650k for a London house. Where would you go?

[crystalgall]

So.....
We live in South Woodford. Just sold and living with family in Walthamstow. Initial our search area was limited the South Woodford/wanstead area but we need to branch out and I'm wondering how far we could go.

Here's our list of requirements:

3 bed (decent sized rooms)

Possibility to extend

On central line or easy to access central line (for DH work)
Roads which lead to Bow/Mile End (for my work as I drive)

Has to be in catchment for a primary school (this usually means within half a mile if that) and a decent secondary.

Period property. (Love Victorian and Edwardian. But 1930's semi is fine)

Ability to get to Walthamstow and Hackney easily as that's where our families are and we see them every week.

We have been forced into looking at houses in Redbridge/clayhall.
It's just really depressing. Lots of identikit roads off a massive dual carriageway. Really ugly houses.
But more in budget.

Now thinking maybe we should branch out. We've looked at parts of Leytonstone. Generally though the Waltham Forest secondary schools are terrible which is putting us off.

Any magical ideas about where we could go that's not too rough?(please don't say Forest Gate!)

Where are you mrs?

Can you really not get a 3 bed in WStow for £650?!? What about near Wood Street? The houses out that way are massive but you'd have to rely on the overground

Have you considered Gidea Park/Hornchurch/Romford?
Good schools, easy reach of East London, nice houses, family-friendy and a lot more multicultural than you would think.

I was going to say Leytonstone, but the Epping Forest end, Upper Leytonstone. That's where I am (renting) currently - it's so quiet and with a stonking great forest on the doorstep, but still Zone 3 on the Central Line. Bus to Walthamstow is about 15 mins, about the same to Mile End on the tube (not sure about driving).

Leyton/Leytonstone/E17 have changed beyond recognition over the last 4 years and the schools will too. Most of the primaries near me are good or outstanding. There's a great community feel and I have no regrets moving my family here.

Agree totally with mrsdevere, I'd be looking at areas in my home town very differently to the way I've embraced E11 as its all new to me.

Highams Park - Secondary is outstanding.

We did not find it necessarily a buyer's market when we were selling our place (now off the market.)

Thanks all. Lots to think about. It's hard because DH lived in Walthamstow for 25 years so a pretty fixed view about things.

Agh buying a house is soooo hard. It's all about the bloody schools and is making the wrong decision is stressing me out. I have a non sleeping 4 month old and the stress of it all is making my hair fall out

I love HP.

What about secondaries mrs?

You're right. I'm not too fussed about primaries but there don't seem to be any decent secondaries in Walthamstow. Where do yours go?

Green leaf catchment is 0.1 miles

At the moment with no house move in sight DS will be at Barclays in hoe st anyway.

Mrs de Vere speaks truth. WF schools have done very well recently. A lot of opinion is simply prejudice. Several friends with year 6 kids found it hard to make a first choice, because there were two or three they'd be happy with.

When we moved here 20 years ago, there was some horreur from middle class mates about its lack of trendiness and the urban grit. They've changed their minds now! I have great friends and neighbours and my now adult daughter loves it.

We did seriously consider Highams Park though because of the great housing stock,the school and the access to Epping Forest.

We must have looked at 60 houses over 12 months in the areas you describe. A house purchase fell through in December just off capel road on the flats in forest gate but I didn't feel FG was too rough (but we were only looking in the poncey village bit!), good schools, very quiet...and we are coming from v chi chi part of north London. Between us securing that property in October and started to search again in Jan house prices were rising 25-50k and we couldn't afford it again, bonkers. The Victorian terraces are going for 725-750 now. Anyway now buying on the barclay estate in 'upper leytonstone' ( still not sure of the boundaries, that's what the estate agent calls it which means it's prob nonsense!), paying 45 over the asking price. Local schools gwn Jones and Barclays look fine. We gave up on Walthamstow for the tiny houses, seriously expected to pay upwards of 700 for a cottage where we would fall over each other. Looked for a long time around Markhouse/st James and east toward wood street but even those big 30s semis behind wood street are now 750-800. I guess you have to make a compromise at some point and hope areas gradually change? I really like the area we are buying in, not far from the forest, bus up to Walthamstow to see our friends in the village etc, francis road has some nice cafes and places opening...good luck!

Under budget and near good secondary schools

How far off secondary are you?

I'd second the suggestions of Bushwood or Uppers Leytonstone. It's a lovely area, very mixed and very friendly with some excellent primary schools (Davies Lane in Bushwood is supposed to be "outstanding"). Secondaries not great though, unless you can get your kids into the grammars in Woodford but lot can change in a couple of years.