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!

[Poptartwish]

Same, yello

I often find people who have not grown up in London have much higher standards than I do though

[myoriginal3]

If I was to buy I would go with north chingford, Enfield or Walthamstow. Wood green also, but again the right end of it. Or Fulham if I won euromillions.

[Namechangeemergency]

London is one of those places where you have estates right next to million pound houses.
One road might be considered rough but walk a few roads away and you are in a 'desirable' area.

That is true of all the boroughs I have lived in.

Thats why I always laugh at the snidey 'London Elite' remarks, particularly 'Oh you live in Islington, what do you know about the real world?' time comments.
Always made by people who think London is like what they see on the telly and everywhere has a view of London Bridge out of the back window

Thank God for 'gritty' areas. Without them London will become somewhere I don't want to live anymore.

[SixthSenseless]

OP: we need to know more about your lifestyle.

Are you looking for somewhere to start a family? So need good family environment, schools etc, or are you looking to enjoy your new London life by going out a lot, coming home late, travelling all over London to different friends, and need good late night transport, not too long a journey, etc?

Also, which areas of London do you need to reach for work?

You can save hours of your life for better things if you come in on the best line for your work.

[MiniMaxi]

You could afford a nice flat - including duplex / maisonette - in a good area for your budget and I doubt you'd need to gut it.

But if you are dead set on houses, places worth considering (NB I can't be sure what prices are in these areas but I'd expect you could get something around 1000 sq ft especially if you don't mind something Post War)

• Teddington / Twickenham / Kingston
• Greenwich / Maze Hill
• Alexandra Palace / Bounds Green

Or how about Windsor if you don't mind a commute? Very "cute" (are you American OP? That's a very American way to describe an area!)

[Trills]

Always made by people who think London is like what they see on the telly and everywhere has a view of London Bridge out of the back window

It's Tower Bridge that they think we've all got a view of.

London Bridge doesn't look like anything.

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

Very "cute" (are you American OP? That's a very American way to describe an area!)

OK, so maybe different connotations?

OP - I would see the term "cute" as acceptable when applied to small children, animals or anything self-consciously twee, but that's it really. I hope you find an area you like but for heaven's sake don't tell the locals you think it's cute because you're going to sound very patronising.

[aretheyhavingalaff]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-61547696.html

You mentioned Richmond OP. This is Ham, Richmond. It's a mile walk to Teddington rail station and half way between Richmond and Kingston. One of my DHs colleagues has just bought one of these and completely renovated it. They are architects. Apparently these are very in vogue just now and being bought up by designery type people. I don't know Ham but they seem to love it.

[dangerrabbit]

Try forest gate or chingford in east
Or Lee or hither green in south east

[dazedandconfused2016]

How come no one's mentioned Chislehurst? If I had money, that's where I'd buy. I like Bexley too.

[Binkybix]

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

I really don't think Crouch End would qualify as trendy. It's naice and expensive, but not trendy.

[MoodyBox]

Another vote for Leytonstone. Have a look in the Bushwood or upper Leytonstone areas.

[Reptilefanmum]

Chislehurst is very cute and villagey in the centre. Good transport links too

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

Chislehurst is very cute and villagey in the centre. Good transport links too.

And it has caves.

[TeaAddict235]

nunhead
brockley
honour oak
tulse hill
Woolwich
plumstead

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

Brockley's a great place to live but I definitely wouldn't call it cute. Even at the posh end.

[EssentialHummus]

This exact discussion happened upthread. On reflection I agree with empress - it's a brilliant area with great consistency across it's housing stock but it's not chocolate box or cute.

[snowgirl1]

Teddington

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

Oops, it was me up there too.

[TeaAddict235]

Neither are woolwich, plumstead or bexley cute tbh. But, just to clarify, OP, by cute do you mean neat and tidy drives and a town square with a weekly artisanal market etc? Because I also imagine that those areas are very homogenised in their demographics, when I think of places like Ham etc.