where would you spend a £1m in London?

[whererthewottingers]

Would love some ideas from you! Looking to buy a family home to live in for min 5-7 years.
Not too suburban, family friendly, a bit of cafe culture, baby/toddler things to do, near green space, or feeling leafy. Easy access to city, good schools. House. Min 3 bed with garden, with room to go up into loft. 4 bed preferable.
Can you recommend where you think and why?
:-)

Boobz, just outside FH you can pick up a 2100sq ft 4 bed with 120ft garden for that sort of money...

Where LBOCS2? I don't want to be as far over as Catford... I really want to be the Dulwich side of Forest Hill...

(I really want to be Herne Hill, actually).

There are a few in Sydenham, on or around the Thorpe Estate. They're all off Mayow Road, about 100metres into SE26 (Forest Hill is SE23).

Thanks for posts. I guess by suburban I mean rows of houses with no real centre. Zone 3/4 is fine but it has to feel like it's a place iyswim?
Lots of places to consider that I hadn't done before.
Anywhere in Ealing in particular that is better than other?
And what's Finchley like?
Love the idea of Kentish Town/Dartmouth park too though I think sq ft would be tiny there. Hmmm. Tricky.
Think crouch end also out of price range now.

Boobz I came to that EXACT conclusion too......

I want to ask DH's parents to remortgage their house so we can get the extra 250k but he is reluctant...

Where have you already looked at and liked? Where do you live now?

Do you really think it will only be 5-7 years? Stamp duty is nearly 50k on a 1m house - seems crazy to spend 50k every 5 years! We are looking for a house that will take the kids through to 18, so 14 years....

There are quite a few Crouch End houses under a million on Right Move.
Not sure if they are big enough and the school situation is pretty cut-throat if you are considering State.

boobz

I'm not trying to start a bun fight here but you sound very grabby trying to get £250,000 off an old couple to up a house purchase from an already generous £1,000,000 (yes I live in London and that is a good budget still). No wonder your husband is reluctant. He'd be mortified I should think.

Actually, not a few at all. Just 2 in Crouch End it seems.

Palmers Green/ Southgate will get you a nice house. The Lakes Estate particularly nice.

I'd go out of London to somewhere like Beaconsfield - look at this house with a heated swimming pool which you could get for the same money. It's a beautiful little town and has easy access to London.

Yeah you're probably right - we'll probably just hold on for for a promotion (for me) so we can get a bigger mortgage ourselves rather than asking parents to help out. I'm just impatient and want to get the house sorted now before we move back next July...

Our house might be worth more than I think it is as well, which will help. Even with a promotion and a bit more from the sale of our house, we will still be short for the £1.25m needed, and prices will no doubt continue to rise, so we may well end up compromising on the location.

Imperial very nice, but I'd have thought they would include a picture of the pool.

Telegraph hill.

Thoughts on Crystal Palace anyone?

Peckham

This looks like good value:

Gypsy Hill/Crystal Palace town house

3 bedrooms in Queens Park

Ok last one and then I will stop:

Amazing kitchen and good location I think

For Ealing the main family areas are northfields and south ealing. Or around pitshanger although not keen on it myself. Ealing Broadway itself, ealing common......There aren't really any bad areas, although obviously it has its fair share,
There are new shopping and residential developments all over the place due to cross rail. We are inundated with parks, just look at Google maps to give you an idea. There are children's clubs and activities in every skill you could ask.

20-30 minute drive to the Chiltern, 15 min train to Paddington, soon it will be 15 min to Tottenham Court Rd.
I thinkThe best thing this is to visit an area and see whether you like the feel of a place. Happy to give you the lowdown on any particular areas, just pm me
Good luck in your search

We've been looking in Streathamamd Forest Hill, lots which mostly meet your criteria but it depends a bit on schools. We found it hard to find places which met our transport and space desires and were also close enough to good state primaries. But if your kids are past that, or private is an option, then it's a bit easier.

Brockley.

For schools Streatham Hill is a very good bet. You can choose from a couple of Good / Outstanding primaries if you are in the so-called ABCD roads (in effect between Amesbury and Wavertree) - Hitherfield, Streatham Wells or Dunraven, and be in catchment for a choice of excellent secondaries (Elmgreen and Dunraven). And you can easily get a 4 bed with a garden and have change from £1m. Quick bus to the tube from Brixton, Thameslink and other fast lines from Tulse Hill, Victoria from Streatham Hill.

The High Rd will never be picturesque but it has excellent cafes and restaurants.

Be very careful in E Dulwich and Herne Hill for school catchments, though they are excellent places to live.

West Norwood is good too - a better centre than Streatham and good for schools if you are in Julian's catchment. Fast trains and an Express bus.

I want to ask DH's parents to remortgage their house so we can get the extra 250k but he is reluctant...

The link up thread to a house in Petts Wood is indeed lovely. The community is great, lovely cafes, parks, restaurants and lots of commuting choices. It might be zone 5 but only 20 mins to London Bridge plus slightly longer journeys to Victoria, Charing Cross, Cannon St & City Thameslink etc.