Moving house from East London - Where to ?????

[CDavidson]

We (like everyone else it seems) wants to move somewhere bigger (we are in a two bed flat next to spitalfields farm) but are struggling to find somewhere we actually want to be that has 1) decent primaries 2) decent green space (ie the sort you can go for a run in or at least spend an entire morning with a child 3) enough room for us (we ideally want 3 beds plus space for shed in the garden so I can do printmaking there) or 4 beds. We would love a townhouse or ex council and have no romantic notions about period homes. We got excited by Walthamstow but then dismissed it as not espec green and more hectic than where we are now. but are considering Forest Hill (though I cant see a big park walking distance away). Has anyone got any ideas?? Im also considering Finsbury Park, Wanstead Flats (Ive never been!) maybe somewhere like Southwark Park (for the river). In an ideal world we would move to Bow/Soth Hackney but the prices are crazy. It would also been great to have some decent local shops - even just a baker and deli. Sorry for the mamouth post.

Actually it is quite a long way to cycle if that is a major consideration although direct tube. Doable but probably long.

St Judes is also quite good if you don't mind CofE.

Jessops supposed to be good if you like the second house in LondonGirl's links.

I wouldn't pay the price of the first link to live on Railton Road. I know it's changed but it's still not the greatest road.

Could he walk or cycle from London Bridge?

With that budget, I'd be looking at Wanstead, or Nunhead/East Dulwich. Or even Gospel Oak if you didn't mind ex local authority say?

Does it have to be east/south? For 800-900 you could get a 3 bed Victorian terrace with garden in willesden green which has plenty of greenery (Gladstone park, also queens park not far and Roundwood park is a great). Also Kensal green, Kensal rise

Maybe more willesden and dollis hill actually, but its all the same really

Crouch End is nice. Bit pricier than the Harringay Ladder which you mention, but good schools, near Highgate Woods, lots of parks and places to go out, new arts cinema etc.

Mind you, all depends what you want really!

Have you considered the Alexandra Palace/Wood Green area? Good connections into Old Street/Moorgate by rail and fab green spaces. Short bus rides to Crouch End, Stroud Green, Finsbury Park and Muswell HIll.

Locrating.com provides a good overview of schools, with Ofsted ratings, links to school websites, etc.

Good luck!

Recommend looking at the other SE23 primaries, Horniman is lovely, tiny catchment, have heard similar to your observations re Elliot Bank, Kilmorie is vibrant and laid back with fantastic outside space and light airy building, good community feel, Dalmain and Stillness bit more rigid, traditionally popular with middle classes. Fairlawn v v popular and a local beacon school. All catchments are small but FH is lovely and well within your budget. Much nicer than E17 IMHO ;)

Thanks everyone. Think Herne hill is out of our budget (or rather we dont want to spend 900 plus stamp duty and then get three not four bedrooms).
Im going to see a house in F Hill...for some reason I cant get my head around the fact it doesnt have a one big green space (my partner does mega 12-13 mile runs which only works if you have a decent park or river/canal- you can link smaller parks but it takes some linking!!).

We looked at stroud green and ive now realised its our of our budget but Harringay might not be. Yesterday I spent the mornring looking around Ally Pally/Bowes Park - its def green! But again the good schools mean homes near them are crazy (four bed flats costing 850 and houses in the millions). Wood green looks a bit rough...but maybe i could be clever and be in between. Crouch end is v v pricey.

It is a terrible indictment of the London property market that with a budget of 800-900k for a 3-4 bedrooms large swathes are out of reach.

thanks everyone. Weve seen a lovely house on the harringey ladder but now my partner is concerned as the local school, though rated good, has a majority of non English speaking kids. And we saw another house in Forest Hill but I cant get my head round the South circular - its not exactly a charming high st/place to start your journey!!
So we are still looking and wondering what to do....

This is a bit of an aside, but if you were still considering the Wanstead area, it is very easy to cycle in to the city. I know someone who lived in Woodford (nearby) and cycled into central London daily (further than Liv. St), nearly all off-road. Schools in the Wanstead/Woodford area are generally very good.

I vote wanstead/aldersbrook. Something like this: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-45600392.html?premiumA=true

I don't know about schools, but if I had that money, I'd be looking along the canal route out behind victoria park at hackney wick ish and even up towards Tottenham. Go for a stroll/cycle north along there, it's actually rather brill. There is quite a bit of affordable stuff (or, affordable, given your budget) in the directly-east-past-Stepney part, too, and that's pretty near Vic Park if you keep a little bit north.

An awful lot of people seem to be moving to Forest Gate and Leyton/Leytonstone.

Failing that, Brockley, Nunhead etc are your pals.

I don't have much time for the 'stow myself but know a lot of people up there who seem to find the green spaces plentiful and wonderful - did you check out Walthamstow Village? The high street IS pretty 'hectic' (you mean pound shops, don't you?) but the Village, even reverse-snob I have to admit, is rather lovely.

Thanks all. I think its going to be Forest Hill unless something else turns up. We looked briefly at upper clapton but the bit we could afford was miles from transport. And as for Stepney its not really any closer to Vic Park than we are currently and 4 beds are upwards of 900.I saw a wreck that cost 950 and needed 150 work on it!! If something ex council turns up near vic park wed love that....and Im going to do a recce on leytonstone

We lived in Stroud a Green for 10 years. It is a brilliant place to live and I would move back in a heartbeat. It is near enough to a Crouch End for shops, cafés etc and only a short walk to Finsbury Park Tube. The parkland walk which runs from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace, is lovely and Finsbury park is huge. There are some decent primaries. St Aidens was popular when we were there. Mot sure about secondaries though.

Does it have to be in London what about Bishops Stortford. Potters Bar?

Thanks to everyone. Sadly even Stroud green is out of our budget and unless we are right at the bottom end of the ladder we arent that close to Fins Park.
We are still looking/keeping an eye East. The canal IS brilliant and the marshes but anything that isnt next to/inside a motorway is v pricey...
So we are now deciding between Forest Hill (for horniman or fairlawn) or nunhead which i like, though it is very quiet. Im inclined for Fairlawn as it means we are walkable to the Rye whereas my other half would like to be next to horniman gardens.
If anything comes up in any of those i expect we will go for it.Its worth noting that Forest Hill is still cheaper than the others...even with excellent schools.

Hi cdavidson, we are near fairlawn and I think this side you do have Peckham rye, horniman gardens, one tree hill and dulwich park (quite a hilly walk to this one) all within a 10/15 min walk. Also a useful parade of shops on forest hill rd by Peckham rye park. Be aware that catchments are very tight for both horniman and fairlawn schools, worth checking with lewisham for last years catchment. Good luck!