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Original poster

Any rightmove addicts out there? I need your help!

44 replies

TheVeryHungryPreggo · 02/02/2015 19:52

Inspired by a poster on an earlier thread of mine, I've decided to ask the power of Mumsnet to find me a new home!

Criteria:
1700 sqft or more

4 bedrooms

A garden big enough for a bbq, outdoor dining and a trampoline

Near good primary schools AND a good nursery

On the DLR or overground as DH and I work in the city and Canary Wharf

Zone 3 or 4, areas of interest include Sydenham, Penge, Lewisham, Greenwich, Forest Hill, Brockley etc.

Modern finish, not a fixer-upper - we are both crap at handy stuff and projects ourselves so wouldn't do anything more than paint a wall or put up shelves.

Ideally no more than 1km from a station because we will have to run about like blue arsed flies doing drop offs in two directions before heading in to work for about 8.45am at our desks, and DH has early meetings so it's just as likely to be me doing two different drop offs before I get to the station.

Budget about £1.1million max. Most of that will probably come from selling our own zone 1 flat which was honestly just a very well-timed purchase in an area that sort of exploded; we are not likely to ever have that kind of windfall again! I'd like off-street parking but it's not a necessity.

A useful high street close by. Doesn't have to be leafy and naice. I want to be able to dash out for a pint of milk if we've had a glass of wine and not have to drive. M

What do you think? Am I asking for the moon on a string? Are any of you up for the challenge?! Grin So far I've found one stunning house in Penge that ticks all my boxes - but I called up today and they are on a deadline with their chain so they want a buyer who's chain-free only, sob! Penge is also about as far out as we want to go, I still want to feel like a Londoner!

Thanks If you've made it this far and are still prepared to give it a whirl Grin

OP posts:
Apatite1 · 02/02/2015 20:37

Crystal palace? It says near outstanding schools, but I have no kids so what do I know?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33251802.html

Apatite1 · 02/02/2015 20:42

Gipsy hill? Needs work but you can use the spare cash do so. Not far from me in west dulwich!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-31231986.html

Personally I think there's lots of potential in gipsy hill.

Apatite1 · 02/02/2015 20:45

Upper Sydeham.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48337271.html

Amethyst24 · 02/02/2015 20:45

This ticks your boxes I reckon.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48022525.html

Blackheath - I live nearby and the high street is fine, and improving. Trains into Cannon Street for DH - less than 20 minutes. You'd need to get a bus or have a longish walk/cycle to North Greenwich but then it's just one stop to Canary Wharf - easily doable in 20 minutes. Not sure re schools/nurseries but the area is v chichi and leafy so I reckon you'd be okay. And gorgeous Greenwich Park a few minutes' walk away.

CreamSubstitute · 02/02/2015 20:50

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-46872847.html

Should get into either Fairlawn or Horniman schools (just). There's a nice nursery on the way to Forest Hill station. Think there are also nurseries on the way to HOP station. Nearest corner shop is down the street on Wood Vale but it's about a 10 minute walk to FH high street from there. But you can cut through the Horniman gardens.

It's been on a while so assume price is negotiable.

There's not a huge amount on the market at the moment.

Lunaballoon · 02/02/2015 20:52

Herne Hill/Dulwich. This is close to several excellent schools.

www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/35402438?search_identifier=1767fcc5a4b4c875d446849d56e98225#ioqsgmoyHTXsZMlF.97

juniorcakeoff · 02/02/2015 20:56

Lee/hither green? Lee Manor and Brindishe are good primary schools and there's some nice big terrace houses near those schools for similar prices. John Ball primary is also good (officially in Blackheath but near the Lewisham side of Blackheath), might be affordable. You'd then be near lewisham which has good market and fairly decent shops.

CreamSubstitute · 02/02/2015 20:59

The one in Upper Sydenham would get you into Eliot Bank which is well thought of. The Crystal Palace one is Paxton school which is supposed to be good. I did a wide search in these sorts of areas a couple of years ago but with a much smaller budget!

The one in Blackheath looks like it might be a primary school risk as the closest school is a private Steiner one and the second closest is supposed to be good but you're 0.3 miles away. Not sure if that's close enough for that area. Buying within 0.1 or 0.2 miles of a school tends to be safer, as bonkers as that sounds. See this thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/a1805477-Primary-schools-in-Greenwich

LBOCS · 02/02/2015 21:53

Argh! I have a stunning house to sell in Sydenham but we're about 4 months off putting it on the market!

Original poster
TheVeryHungryPreggo · 02/02/2015 21:57

Wow, you lot are good - and fast! I've seen some of those before but about half of them are new to me, and areas I hadn't thought about. Thanks! Keep em coming! Thanks any local knowledge welcome too...

I don't think Gipsy Hill and Blackheath were on my radar at all... They are now! Although that crimson bathroom.... Ugh!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheVeryHungryPreggo · 02/02/2015 22:00

Pm me the details anyway LBOCS, I will be giving birth in 4 months but am still hoping we are here in bermondsey by then - I like the idea of being being close to St Thomas's hospital until the birth...

OP posts:
LBOCS · 02/02/2015 22:13

Done!

californiaburrito · 02/02/2015 22:21

Can you show us the Penge house you are interested in?

