Calling SE London Mumsnetters ... Forest Hill/Crystal Palace/Brockley ... where would you like to live?

[RooTwo]

We have sold our flat in Hackney and are looking for somewhere to live in SE London. After a brief flirtation with the idea of the seaside we've realised we really need to stay in London and are looking in Forest Hill/Brockley/Crystal Palace. Am in terrible dilemmas about best place to be - saw fab house in Forest Hill but just off Stanstead Road which I just found rather uninspiring - too trafficky and kind of the wrong side of Forest Hill (ie not the hilly bit). Seen various places that look lovely in Crystal Palace which also seems like it has more going on than in Forest Hill. We have two DCs who will have to move into Years 1 and 3 so we do have to think about schools, too. We would like to live somewhere nice and friendly, green spaces, good transport links, decent schools - nice cafes and restaurants would be a great bonus ... Not too much to ask, then! We do have a budget of up to 600K so can afford a decent house. Any advice would be most welcome before my brain totally fries!

Houses on the Dulwich Estate usually have a long list of covenants and a bill for Estate upkeep that go along with them - not saying don't look, but be aware!

Yes I've noticed that none of them have the garages converted to a room. Many other houses of that style and era have the garages converted.

There's a couple for sale in that general area but this has the nicest decor.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-27325398.html

When I win the lottery I want one of these houses. I wouldn't care about the covenants.
www.themodernhouse.net/sales-list/peckarmans-wood-london-se26/description-841/

I am so happy you're all feeling the love for CP - I grew up there and my parents still live there. I had a schoolfriend who lived in Little Brownings - lovely houses, very light and bright. Good luck to all you South London ladies with finding lovely new homes.

If I could buy anything in the areas in your thread title, and a load of money suddenly fell on me, I would buy this. These houses are seriously stunning, with massive (for London) gardens.

It's on the "wrong" side of Forest Hill but that has a lot going for it, and you get a lot more for your money than on t'other side of the hill, or in many of the other areas mentioned on this thread.

And as Squigglypig says, with the regeneration of Catford due any minute now, the area is on the "up" and prices are still rising here.

Good luck finding something OP, you will love it in sunny SE London

Love love those sixties houses too! Sadly DS does not ... and SvetlanaKirilenko I love that Woolstone Road one ... ah if only I had a million quid knocking about! But thank you for all thoughts - most helpful. Still leaning v much towards CP. Heading off to Westow Park this Sat for some festival fun!

The Woolstone Road one belongs to a MNetter, if I remember right.

How crazy have prices gone this year? We bought a Victorian four bed near the Horniman within your price range last year, although we're in no sodding primary catchment by about 10m. Should I assume that would no longer be possible?

Crystal Palace seems really lovely but I don't know which bits are affordable.

I reckon Ladywell is best value of the places mentioned. This is well below your limit but needs work:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39544363.html

Gordonbrock is now in federation with Eliot Bank but that house may be a bit far. On the other hand you'd walk into Prendergast for secondary if you have a girl.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39544363.html

With working link.

Buy that ladywell house! I wish I had cottoned onto that area too.

I used to live Anerley Park Road at very bottom of CP park, and that's a nice street. Equidistant (maybe slightly closer to) Penge West & CP stations so much more flexibility with trains. Also easy walk to pick up 188 bus, which is probably one of my favourite London bus routes.

CP park is great... I used to love in summer when I could make it home in time to walk back through it (before gates were locked). There was this moorhen with a nest on the lake that I'd check up on and when they came it was so lovely to see her babies.

Don't know about schools though as was when I was single.

There are a couple of nice Victorian 3/4 beds inyour budget on Clive Rd - I can't do the link from my app but they're on with Pedder. It's West Dulwich but close to Gipsy Hill and CP (and nice W Dulwich shops/cafes on Croxted Rd). Should be in catchment for Elmwood too (outstanding primary in Kingswood foundation) but check with the school obviously!

Oh actually it needs loads doing to it. Don't buy it!

I live in Brockley and my two closest friends live in FH (right near colfe rd) and south Norwood - a short walk from CP.

They are all nice, family- friendly areas. Brockley and CP already have lots of nice little cafes and shops. FH is getting there in that front. I would say colfe rd is a bit of a trek from the station if you are commuting.

Being near new cross is irrelevant to me. New cross isn't as bad as it used to be and Brockley is a different area with a different feel to it.

