Ex-local authority flat- trying to convince DH...would you be keen to buy?

[TurquoiseDress]

We are in the middle of the big property hunt (we are FTB).

Ideally looking for zones 2/3 in SE London, seen lots so far but not found anything we love, or even like that much.

Been very slow over the summer, not many new things coming on.

I saw this property on Rightmove:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53554903.html

It's in Beckenham which we don't know a great deal about apart from meeting some friends for a meal & drinks there- it's zone4/5 from what I've researched.

It's a 3-bed property which is appealing for us, however, DH says it's clearly ex-local authority and that is putting him off a viewing. It seems to have been on the market for ages too (since around Easter).

Would an ex-local authority property put you off buying?
I might just organise a viewing myself to see what it's like.
Another concern is that the 2nd & 3rd bedrooms appear rather small...am wondering if it's the original 2nd bedroom split in half.

Anyhow, please let me know what your thoughts are on ex-LA properties.

YelloDraw

Thanks for those- yes that 2 bed flat is almost the same layout as the 3 bed flat I originally posted...you can see that they have made it into a 3 bed, creating 2 tiny bedrooms.

That's why I really don't rate it as a genuine 3 bed place...plus I now really think that it's very over-priced, no matter how nice that road is that it's on.

I think I've talked myself out of this flat!

That 2 bed terrace is interesting- it's 61 sq metres which is tiny really for a 2 bed house, but the garden looks a decent size...would def need an extension to improve the living space.

Did anyone see location location the other day?

I am certain they showed this property on there!

It was filmed back in June just a few days after the Brexit decision.

Interesting, the property has been on the market 6 months now.
Has been reduced by about 10k down to 335k

Still too much I reckon!

We never bothered to organise a viewing, might well do now seeing as there is nothing much around in our price range...and that we vaguely like!

Did anyone see location location the other day?

Ah no, that would have been great to have seen it!

Might as well go and have a look, then at least you can stop thinking 'what about that flat..' :-)

Ex LA homes tend to be built to higher standards than speculative builds.

If your DH can find a better house for less money, tell him to buy it.

If the choice is living in rented forever, or buying a home with a puce bathroom suite, go for the puce bathroom suite. You will be changing the decoration, the bathroom and the kitchen to your own taste whatever you buy.

I was just going to post after seeing your op that I was sure the flat had been on location location location.

Ex LA homes tend to be built to higher standards than speculative builds

Some are, some aren't - there is a huge variation in how well LA blocks we constructed and have aged around. Agree they generally tend to be better constructed and generally tend to be larger.

I do feel like we are just building slums of the future with the current new build blocks (cheaply constructed, small open plan, the cladding will look shit in 30 years just like LA blocks look now)

Definitely the same flat. Kirsty has sat in that bath .

I just looked at the link and wondered why it looked so familiar! It is the one that was in location location.

Turquoise I was just coming on to say it had been on location location!

Is it on 4OD? I fancy a watch.

Not only was it on last night's LLL, it was the property the house seekers were desperate to buy, and that the presenters were advising as an excellent investment. They put in an offer but were told there had been an offer of 350 k, as far as I remember.

That's interesting, I can see that it's still on the market now, with a price reduction down to 335k

We never arranged a visit but we did go to visit the road it's in & outside the property.

Thing that put us off was the lack of security entry to the building, no intercom or anything.

I mean, maybe that's just the way flats are now, but I found it off putting, considering the price (a third of a million if you think about it!)

Late to the party, but when we had an ex LA place Hackney consistently gouged us on repairs, maintenance and just before we left, a new roof for the whole block and the scaffolding so they could give everyone else new windows. £10k for our share and £2k of that was admin costs. Bastards. Still makes me angry. It was in Zone 1 just though and when we sold seven years ago you'd have got it under your budget ;)

My first flat was ex-council, it was so much nicer than anything else in my budget. Generous sized rooms, masses of storage space, well insulated. The estate was small, low rise, very little noise or antisocial behaviour. Agree with pps you'd need to see it, have a walk round, maybe try to buttonhole a friendly looking resident and ask about what it's like to live there.

Whaaaa. I've just seen this flat on Location on C4, and then clicked this thread and it's the same one that was actually on the TV as I clicked through the photos.

Woo.

Where do you need to get to on your commute? Further out you go you will get more for your money, don't expect you will get much decent for your budget in zone 2/3. Extra 15 minutes a day on a train could get you a garden...

Go for the Sellidge Court rather than Hackington. It's a much nicer area.

Beckenham is fabulous.

I watched the location location location - didn't look that nice really, the bedrooms are small.

Thing that put us off was the lack of security entry to the building, no intercom or anything

Most of the ex-LA flats I looked at in East London were super secure - intercom/fob entry and limited no of flats that could be accessed from each entry/staircase. Loads of the small llw rise 4 story/2 maisonette high blocks with external staircases and walkways have had securty doors retrofitted in the last few years. Maybe that is just a reflection that it is more needed in East London tho!

Have just noticed on RM that the Hackington crescent flat has sold STC, asking price eventually dropped to 270k which was much more realistic, when compared with recent sold prices in the same estate.

Although I agree that the area is not as nice as the original property I posted, the actual property itself seems nicer & more modern, plus it seems to have 3 decent sized proper bedrooms.

But the block/estate it's in does not look very appealing.

For work I need to get to Canary Wharf, DH works in the west end.

So being able to get to Lewisham easily is a key thing- me for the DLR, DH for the mainline trains.

Being close to something on the Hayes line would be good- the flats discussed here are close to Lower Sydenham & New Beckenham, from the looks of things, those are stations on that line from what I can see.

AyeAmarok

That all sounds pretty woo!