Cute Areas in or Near London?

[user1481480706]

Hi,

I've just moved to London with my husband (I'm 27 and he is 32). We are renting at the moment, but are looking to buy a house in the coming months. Our budget is 650,000-750,000 as we are looking to gut the interior and make it nice and modern inside! I am SO overwhelmed by the various areas around London, so I need suggestions on places to look! We have so far liked Blackheath Village, Hampstead, Walthamstow Village and Richmond. Unfortunately we can't afford a nice house in any of those areas though haha! Are there any areas in the East/North that:
*Have a nice, trendy village feel with lots of young professionals
*Will suit a budget of 650,000-750,000
*Are safe
*Are in London, or very close to it (we are willing to go as far as zone 6, as long as transport links are good)

Thanks so much for your help!

[potap123]

Another one chuckling at Wanstead being described as gritty. It's anything but. It has a lovely villagey feel with a proper independent high street and is very handy for Holborn. South Woodford is also worth a look - another nice high street, very safe feeling and you can get a three bed Victorian terrace for c. £650k

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

sixth I do like to try to convert people to SE London though

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

My vote in those (and most other) price points is Brockley

Love Brockley. Sunday brunch at the Brockley Mess is one of my regular pleasures. But I'm not sure it's 'cute'.

(Wouldn't 'cute' be chocolate-box style pink thatched cottages with roses round the door & china ornaments on the windowsills, or something?)

[myoriginal3]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/Chingford/3-bed-houses.html

[YelloDraw]

Hey OP - I like this house:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63183938.html

I walk past it on my way to the station every morning.

Not exactly a 'village' feel to the surrounding area but you ar eclose enough to nice bits and the house is a bit more 'future proof' if you want kids in the next 5 years or so.

It is Statford technically - but you are 10 mins walk to Leyton (central line) or 12 min walk to Stratford (Central, Jubilee, DLR, main).

You are super close to the Olympic park/east Village and all the nice cafes and restaurants that are springing up.

Actual house is totally renovated period charm with decent living space.

Or, if you can sacrifice the desire for a house nad will settle for a 2 bed flat - I would go for a lovely period 2 bed flat in Stoke Newington. Not sure you will get a house for your budget there.

[YelloDraw]

Another one chuckling at Wanstead being described as gritty. It's anything but. It has a lovely villagey feel with a proper independent high street and is very handy for Holborn

LOL I agree, Wanstead is proper lush! The high street feels extremely 'posh' and has lots of nice cafes etc. Wanstead is the first genuinely 'naice' bit as you head East after leaving shoreditch ;-)

[Glitteryfrog]

You could buy a house in a (real) village near Milton Keynes and commute to Holborn in an hour.
Just a thought...

[GraceGrape]

I agree that Wanstead is nice and villagey. And it is definitely not gritty as said upthread! It is the opposite of gritty! Neighbouring Leytonstone is a bit more "gritty".

[QueenLizIII]

The cost of commuting from outside Milton Keynes to London will be ludicrously expensive. All that extra cash could ne ploughed into a mortgage.

[Poptartwish]

Hither Green. Recently moved here from Islington and we love it.

[QueenLizIII]

Article on wanstead

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2014/sep/26/lets-move-wanstead-east-london

A bit old but .....

[Poptartwish]

Also I am at Wanstead (or frankly even Leytonstone) being "gritty".

Born and bred east Londoner here.

[QueenLizIII]

What areas are gritty then in London?

So much is gentrified that I am not sure anymore.

[Poptartwish]

I'd say not loads of it nowadays tbh

A lot of newham (where I grew up) is still very "rough" and places like Ilford.

But all parts of London have their gritty bits, however with a budget of 750k I doubt the op will be moving to any of them. London is like that. I don't think there are any areas that are totally 100% "naice" - even canonbury which is vair vair posh has multi million townhouses right next to pretty grotty council estates (which I am not knocking btw, I grew up on one)

[EssentialHummus]

What areas are gritty then in London?

Could I get a vote in for New Cross?

[Poptartwish]

New Cross ain't that bad essential!!!

[Cosmicglitterpug]

Tottenham could be described as 'gritty'. Or Ponder s End.

[myoriginal3]

Tottenham, Edmonton and seven sisters are gritty.
As is leyton, leytonstone and parts of Stratford, though Stratford is up and coming!

I live in one of those places but blend in well.

[myoriginal3]

Can I just point out that leytonstone high rd is a red light district. I have twice been asked whether I was looking for business there.
So now I don't leave the house.
Leytonstone , or this end of it, is definitely my definition of gritty.

[HalleLouja]

Also when I say twice a week that mean 4 journeys a week, so do use it quite a bit.

[Cosmicglitterpug]

Seven sisters yes! That's where I work.

[HalleLouja]

Opps wrong thread.

[Patsy99]

Bounds Green, N11? About 40 mins straight into Holborn on the Picadilly Line (zone 3).

You could get a decent & cute house for your budget and it's a safe suburb.

Couldn't honestly call it trendy though, but close to Crouch End which is.

[HalleLouja]

Anyway back to this thread. Enfield is lovely but maybe not "cute" enough for you.

[YelloDraw]

I wouldn't exactly say that New Cross, Leyton or Leytonstone are 'gritty'.

Well, not most of it. Like some bits, but not the bits you would buy a house in.