Where to live in London with a good budget? West, South West, North London?

[ElleElleElle]

I would really appreciate if you talk to me and help with your opinions as my head is exploding already.

We are trying to decide where will be the best place for us to buy house.

I am completely city girl and love London with all my passion. My husband is a country boy, grew up with aches of land, huge country house and horses so a compromise needed :)

We both do not need to commute every day to work as I am a freelancer and hubby either has meetings all over the world or in central London very occasionally. But we both love theaters, museums and just general going out in the center of London. I also have a hobby in central London which I would like no to give up and it involves that I am coming back home on a last train about 1 am.

Originally we were thinking maybe some nice area outside London in the countryside with good and quick connection links to the city. We were considering Cross Rail links and places around Maidenhead, Reading, etc. as husband could have a big country house with land over there and I could get easily into Central London.

Now we decided that would be nice to stay within London but we can not decide absolutely anything about areas.

In North London we like Hadley Wood, Monken Hadley and some places between High Barnet and Stanmore but it seems so far to get to the center from there.

We also went through the stage where husband agreed to buy something right in the center like Westminster, Victoria, Kensington but I do not think he will be happy there as he loves to be near some sort of greenery, live in a house rather then a flat, have a garage and garden.

Then we were considering Ealing as there are some roads with very big houses over there (though many converted into flats) but I read about schools and released (maybe I am wrong) that schools could be much better. And I also think we would have one of the best houses in the area which is not ideal (as a saying goes it is better to have a worst house o the best street rather then a best house in the worst street). Apart from that we love the area.

Now we look at South West London. Start looking for houses in Richmond but around the station (15 mins walk) I can not find pretty much any detached houses.

What would you say, who live maybe close by, about Sheen, St.Margarets, Mortlake,Barnes ect. I am a bit scared about commute from there. The same about Ham. But soooo nice around there everywhere.

And noise from planes also is not very appealing. But neighborhood is very pleasant, affluent, huge park near by where we can walk, cycle, etc. and schools are fantastic!!

Closer to Kingston there are lots of suitable houses but I think it's too far and too villigy for us.

Then I came to Wimbledon. Wimbledon Village seems very nice area with very good transport links but I read village itself is very very small and lots of parts are very noisy. And what about Tooting nearby and some other not very pleasant parts?

Seen some houses not far from Putney as well (not close to the station though)

And again looking at the prices of the houses and what you get for that..... maybe it's better to go back to Cross Rail links...... or maybe not......

Please talk to me. Where would you go and why? Thank you for reading.

I totally get an earlier post stating with that kind of budget I imagine there are people who can look for you at exclusive properties that are not even part of the open market

Op surely you have people in your circle with similar budgets who have recently bought who can better advise you? Problem is I would imagine most people on here can only dream of your budget and you will of course get bitchy/jealous comments

Also you don't sound very normal from your original post too

Why can't someone ask for recommendations with a big budget? She isn't responsible for how other people feel. Everyone has to have the same or no one can talk about it? What are we three years old? Enjoy the property porn or move along.

Elle. Those being helpful are right about Hampstead. It would be a good compromise for you and your DH.

And St Johns Wood. If you keep looking you will find something for your budget which is set back from the road with a coaching in and out drive way and good garden. But you will have to keep looking as property is quite varied in that area.

Have you looked at Regents Park? Admittedly your budget wouldn't go far (I cannot believe I'm actually saying that!!!!). But it's fantastic. It would give you an amazing lifestyle. And if you buy on the Crown Estate (the best bit), everything is leasehold.

Wimbledon village is ok but the prices are insane for what it really is (apologies to anyone living there).

I suspect your biggest issue isn't budget or actual location in London but that you want to be smack bang in central London and your DH wants big scale country living.

