Where can we afford to buy in London?

[Tartyflette]

DH and I are Londoners but have lived about 30 miles outside (NW Essex/Herts) for many years and now want to move back. DC have fled the nest.
Ironically we could not afford to buy our first home again, a lovely Edwardian terrace as it was in a very good area that has shot up in price!
We will have about £550,000, - 600,000 at a pinch - to spend but cannot decide on what areas to consider. We are looking for a 2-bed terrace or garden flat fairly near a tube station, or other transport links, in a lively-ish area with OK shops/pubs/restaurants. (Fed up with the country being fairly dead six months of the year even though it has been a great place to bring up kids, excellent schools etc). We now want somewhere with a little more life!
I think it needs to be fairly central but in a not-very fashionable area, perhaps. Garden a definite requirement.
So tell us about your favourite areas, we'd be very grateful for any suggestions and ideas.

[SuzyLucy]

BIWIs suggestion in Raynes Park is in a lovely area. There is a David Lloyd gym with a pool about 10 minutes walk from there.

[Lorelei76]

Interesting Tarty
i obviously don't have room for stuff but I think I'd like the extra space not so much for stuff but because it's nice to have a sense of space, if that makes any sense.

I guess a lot of your choice will be down to how often you think you'll be in central London.

[CodewordRochambeau]

YY Camberwell.

[Tartyflette]

We do have a lot of space here, part of the reason we want to move is that the garden is very large (DH is a keen gardener) and we feel it will get too much for him in years to come.

We realise it may be difficult adjusting to less space (we have a sitting room each ATM) and we will have to get rid of loads of stuff but we hope it may be liberating as well..... Friends of ours have just moved from a 4/5 bedroom detached in the country to a 2-bed new build and they are very happy to be back in town -- but it wasn't always easy.

We spent two months in the south of France this winter in a 2-bed apartment and that was very succesful so we are optimistic.
We just don't need the space any longer, it has been great but we need to look to the future and do it while we still can!

[Lorelei76]

Tarty, do you feel okay about moving to a smaller place?
I'm just asking because I'm thinking of moving further out to get more space but many people tell me in my 50s I'll want to downsize again!

[Tartyflette]

Wow, those are both really nice, feathers' I didn't think Islington or Canonbury would be within our budget!

[Quodlibet]

Camberwell is great. You have the overground at Denmark Hill or can be in the west end/London bridge/Waterloo/east end inside 30 mins on the bus.

[feathersruffled]

You could get a 2 bed garden flat in Highbury
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41974986.html

or Canonbury
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54293314.html

Both really interesting and lively areas, and no long journeys to get into town.

[familyfarm]

OP, if you manage to grab one in the Olympic park in Stratford, there's an 8 min high speed train from there to kings cross!

[Mandolinoparadiso]

Another one in Kentish Town: very central and fantastic buses - 20mins from West End after a night out.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54460078.html

[Mandolinoparadiso]

How about this in Kentish Town? Very close to the Heath, lots of lovely shops and cafes etc and excellent transport links.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60239591.html

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Anywhere near Telegraph Hill park in New Cross, huge converted houses and green areas.

[Tartyflette]

Stratford there's a thought, I like the sound of that. Good transport links, too. Also Vauxhall very close in to the centre and lots going on. Will check these out , we hadn't considered those areas.
Brockley will go on the list too. Not so sure about New Cross but will do a bit of internet searching.
Thanks again Mumsnetters.

[User543212345]

Vauxhall/Nine Elms. It's still a building site at the moment but it's getting there and in the meantime is great for transport up to both the city and the west end or out to Clapham/Battersea.

This is a bit over budget but is nice and opens onto large communal gardens. It's 3 minutes from the new nine elms tube stop due to open in 2020. There's a top floor one with balcony in the same development for less money.

[LBOCS2]

Brockley? Zone two, lots of green space and mainly big Victorians which have been converted so lovely large rooms...

[kirinm]

We are just about to move from Peckham to New Cross. 2 beds in Peckham are c£600k+ but it's a lovely area.

New Cross (telegraph hill) area also very nice and a bit cheaper.

[familyfarm]

Look at Wanstead, Streatham and The Olympic Park in Stratford.

[Just5minswithDacre]

Oh I knew what you meant, but London garden flats can be tiny.

[Tartyflette]

Thank you all for your suggestions, we have just got back from checking out Walthamstow! We liked it very much, we also looked at Stroud Green which was a little more expensive but may be just about possible.
So we shall now venture South of the River (north and east londoners in origin but what the hell, we will gratefully check out all the areas suggested.)
I will also be working through the links you very helpfully posted, many thanks again for all the advice.
(i swim most days so am deffo interested in the pool)
And sorry, it should have read an Edwardian terraced.....
DPs lived in Epping and we know it well, perhaps a little too well....

[Lorelei76]

what about High Barnet - you can be near the Tube, the overground and central London but also near green space.

[EllenTheEgret]

You've got a decent budget for what you're looking for.

I'd recommend Leytonstone or Walthamstow if you want to retain connections to the NE. Or maybe Wanstead if you fancied something a little more genteel.

[Just5minswithDacre]

I don't think I could bear it if I'd previously had a whole edwardian terrace. How about moving to Epping so that you're on the central line and have the best of both?

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Dulwich is lovely as is Honour Oak- that pool!!!

[DrownedGirl]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53950543.html

[DrownedGirl]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41258883.html