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.

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!

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!

YY Camberwell.

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.

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.