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Original poster

new home: choose from Belvedere, Croydon, Colindale

60 replies

doris238 · 09/04/2014 15:18

want to buy a new-built 2-bed apartment with car park. work at central london. Here are three choices. Would you please advice:

the most affordable one is at Belvedere Park. 160K
the second one is at Croydon, New South Quarter. 260K. quite expensive to me. still affordable
Colindale, The North Quarter, is the most expensive. 300K. Need family help to buy this.

OP posts:
AngryFeet · 10/04/2014 15:18

The rough areas in Croydon are the North and West ones. But no need to go there really unless you live there.

Original poster
doris238 · 10/04/2014 15:25

maninHill, Angry Feet, Michello, OwlCapone Thanks- seems Croydon got some adv over the other two. Good transport, sub-urb while still not far away from town centre, and Central London.

Still need to know how shitty it is. Is it acceptable? For £300k budget, I don't expect to buy one at mid-class community. But at least not too shitty

OP posts:
Original poster
doris238 · 10/04/2014 15:27

antimatter - somewhere close to London Bridge

OP posts:
Original poster
doris238 · 10/04/2014 15:34

MaryShelley, Boba - how awful is Croydon?

OP posts:
Original poster
doris238 · 10/04/2014 15:36

MaryShelley - we would like to put money in mortgage repayment, instead of helping the landlord's repayment

OP posts:
Original poster
doris238 · 10/04/2014 15:38

How long do you want your commute to be? about 30 min

any better alternatives? We want new built

OP posts:
Original poster
doris238 · 10/04/2014 15:44

Angry Feet [thank] - The apartment is at the south west of west croydon station, 700m away, pretty close. right next to Wandle Park tram station.

That is away from the shitty West Croydon, Right?

OP posts:
Original poster
doris238 · 10/04/2014 15:47

dueanamechange - my friend has been to one of them, Croydon. I will go there and take a look soon.

They catch my eye balls bcoz new built and within my budget

OP posts:
antimatter · 10/04/2014 15:47

Croydon can be intimidating at places - but only 15-20 min by train and you are in London Bridge.

If Sanderstead is possibility - have look at this:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-29854731.html

or 2 beds

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 10/04/2014 15:53

You say you are only looking to live in London for a couple of years?

Wouldn't you be better off renting? If you go over 250K, you're looking at 8k+ in stamp duty, plus all the other costs.

Obviously London property market is way different to the rest of the country, but just because its good now, doesn't mean it will still be good when you come to sell.

And if you're looking at new build, don't they lose money in the short term, because they are no longer 'new' and people can usually get something in the same development with all the developer's incentives etc?

BobaFetaCheese · 10/04/2014 15:57

Croydon has the worse problems in terms of knife crime, gang crime and I can't remember which but one of the tram stations (West Croydon?) is a shit magnet. Also, you have Palace up the road on a Saturday afternoons, it gets congested heading into London.

The road you're looking at buying on in Croydon is the big road out of London so is always busy.

I wouldn't buy in Croydon.

Bexley/Belvedere area would be the best bet for a biggest/better place within budget...also not many roads around there have parking permits still so it's good for visiting friends/family.

How anti-older builds are you? The new builds close to Belvedere are so much smaller than the 20/30 yr old flats (looked in to it for buying, tiny bedrooms).

teaandthorazine · 10/04/2014 16:16

The area that AngryFeet is talking about ie South Croydon/Sanderstead is very different to where the new south quarter flats are.

I wouldn't buy one of those NSQ places but would happily live in s Croydon (in fact, I do!) NSQ is basically in the middle of an industrial estate (purley way) - don't be fooled by the idea that it's 'next to a park'. It's the antithesis of green and leafy!

I've lived in Croydon all my life, on and off. Parts of it are definitely proper rough but parts are ver' naice - I have a love/hate relationship with the place! And Sanderstead station will get you into London bridge in 20 mind.

teaandthorazine · 10/04/2014 16:17

Croydon is a big place, remember! You can't compare Sanderstead with selhurst (IMO!)

OwlCapone · 10/04/2014 16:28

Croydon isn't shitty on the whole, but I certainly wouldn't live in the NSQ new builds. There are certainly less nice areas than others and the NSQ area is definitely not one I would choose to live in.

OwlCapone · 10/04/2014 16:28

Croydon has the worse problems in terms of knife crime, gang crime

Compared to what?

MaryShelley · 10/04/2014 16:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

buzzy1 · 10/04/2014 18:12

What about Selsdon, just down the road from sanderstead but a bit more affordable I think, and near the tram line.

sats1977 · 10/04/2014 18:21

South Norwood might be a good option for you, the trains take 12 mins to London Bridge and you're close to Crystal Palace that has a really lovely 'village' with gastropubs, cafes and independent shops. Nice parks in the area too. This is is a few minutes walk from the station and within your budget:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39081775.html

Kbear · 10/04/2014 18:23

Belvedere - I have messaged you.

OwlCapone · 10/04/2014 18:28

I wouldn't have said Selsdon is near the tram line. It also doesn't have a train station so commuting will be trickier.

HomeHelpMeGawd · 10/04/2014 18:30

Colundale every time. It's a more reliable investment and the tube journey is fine, and the area is safe.

Spherical · 10/04/2014 18:35

Where will your job be? North or south of the river? On the northern line? If it isn't on the northern line then commute from colindale is likely to be longer than 30mins

Gulsink · 10/04/2014 19:01

The development in Croydon means you're basically on the edge of a massive industrial estate/ retail park on the notoriously congested Purley way. Very handy for ikea, Mama's & Papa's, kiddicare etc. But might take you an age to get more than a few hundred metres from your home at many an occasion.

We wondered who on earth would want to live there when we drove past them.
I saw this article in the Metro later and couldn't beleive they were talking about the same place...
metro.co.uk/2014/01/24/how-im-benefiting-from-londons-rental-market-4274737/

PinkHat1 · 10/04/2014 19:58

Areas to avoid in Croydon:
West Croydon - dirty, quite rough but good transport links
Purley Way (Some parts of Waddon are fine but in general I would avoid anywhere near the retail parks that includes South Quarter, transport links are poor unless you're near Waddon station)
New Addington - let's not even go there!

Areas to consider:
South Croydon
Purley
Caterham
Coulsdon
Warlingham
Selsdon

I've lived in Croydon (Purley and Norbury and yes I consider Norbury as Croydon!) and know it well so feel free to message me if I can help with anymore Smile

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