OP, I live in South west London (zone 2) and around here, there are some pretty imposing detached houses that could fit your bill. Have you have considered the areas of Between the Commons, Clapham Common West Side, Toast Rack near Wandsworth Common or around Spencer Park?
Something like this:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49073764.html
Or a new build like this:
www.rightmove.co.uk/new-homes-for-sale/property-34831572.html
This is also very nice:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49341698.html
Or a converted old school house like this:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49073701.html
All within the budget and money to spare :-)

If you have the sort of lifestyle normally associated with your property budget, you will die of boredom outside Zone 1.

Wandsworth, Chiswick, Wimbledon and Richmond all have a quite suburban vibe, and the owners of the largest houses in the smartest streets tend to be middle-aged rather than yummy mummy types, so the neighbours are more likely to be closer to your parents' ages than yours.

Look at a maisonette in a Kensington, Notting Hill or Bayswater garden square - you will have a glamorous central location, and your husband will have the trees and space he craves in the communal garden, and in the local parks (Holland Park, Ken Gardens and Hyde Park). You may even be able to have a private back garden opening directly into a communal garden, although these basement and raised ground floor flat conversions are very sought after and seldom come up for sale.

Or look at a mews house in Marylebone so you have Regent's Park as your green open space.

Or you can buy a large house (2500 square feet or so) somewhere west of central like Brook Green or Parson's Green (£3m) and then a large country house in Oxfordshire (which has fast broadband for home-working, and fast road and rail links to London) for about £2m. This is what most of my clients in your income bracket do.

OP. How about Islington. The naicer Highbury end??

This perhaps?
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49049986.html

Drool over that house. I love it. Would love a house like that in London & I wouldn't want to live in the city full time. Good luck OP-feel free to post potential purchases ;)

ElleElleElle - tbh I love both Barnes and Richmond, and I enjoy going to both quite a lot. They're equally nice places. I'd prefer to live in Barnes because it's closer to the center (but equally green and pleasant) and has better transport links. Both Richmond and Barnes stations go to Waterloo; the Richmond train goes via Barnes, but other trains go via Barnes too, so there are twice as many trains going from Barnes to Waterloo than from Richmond to Waterloo, and it's a much shorter journey. Might be the perfect compromise for you and your partner.

You should drive around all these places and take a look for yourself. They're all lovely and it depends how you feel when you're there.

I'd do 2 properties as well with your budget. A flat in west London (probably, you seem more of a west London type than a Hampstead type I think) and a house in the countryside somewhere.

HenriettaBarnet, just wondering what is "west London type than a Hampstead type"?

MrsFlorrick, thx but this area definitely not for us and this house right next to Holloway road. About Regents Park always liked around there (when at some point we were considered apartment/house right in the centre). There are not many houses around there. Apartments are beautiful over there.

Any downsides about Regents Park?

And yes you absolutely right DH wants his country house (in London now) and I would settle and be happy in a big appartment right in the centre. Trying to find compromise in between and most difficult now to decide about area (s) where even to look.

ElleDubloo, I drove few times in Barnes and yes it is exceptionally green and pleasant. Have not realise about connection. My initial thought was that it wasnt that good but talking to forum it turned out that it better then in Richmond. Thx.

thesaurusgirl, this is what DH start realising as well now. Even if he lived in different countries he always considered himself as a "village boy" and liked the idea of living in the countryside (well I honestly tried for him for a while). I mentioned before that he never liked the thought of London (i mean living here permanently) but having tasted it he admitts and accepts how much London can offer.

And yes many of you who suggested 2 houses: one house/apartment in central London and big country house with land outside. Husband suggested that many times in the past, I am not that keen for some reason. I think with kids it's not that easy to go back and forth all the time and I am scared that eventually I will settle in a country side and I do not like this thought (maybe I am wrong but leaving in Berkshire for a while I always wanted to live in London) . Maybe thats why I am kind of against this idea.

I'm guessing kids are hypothetical at this point in your lives. You will end up living mostly where they go to school even if you do have two houses. Put the kids in school in london and go to the country house on the weekends. If it were me I'd go for the two house solution rather than the one house compromise.

Dulwich.

