you're right - more house for your money!! But I also worked out the only person I know South of the river is someone moving to Peckham in a couple of weeks because she's been priced out of Hackney, and her weekends consist of raves and going to bed at lunchtime the following day. I think now with this bun in the oven those days may be well and truly behind me!!!! (I'm on Mumsnet FFS!!!!!!)
Thanks for the advice re: schools, it's definitely on our radar. I've heard schools in E17 catchment areas are a JOKE. 0.2 miles in most cases, which is pretty insane.
Do you still socialise with the same friends you did as when you lived North? If we move away, I don't want to exchange my old friends for new friends just because they've got children, I'd rather just acquire more...! It's all pretty daunting - every aspect of this having a baby/growing up lark isn't it?!!
Woozle I ain't moving SW - get a link up to your house already!!

Hey Wozzle, funny you shoudl say about W/park because that is where I live. My house too is a one off for the road it's in, would want to live anywhere else!