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Original poster

Where would you spend a million in London?

281 replies

hiphophippity · 29/12/2014 17:50

I have NCed for this. Would love some ideas/MN wisdom. if you have a budget of a million or thereabouts and wanted to buy a family house in London for a young family of 2 young girls where would you look? Can budget for independent school. Have been looking West but wanted some new ideas thrown out. Happy to go pretty urban... Too suburban would probably put us off.

But more I would love to here where YOU would go (or already are) and why. Need reasonable access to town for daily commute (West End/City). We have lived all over (but not with children, and now moving back from abroad)

OP posts:
cottageinthecountry · 03/01/2015 00:12

If you need to be near Heathrow that's it - you're going to have to live West or Central. Forget Peckham and East Dulwich you'll be all day getting to Heathrow from there.

cottageinthecountry · 03/01/2015 00:26

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-31104093.html

swampster · 03/01/2015 00:48

Brixton! Victoria Line Zone 2, Herne Hill Thameslink round the corner, Tonnes of buses to everywhere, loads of brilliant places to eat and drink, Brockwell Park on your doorstep, more independent schools than you can shake a stick at down the road in Dulwich... and here is The house. Fab garden.

Somethingtodo · 03/01/2015 01:09

OP is going indie so actually needs a house in a state primary black hole ie OUT of good catchment to save £100K om value of the house.

swampster · 03/01/2015 01:22

This is well out of catchment but close enough to access loads of wonderful indies (which I cannot afford).

cottageinthecountry · 03/01/2015 02:10

Or up the Bakerloo line, close to Paddington for the Heathrow Express you will find

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48691643.html in Kilburn

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49026380.html Queens Park

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49026380.html Brondesbury Park

This is a nice fairly leafy area of London and very quick to get into town and will be on the HS2 in a billion years time when it's finished.

cottageinthecountry · 03/01/2015 02:23

You can check in Heathrow flights at Paddington Heathrow Express which is weird but possibly helpful for hubby.

Didn't know that Brondesbury Park's four stops from Hampstead Heath on the Overground (easy for dogs and bikes).

cottageinthecountry · 03/01/2015 02:37

The Tennyson Road property's 9 minutes (leafy) walk from Queen's Park tube, only four stops from Paddington.

I would move there myself if I weren't happily prejudiced against West London.

Hollyhocks7 · 03/01/2015 08:27

Love the Mill Hill Rd Acton house!

MothershipG · 03/01/2015 08:40

Honestly it would go against the grain to spend £1m to live in Acton or Brentford. Although The Butts are gorgeous the high street is still a bit grim and you're not near a tube station.

Somethingtodo · 03/01/2015 18:35

Agree would pref Northfields/Sth Ealing for much nicer residential living/community/parks etc - Brentford - v industrial & dissected by M4/A4, polluted, congested, flight path, toooo near Houslow - yuck!

thesaurusgirl · 04/01/2015 14:15

If Brook Green is your ideal, what about an upper maisonette in Brackenbury? You could then buy a membership to the Park Club on Chiswick/Acton borders for green space.

Askew 'Village' also worth a look. Your budget would buy you a house there, although you'd definitely need to go private for schooling. The latter is walking distance to Turnham Green and Chiswick, and Ravenscourt Park is on your doorstep.

thesaurusgirl · 04/01/2015 14:16

Sorry meant to type "Shepherd's Bush Market and Askew Village also worth a look."

thesaurusgirl · 04/01/2015 14:29

bling on Becklow Road Number 75 sold for £1.1m before the stamp duty changes so you could get lucky.

Cobbold Road Pretty house with potential.

thesaurusgirl · 04/01/2015 14:59

Hammersmith Grove

This is in the catchment of an 'outstanding' primary school and smack bang in the middle of cafe culture. Room in the budget and in the garden to put a massive extension on the back, and build up your equity too.

thesaurusgirl · 04/01/2015 15:00

Can't believe I'm spending the afternoon house-hunting for a stranger on the internet Grin. Enjoying it though - always nice to dream.

Original poster
hiphophippity · 04/01/2015 17:44

great work thesaurus thank you Grin
Yes askew village definitely possible. we are doing indy so that is fine. and I like ravenscourt park a lot. beck low road- do you mean that house has gone already? It is still being advertised? Cobbold not a bad street and could make that cottage a lot bigger.

OP posts:
cottageinthecountry · 04/01/2015 18:28

Watch you're not too close to the Westway for pollution and noise.

cottageinthecountry · 04/01/2015 18:31

Another question OP - is hubby wanting to drive/taxi to Heathrow or will he use the tube or Heathrow express?

Original poster
hiphophippity · 04/01/2015 19:21

thesaurus ignore that question, was being dense. I can see what you are referring to on right move

OP posts:
MothershipG · 04/01/2015 22:14

The trouble with The Askew road area is that you are in a tube black hole, don't know if that matters to you?

The Cobbold road one may not be extendable if you are thinking lofts. I had a friend in that road and a lot of the houses have roof ridges that go front to back, not side to side, which apparently makes putting a loft conversion in difficult & expensive.

You really don't want a maisonette in White City, however lovely the garden is. Wink

MothershipG · 04/01/2015 22:36

Richford Street

5 mins from Brook Green, handy for Shepherds Bush and Westfield. My kids used to go to nursery in Richford St, happy memories. Smile