With the Dulwich house listed below (gorgeous!) you could still have a country house like this..or any huge choice of costal or rural retreats!

Elle. If Islington/Highbury is too urban/boardering too many badlands (holloway/seven sister). Then Regents Park or Primrose hill St Johns Wood would suit.

No downsides to Regents Park other than the expense of the lovely Nash Terraces and that most of the Nash Terraces are owned freehold by The Crown Estate so you can only buy leasehold at the Southern end of Regents Park.
If you go to the North of Regents Park you get more for your money and freehold. And still a short stroll to Marylebone High St or St Johns Wood or Primrose Hill.

Used to live in Marylebone and still miss it. Lucky you.

Speaking of Regent's Park... OP, do you wish you could afford this: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50280334.html

Heck, it's got vaults!
(Wait, is that just a posh word for "storage"?)

I came on to suggest Wandsworth Common/Toast Rack or the area by Lyford Road. Lovely big houses, detached. Close to (and in the case of Toast Rack, perhaps looking on to) Wandsworth Common. Great private schools though you'd be out of catchment for the good state ones - the area is lovely so no worrying about local riff raff(!) Airline noise no way near as bad as Putney/Richmond and well connected in terms of mainline train.

The common is full of Hunter and Tweed wearers with their labs/gun-dog-types so I'm sure your husband would feel at home. Also lovely sense of community (esp. Toasties as the Toast Rack occupants refer to themselves as) which is sometimes missing in high wealth areas where occupants are more transient.

I'm on the Heaver in SW17 (not Beaver! per earlier post) and love it round here for access to the common and community. It's been pointed out that with your budget you could do much better than me! That said I love it here because it's great for young families and the properties are beautiful but you'd have Tooting on your doorstep (doesn't bother me but beggars can't be choosers ) You can get in excess of 4000q ft for under £3m here. e.g.: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52276670.html
No doubt the roads around Wandsworth Common esp. Toast Rack have a more luxurious feel though.

Don't know North London as well as south but my feel is South London is generally greener - more large green spaces closer together.

Again thank you all of you for your comments and suggestions. I read each post carefully and if do not comment personally to each of you does not mean I do not appreciate it.

ElleDubloo, unfortunately not. Hehe, imagine what would happen to this forum if I mentioned this sort of budget for the house ;)

herethereandeverywhere, yes, Tooting worries me a bit.

Blu, sometimes it is tempting when I start looking what you can get outside of London for your money and lifestyle. But I am trying to incline DH to have something in a warm climate like Spain as a second escape for him where the sea can be his "garden" or somewhere pleasant to look at rather then neighbour's wall.

There is nothing worrying about Tooting.

It isn't the place you are going to choose to live, but there is absolutely no problem with living near it!

Tooting isn't a worry! I'd say being targeted for a robberty/carjacking in a rich-only area was more of a worry than having Tooting down the road!

It is largely non-white and full of Asian (and to a lesser extent black) independent businesses. I love going down to collect something from the post office and experiencing the vibrancy and multiculturalism 10 minutes from my doorstep. And the fresh produce from the markets is amazing - the avocados and mangoes are a world away from the hard bland small things in the supermarket.

It does - however - feel poorer. Property is usually scruffier and worth less. If you want to be surrounded by luxury and white multi-millionaires do not venture there!

Op is a fantasist and a liar
Most rich people don't have time for the internet
Ok let me try.... Hi guys I have 10 million pound budget and rich English boyfriend we need to buy house in Central London we don't like black people or brown people... Only want to be around white because!
See even I can make up this fantasy life

Love the internet

You should look at Dulwich Village. The private schools are some of the best in the country, its in zone 2, Dulwich Park and Woods are great and you have train connections from the Village and Herne Hill that will get you into central London within 12 minutes.

The amenities in East Dulwich, the Village and other surrounding areas are terrific.

Primrose Hill is beautiful and is great for the American school.

Hi8 - The richest person I know spends hours on the internet!

He's a retired multimillionaire aged 45.