Stockwell - would you do it

[cammybear]

We're first time buyers, currently TTC (this is my first mumsnet post!) and both work in central London. We know someone selling a two bed ex-LA place right by the Stockwell tube.

Our friend (not too close a friend, but not a stranger either) has indicated that we could buy the place for about £250000 (we haven't started negotiating or anything yet), which would be within our budget. Downsides - it's smaller than we would really like, and one of those not-very-attractive council blocks. Upsides - it's ground floor and RIGHT by the tube. Seriously convenient.

So my question really is, on the basis of obviously not having seen the place I'm talking about, would you even consider it? We couldn't afford much more than £300000, but the lower price would mean we could put in a new kitchen and bathroom. It's really not our dream home. But...it's central, and seems cheap. Can anyone tell me about Stockwell? Any good for children...? Or just good for getting out of? I suspect we would stay a couple of years and then sell up and find somewhere bigger - I wonder if its value will rise...

Anyway, apologies if I have broken any unwritten mumsnet rules or offended anyone from Stockwell - I really am a novice here!

I used to travel through Stockwell on my way to work a few years ago. (I realise that is perhaps the least prepossessing intro to any post ever...)

It is SERIOUSLY well connected and located. V easy for Brixton, Clapham, Kennington, all of which I reckon must now be like nappy valley and brilliant for children. I do think it would be a great investment. But I guess the more pertinent question is whether you want to live there. A lot will depend on the block itself. We viewed a flat to rent around the Clapham North area ages ago which was awful: block smelt of wee, we were harangued by a neighbour on the way in, flat had stuff hanging off the ceiling, etc. But the area has changed loads since then.

I guess you need to see it. And get researching what local places have sold for. And spend a day (and an evening) wandering around the vicinity. It sounds like a brilliant investment but only you can tell whether it's also a place you can live.

I would definitely consider it. It wouldn't be my dream, tbh, as it clearly isn't yours, but it may make a good starter place. I'm not very good at urban grit (despite being a born and bred SE Londoner) but I would be very reassured at being so close to the tube.

I think the key thing for me is that you are ttcing, so you have a good bit of time before you have to deal with schools etc. I should think Stockwell is a lot nicer to have babies in than older children - certainly that was how my brother felt; he left Stockwell when his oldest was about 8.

I'm assuming you're talking about the Stockwell gardens estate? If so the flats on the side of the tube station are nicer.

Find out about the cost of any works carried out on the blocks. I know they had insulation work last year and some blocks are in the process of having the communal lighting upgraded.

The estate actually compares quite well with similar estates in South London.

Feel free to PM any specific questions as I know the ins and outs of this estate.

I would look in Camberwell or the Myatts Fields area (where there is a HUGE amount of building work going on) in your position. I vaguely know the estate you are talking about and believe it still has its problems.

I own an ex-LA in a not exactly leafy but quite central area.

I don't know if I would ever want a period property now (barring my future mansion, obviously). This place was designed to be lived in as is, so no weird layouts or poky rooms after a conversion. It's really well located, I can get anywhere in London with minimal fuss. Someone has had, at least, a moment's thought about soundproofing. It has lovely big windows and it's jolly solid. And it was cheap.

Definitely check on maintenance costs though - my block has a monthly fee which includes a pool for major works, but I believe some blocks work on as 'as and when' basis which means in theory you can suddenly get a £10k bill for a new roof.

Check on what the percentage of owner occupiers is, if you can. It sounds a bit crap but I have found it true that people who own their flats, or long term renters, makes for a nicer block, rather than it being full of shitholes owned by asshole landlords cramming people in to make megabucks. If some are still council owned that can be good as they're supposed to be decent at upkeep. Though I haven't always found that to be the case.

See if there's a residents association and meet them if you can.

Also, not all blocks are equal. You do want solid, and definitely do get a decent survey, even though not all of the info will be relevant. Ground floor has its ups and downsides. If it has a garden that's good, but the risk of burglary is much higher unless it has good security features. Ground floor can also be a wee bit dark, depending on the architecture and what the other buildings around are like.

Wow, thanks everyone! I didn't expect so many answers so quickly. Yes, it's the Stockwell Gardens estate. No children yet, so it would only be with a (potential!) baby, not school-age children.

We've seen in and didn't love it, but didn't hate it. The place is mostly owner occupied (I know that shouldn't matter, but FWIW that's the situation). It's so tough as we don't want to have a huge commute (looked at a place miles out last week that was lovely but the thought of the journey every morning was already too much!) This is so close to the tube...

Thanks for the tip on Camberwell. I don't know south of the river at all, so it's all really useful. Thank you everybody!

Well, £250k for a two bedroom right next to the tube does seem like a bargain to me. Having said that ...

I'd say the main problem with Stockwell is that it doesn't have much of a feeling or character in-and-of itself. It's sort of an in-between place on a main road that happens to have a tube station.

Neighbouring places - Camberwell and Brixton - have their much more of their own personality.

Camberwell has the green and Church Street with lots of shops and restaurants along it (some fairly run down, but some quite nice e.g. Church Street Hotel with a really lovely tapas restaurant, Angels and Gypsies); it also has a famous Arts school and quite a few artists living in the area, so has an arty vibe. It has some lovely streets and a park and a pretty church, so nice for walking around. Lots of buses and a train station but no tube.

Brixton has Windrush Square with the Ritzy cinema, lots of shops along the high street, 'Brixton Village' which is an old converted covered market now full of trendy hipster-ish popup restaurants. But it's very hectic - on a Saturday, can feel like Oxford Street.

You could also consider Kennington, Walworth, Oval and Vauxhall, which are all bordering on Zone 1 but relatively affordable, esp if you're happy with ex-council.

I lived in an ex-LA flat on the Camberwell/Stockwell/Brixton border for years. It was fine, never felt unsafe, amazing transport links, some really good restaurants etc. Not the prettiest estate and there were some problems, but it improved enormously in the years I lived there. That's a good price for a two-bed. I'd look into the management of the estate if you can - there's a tendency to slap leaseholders with hefty charges for major works, which can be a problem. Would you be in Lambeth or Wandsworth? Wandsworth council tax is a big plus.

It's Lambeth, which isn't as cheap as Wandsworth, but still pretty cheap (especially compared to Camden, which is what we have now!) I'm going to find out which block it's in - we saw it a few weeks' ago, and I can't quite remember. I'm not worried about feeling unsafe, it's more about it being a little bit...run down and skanky. At the moment it has a huge great cage-like gate on the front door, like something we used to have on our houses when we used to live in west Africa.

I would still really love a period conversion, but it's probably just a little out of our reach, at least for that location. We would go with it for a few years if we knew that we would be able to sell it and it will have gone up in value...I guess that's what I'm wondering really.

Camberwell is a good tip - I'm going to look that up, as well as Brixton. It was simply that this place came up that we started thinking about that area.

Hi, we moved to Stockwell before the arrival of number 1, have 2 now. It is a brilliant place to live. Oasis for youngsters is amazing. Larkhall Park is lovely, as is Vauxhall park. You have one 0'clock clubs - for kids under five - in the parks plus about five play centres for young kids all in walking distance. There is also the Tate library and the Clapham library. We have even moved within Stockwell and wouldn't leave it now. So central and people are generally incredibly friendly. A lot is changing too with the Nine Elms development and of course Stockwell Tube is being redeveloped and becoming Stockwell pedestrianised square....be very nice.