Streatham or Tooting - which is the better area for a growing family in need of 4 beds with £800k budget

[Sacherinez]

Hello, would love to hear thoughts as currently undecided on which to go for and both seem to have properties that fit the bill. We currently live in a beautiful part of SE London but moving for better transport, potential schooling and cheaper housing.

• I commute to Harrow, DP to Canary Wharf. I understand there is a straight train from Streatham Common/Balham that goes direct to Harrow. We would both like to walk no longer than 15 mins to either of those stations.
• We need to eventually end up with 4 beds. Would ideally like a 3 bedroom house that needs totally refurbishing, extension etc, all fitting within our 800k budget.
• Would ideally like to be within good primary state school catchment, but could also potentially do Dulwich private schools at a push.
• We drive to Sutton every week to see family, so good road connections necessary.
• We like to socialise within our area, so would appreciate being close to some good bars, cinema, restaurants etc.

Tooting on the whole is nicer in my opinion. Doubt houses in Tooting are less than a mill these days. Streatham has some lovely pockets, but it is more varied. Probably more within your budget. I have a buy to let there and if I'm honest I would not like it with a young family as i find it quite busy and urban. That said, I have friends that have bought houses there and are happy. Furzedown (between tooting and streatham) has a good school (names escapes me) and there is another well rated one in Streatham (think it's near Leighton court road).

I think you would have to change twice to get to Harrow. The train is the overground. Streatham and Tooting have changed in the last few years. There's lots of new cafes and delis on streatham hill now. I'm not sure it's the easiest place for you to commute from though.

I have been looking and Tooting is surprisingly affordable as there seems to be a number of houses that have not been touched in years and need updating. Seen a fair few like this on tooting bec/furzedown border which seems walkable to Balham. Was thinking could spend 750k on that type of property and take our time doing it up.

Streatham does feel very busy and urban, but I wonder how that compares with Tooting? I have spent less time in Tooting so don't know it so well. Streatham Hill did seem lovely but it's quite expensive and outside of our budget.

There are a few trains during peak hour that go direct Streatham Common/Balham to Harrow on the Southern line. I just need to check how reliable it is.

The other school pp couldn't recall is Dunraven I think, off Leigham Court Road, and there's some really nice roads around there which might get you what you want and are away from the grottier bits around the High Road whilst still being close enough to use Streatham Common stn - and the common itself. I like Tooting too and it's handy to be on the tube, but you'd have to be canny to get what you want in a decent catchment and I wouldn't want to get to Dulwich every morning for the schools from there, whereas it's much more doable from Streatham if it comes to that (although from Tooting you could consider the Clapham private schools). On balance, I'd probably go for a nice bit of Streatham. A quick nosey on Rightmove in Dunraven catchment (though obviously double check distances) gets you these kinda things which would seem to fit your doer-upper budget/needs:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64118612.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62694185.html

Interesting that the last one is listed as West Norwood even though it's SW16 and closer to Streatham Hill than W Nor. No bad thing though - that Dunraveny stretch between Streatham and W Nor is mostly nice and also gives you the option of Tulse Hill stn which has more services than most.

There is no direct early train OP, you would have to change at Clapham junction.

I loved Clapham jct but I don't have millions to buy a house there.

They're pretty similar -more Asian shops and restaurants in Tooting and you have the Tube; more Polish and African shops etc as well as others in Streatham, which has the three National Rail stations, Thameslink from Streatham, Victoria from the other two, London Bridge from all 3.

Trains go direct to Sutton, if that's helpful. Streatham is full of good primary schools, so that's not a problem though you generally don't get much choice depending on your address. Furzedown and near Streatham Hill is posher than the rest of Streatham or any of Tooting, but also lovely houses near Tooting or Streatham Commons (the green spaces). Streatham in particular has a community feel as people intend to stay put for a while, but I don't envy your commutes.

Pretty sure there is a direct train - several of them around 8am and 9am - which may not be early enough, but there's definitely one from Norbury that goes to Harrow and I imagine one of the Streatham stations is the next stop after Norbury. Think it ultimately goes to Milton Keynes.