I live in Honour oak/ east dulwich and my husband works in the city and Canary Wharf and he would highly recommend commuting in to canary wharf from Lewisham as the overground trains are painfully crowded. Just something to think about....

chouxfleur · 02/02/2015 22:23

This one? Close to Eliot Bank school (outstanding) and within easy reach of Forest Hill high street and station. Not a looker on the outside (pebbledash) but great location.

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/34620897?search_identifier=0882cbc9266a4e640af8f912de53227f#1iGiJaGfv9wYIgBh.97

Apatite1 · 02/02/2015 22:28

Ah no, don't let a bathroom put you off, it's easily changed!

Original poster
TheVeryHungryPreggo · 02/02/2015 22:33

Apatite beat you to that one, chouxfleur Wink

The Penge one I like is this: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33019338.html but the three nearest schools' last Ofsted reports were "inadequate", "requires improvement" and "special measures"! Although one of those is now an academy but I don't know what that means.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheVeryHungryPreggo · 02/02/2015 22:34

Aaargh, link fail from mobile. Let's see if I remember how to do it properly this time...

OP posts:
pinkdelight · 02/02/2015 23:23

Paxton catchment is miniscule. I wouldn't risk it with the Woodland Rd house, sadly. But def keep looking around G Hill and C Palace. Most schools are good and not quite so tiny catchments. Forest Hill is great too but again fear that house on Westwood is too far from Fairlawn. Might get horniman at a push. But £1.1 should definitely get you a four bed safely close to a good school in the areas you like. Just gotta keep searching...

TremoloGreen · 02/02/2015 23:39

That one in Upper Sydenham is near me. Local parents fawn over Eliot Bank (state primary) but many move for secondary or go private. It ticks most of your other boxes though and it's a fab area of London. With your budget, I wouldn't bother with Penge or Lewisham town, except maybe the bit around Prendergast School/ Hilly Fields.

TooSpotty · 02/02/2015 23:41

As a former Eliot Bank parent, I only know one of the last year 6 who went on to a private school. All the others I know went to one of the decent state secondaries in the area.

Blueskies80 · 03/02/2015 13:29

The Westwood park place is round the corner from me. It's a lovely area being right by the horniman, roads lovely and quiet and spectacular views of London. However not convinced that house would get in to Horniman or fairlawn, check last years distances closely.

TremoloGreen · 03/02/2015 14:06

This is nice - although the garden is a bit pokey for a five bed.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33139065.html

Have friends with kids at most of those local primaries and all are happy with them. I'm not sure there are any really bad primaries in Forest Hill.

Secondaries - I think it kind of depends on whether you have boys or girls. Forest Hill Boys seems to be preferred over Sydenham School (girls). My childminder lives near this one and her son goes to FHB but daughter goes to a Harris Academy that is further away.

TooSpotty - I know a lot of parents (although not as many as 29!) who are moving away because of secondaries (myself included), but moving away before primary, so their kids can go to primary and secondary in the same place. So you wouldn't necessarily get that sample from looking at the kids already in school in the area.

I think our expectations for secondary are all relative really, so I won't derail the thread by getting into a debate about it. OP, you'll have to decide if they are what you want. Looking at admissions information for previous years is key really because in reality, you don't have that much choice.

TooSpotty · 03/02/2015 17:22

That's a different thing though, Tremolo. You said it was Eliot Bank parents moving! The ones I do know who moved (while keeping their child at the school) went to Beckenham or Hayes, where you get more house for your money but the schools aren't exactly brilliant.

As a parent who knows quite a lot about local secondaries (not for entirely welcome reasons) I think the area is very well served. London's secondaries are very good compared to many other areas of the country. They will have their differences but many bonuses too. We're moving out of London soon, not for school reasons, to a perfectly nice and prosperous part of the country, very well known for education ironically, and the local schools aren't a patch on the SE London school we'll be leaving. It is though a very personal choice, but staying in London is very common now, and lots of parents are extremely happy with the secondary schools there. I think you are mispresenting the area in your first post if you give the idea that many parents aren't happy with the secondaries.

But let's not derail. Wink

TheWildRumpyPumpus · 03/02/2015 17:55

I think it was your thread I recommended West Wickham or Hayes for a good commute into Canary Wharf, great schools, a super nursery and all the rest.

It's zone 5/6 but infinitely nicer than Penge (which is only 10 minute drive away) and 30 minutes on the train into London.

We sold our 3 bed semi in W Wixkham for 590 so you'd get something great for 1.1 million.

Luckystar82 · 03/02/2015 17:56

I'm not sure why everyone thinks schools in London are so bad. In recent years schools in London have overtaken schools across England in terms of performance, particularly for the poorest pupils (part due to govt investment, attracting good teachers, high BME population).

There are good and bad schools all over the country. But London has proportionately more good schools than the rest of the country. A good school in London is not 'gold-dust' as I saw in a recent property thread.

Children educated in London - even in the worst schools and the poorest - have a massive advantage over children who live in the rest of the country:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-28089648

www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/hardworking-ethnic-minority-pupils-lifting-schools-results-as-london-effect-takes-hold-9854789.html

Sorry but I think people need to get a reality check!

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