Help us find a place to live! SE London and beyond

[whatsagoodusername]

We are looking for a house to buy with the massive budget of £250k. We are currently in Mottingham, SE9, and DH commutes into Angel on the northern line from London Bridge. We have been looking at Eltham and Kidbrooke, but I think we will be unhappy with the size of house we will be able to afford.

So we have decided to look a bit further, but I have no idea where to look! I don't drive at all and while DH has a license, we don't have a car and would rather not. So near a station with reasonably frequent, fast service into London (London Bridge or St Pancras ideally, but any station will do).

We need a 3 bedroom house with a garden, no structural work needed but happy with cosmetic improvements. Close to good primary schools as DS1 starts reception in 2015 and DS2 the year after. Based on what I have seen so far and where we have been living, I think we probably want upwards of 1000 sq feet floor space (the DC have a lot of toys!).

Any ideas? I know it's not a lot of money, but I'm hoping somebody can come up with a nice, not too pricey area for us!

Swanley, Dartford, Gravesend, Medway..

You'll hear lots of negs but there are nice bits

Thanks all for the wonderful advice - sorry for going quiet - lots to think about and look at. Keep felling in love with houses only to find the internet says they are bad areas! Most recent one was down in Folkestone but the internet was NOT polite about Folkestone as a place to live! DH is a Londoner so not sure he would have gone for it anyway!

Check how much your DH's season ticket would be from places further out compared to from Zone 3 or 4. The difference might be better put into a mortgage in the long run.

That Sydenham one looks good value - and I see that it has sold despite having had no de-cluttering done for the photos

whatsagoodusername - I am sure the internet says where I live is terrible, and indeed I saw someone only a couple of weeks ago confidently telling someone to avoid the area. And yet we have excellent schools, street parties and real community, handy shops, good restaurants, all amenities, brilliant transport and relatively 'affordable' housing.

Go and see or talk to real locals on MN.