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Original poster

Can anyone tell me anything about Tooting or Colliers Wood please?

12 replies

timidviper · 19/08/2013 20:38

Can anyone tell me about the Tooting / Colliers Wood area please?

Are there good bits to buy in and bits to avoid?
Which parts might be best for property investment terms?
Is it a nice place to live?

Any information appreciated

OP posts:

FamiliesShareGerms · 19/08/2013 20:44

Few more details needed! Are you looking for somewhere just as an investment (eg a two bed flat near the tube station) or to live in (eg need schools?)? Budget? Commuting needs?

mervynmouse · 19/08/2013 20:50

Just moved from Tooting, for no reason than I couldn't afford to buy there. Rented in area for 7 years and I miss it! It's busy, always busy but I quite liked that. Traditionally the area around Tooting Graveney has been most sought after due to proximity to Graveney School and the bits bordering Mitcham or colliers wood less popular as more run down. There was a point a few years ago when the Marks and Sparks closed down to be replaced with a giant Primark and the Clarkes shut when I thought it was going to the dogs BUT I would say actually it's really come on the last few years, loads of new bars and pubs have opened and a Dirty Burger is coming soon!

I would think it's an excellent area for investment, the two tube stops make it really easy to get to town and it is served well by buses.

Original poster

timidviper · 19/08/2013 22:43

Thank you. DS and partner started looking at Tooting but have also seen a couple at the top end of Colliers Wood. We are just trying to help as they both work full time but we are out of the area and know nothing!

Do you know if the market is as frantic as the agents suggest or are they just trying to hype things up and scare them? They have told them to expect bidding wars, houses selling very quicklyetc.

Families Young professional couple, no children, need to be within walking distance of tube to get into London and reasonable car commuting to Guildford but want to live nearer to London rather than further out. Prefer 2beds or more. Budget up to 400k

OP posts:

nocarsgo · 20/08/2013 09:00

I worked at St George's for several years and always thought Tooting was a filthy, crowded, traffic-jammed hole

I always found the walk from the tube station to the hospital, or in the opposite direction towards Tooting Bec, SO grim.

Some great curry houses though!

mervynmouse · 20/08/2013 22:20

As far as the market goes, my old landlord sold our 2 bed maisonette with small garden 5 mins from tube within 3 weeks for around 300k. I was expecting it to go much more quickly but he did have it on much too high initially. There was a LOT of interest though, probably about 50 couples through the door.

Somewhere smarter in South West London and a similar flat would go within the day.

I agree that it remains quite grubby and is very busy but would say the worst of the traffic is colliers wood end, in Tooting it's more the people!

It definitely feels like it's on the up, let's not forget Balham was considered a hole not so many years ago and property there has rocketed.

For a young couple it could tick a lot of boxes and you would be within budget. Another big plus is the super cheap council tax! Also lovely big common and lido.

Can't tell you much about colliers wood other than its always struck me as rather bleak and traffic ridden. It is also dominated by a retail park and a horrendous tower block that unfortunately didn't win the ugliest building in London competition for which the prize was demolition

Juustanothermnetter · 20/08/2013 22:26

Hope i can help...

we Bought in tooting bec 2yrs ago and just had an offer of nearly double what we paid. Market is increasing 3% per month at moment around here - estate agents struggling to keep up with prices :)

We are in the process of buying investments in tooting - dh has a good eye for the'next big area' and he's fairly confident in tooting and has also flagged colliers wood (much much cheaper). Gut feeling is that tooting will continue to increase over next 5-10yrs (new rail link direct planned 2015 if I recall). Colliers wood may also start to grow but dont think it will really start to happen until 2015ish..

All guesses though :) good luck.

mervynmouse · 20/08/2013 22:43

I should add that the flat we lived in was a tiny 2 bed, that would very much be lower end of price bracket. 350-370 more realistic.

FamiliesShareGerms · 20/08/2013 23:02

I agree Tooting feels on the up. the Tower in Colliers Wood is due for development, but the area will always suffer, IMHO, from being neither Tooting (proper London) nor Wimbledon (practicallySurrey).

If you want to commute by car to Guildford, unless you plan to travel well outside peak hours you will want to seriously reconsider location in favour of somewhere like Raynes Park (on the A3 and 20 mins on overground into Waterloo)

Mumzy · 21/08/2013 21:10

I worked there about 15 years ago and thought it was a bit grim then, drove down there last week and thought not a lot has changed. But it is near Clapham were the young like to congregate. Prefer Earlsfield going up to Wimbledon Village myself

beedles17 · 24/08/2013 21:48

The words dump and barge-pole spring to mind. People keep claioming it's up and coming but seems to have been for years and is still grotty.

poppyD78 · 24/01/2015 10:21

Compared to other area like Clapham or Balham, Tooting is pretty affordable for buying a home.
It really has great transport links: Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway. This is always useful especially if you're trying to avoid traffic jams in the morning on your way to work. I lived in the SW17 for a short time, but didn't have the chance to get to know it better. I had to move because my husband found a better job offer in another area. We hired man and van Tooting by Best Move

I searched the web and found this site about rents it has info on Tooting too. I hope it helps.

SaBearOz · 24/01/2015 12:48

Used to own a maisonette in tooting broadway but sold it 2 years ago to get a house in Streatham Common. Tooting was a great sound investment for us and house prices have been steadily rising since 2008 with a bigger jump in the last 3 years. Lots of new gastro pubs and restaurants and great long standing curry houses that make it a great place to live. It is very busy (hospital doesn't help but it is a fantastic hospital) and a great place for young people but I think they will be paying quite a lot for a place that they could have got cheaper 2 years ago (but that's London). Colliers Wood in my opinion is mostly pretty grim and doesn't have the pubs/ restaurants to offer like tooting but it is cheaper. I think Tooting Bec has the highest percentage of income per household compared to other places in London so it really is a nice young professionals area. Also always felt incredibly safe

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