RooTwo - we moved to Forest Hill 3 years ago after selling our flat in Stokey. I love it here and we live on one of the roads off Stansted and like you I also thought that it seemed impersonal and not quite where I wanted to be (this was pre East London Line) but now I could not love it more, great sense of community, street parties, lovely big house, great neighbours and schools and so glad we moved here now, really wouldn't move anywhere else in SE23. Our DD is at Kilmorie and we love it and Dalmain also very well loved. TBH though anyone I know who lives in Forest Hill, Honor Oak, CP etc really likes it. Like someone said further up the thread have a look at Honor Oak as well, definitely regarded as the posher end of SE23 and I have friends there who love it, just be warned though that schools can be a bit of a nightmare, have friends who live within 250 of both Horniman and Fairlawn and neither of them have got into any of their 6 choices as demand is so high.

Also just moved to area off Stanstead Rd and love it! Had to jump in and defend. Our road, mentioned here, is wide, tree-lined, friendly, sunny and safe. There is loads going on locally and I don't drive and have two DCs. We had nursery places for Kilmorie and Dalmain and going with Kilmorie, seems like a fantastic community school. The streets round here are stunning and I'm not joking I get about 5 letters a week from estate agents, people are gagging to live here!!! (Defensive moi? No seriously I love the bit by the hill and adore the Horniman but with a buggy I think the reality would be horrendous!!).

Plus this so called less desireable bit has much better catchments and I have at least 4/5 schools we'd be in with a great shot of getting. Luckily I like our closest one but good to have back up especially with the amount of removals vans and skips I see on a daily basis.

lulupeg welcome to the area. You'll love Kilmorie, we do and our DD has thrived there. I know a few people who have children who will be at the nursery in September and my DS will start at the school next year. It's such a great school.

Another vote for SE23! We moved to Honor Oak last year and can really recommend the area! Good schools, excellent transport (Overground from Honor Oak and Thameslink into the City from Crofton Park), plenty of green spaces, great community feel, nice enough high street where a Sainsbury's is opening in September. And i have friends living in the area off Stanstead road both in lovely Victorian houses.
Also i have to agree with a previous poster about the Horniman area. Great houses, gorgeous views but on such a steep hill... Not sure i would want to tackle that one every day!
Anyway SE Lonon is great, so good luck with your move OP, wherever it will take you!

Stiffybyng how funny - that house in ladywell that needs a ton of work, I had already seen it and am viewing on sat...

Labelwriter and lulupeg, thank you for thoughts on Forest Hill - you are doing a v good job of selling that spot to me! Perhaps we will offer on the house ... Eek! So hard to decide. I am tempted by good school options down there, I must say. And friendly streets...

You get used to the hill. :) It's a good work out for the legs and the views when walking down to the station are amazing.

My best friend lives up by the Horniman. Her house is incredibly light. You don't have to do the hill with a pushchair, you cut through the horniman gardens to London road

Labelwriter that's fab to hear, thank you! I've largely gone on instinct and hearsay re choosing Kilmorie over Dalmain for nursery. I must say the leafy walk to school complete with lollipop lady was also a big selling point too! I love the relaxed vibe and first name ethos and the outdoor/in thing in the nursery. It really is a great spot and we are in a less grand 30s house rather, than a gorgeous Victorian, which is a state but has lots of potential and I love it despite its modest garden! Our street seems to have great light too, the big square bays really help I think. Am dreaming of shutters once the building work is done (ages away as we have to start with loft conversion first!).

We almost bought up on the Horniman hill and lost out on the house when a cash buyer turned up. Although I love our house, I go past the other one every day (and yes, you do get used to the hill!) and feel wistful about the views.

I wish I could view with you! We looked for over a year and I kind of miss the hunting.

We have lived in the Crystal Palace area for over 10 years and have loved it! We moved from Gipsy Hill with its beautiful views to the green of South Norwood Lakes in search of a house with a garden, a bit more in the sticks (15 mins walk to Crystal Palace and up the hill!) but nevertheless a great family area to be in, and at the bottom of our road the hidden gem of the lake surrounded by field and woodland walk..

It hasn't been an easy decision to make but we have taken the plunge and decided to put our house on the market and move with our 3 1/2 year old - the 5 1/2 hour drive up to Manchester to see family is proving too much and I really want the countryside.. A bit mad really, seeing as we are right opposite Cypress Road school, one of the better schools in the area..but hopefully the right decision.

We will miss the Palace and all our lovely friends, but where we are moving to has a very nice looking pub called the Paxton (he who designed the Crystal Palace) so we reckon of course, it must be fate...

Have to say I do love Honor Oak too, I have done some gardening on Canonbie Road - breathtaking views - and definitely my favourite road in London..