Bromley/Croydon areas recommendations please

[SarfE4sticated]

So, we have c£400k equity in our flat, and I would like to move out a bit and buy somewhere for about £550k, I would also love a 1930s semi. But, I would like this area to be nice, safe and near some green space/river/cycle paths. If there was an option for a train that stopped at Waterloo/Waterloo East (DH work), and New Cross/New Cross Gate or Nunhead (DDs school) and St Pancras Thameslink (my work) that would be great. I want to live a bit of a suburban life tbh so would love a nearby cinema, nice pub and garden centre. I don't know anything really about Bromley (have driven through Bellingham though) or Croydon (apart from Ikea) so some local advice would be great. DD will be going to school on her own, so really needs to be somewhere nice and friendly. DH and I will retire in 15 years, so not looking to take on massive mortgage.

The area around South Norwood Lake has massive 1930s houses and you are near Crystal Palace/ plus norwood junction station goes overground to new cross /thameslinks etc. Harris crystal palace is one of the top ten state schools.

I Live in bromley- on your budget look at beckenham, you wouldn’t get central beckenham but beckenham/ Elmers End/ Eden Park would get you a semi. Gorgeous location, southeastern rail into central London (London Bridge, Cannon Street, Waterloo and Charing Cross) within 30/40mins.
Beckenham highstreet is fab- cinema, restaurants, shops, bars -big local park.

Addiscombe - tramlink to East Croydon (;new cross gate and st Pancras) or Elmers End (Waterloo).

Beckenham - clock house side has trains you need and is walking distance from the high street. There are cheaper things near new bevkenham station or beckenham hill station but I believe schools are not good if that is important to you as everyone seems to move.

But beckenham place park is an amazing green space.

Ooh you are so kind! And so quick, thanks everyone. I did look at South Norwood a few years ago tofu and remember the hike up from the station to the area by the lake being quite long. Great area though - thanks.

We don't actually have enough time to move before we apply for DD's secondary school so will commit to our local school and look to move afterwards.

Beckenham sounds like a go-er though, i believe there is a waitrose there too!

Beckenham is lovely

Primary schools and secondary are good - you just need to live in the right places. You could try a bit further out eg west wickham which puts you near the secondary schools

Have a look at Riddlesdown - outstanding secondary school and trains on the Thameslink line. Many, many 30s semis. Not so many pubs unfortunately. Or Sanderstead (careful of catchments - be near the roundabout for Warlingham/Riddlesdown). Garden centres in Warlingham/Woldingham/Woodcote

Thank you Mrs FB I am attracted by the lure of garden centres, but houses in my price bracket seem a bit small.

Beckenham_people I have found this so far - housing stock seems right up my street
This looks a bit of a project but handsome house.
I'm really hungering for a nice spacious house with a wide garden. Our Victorian place is always feels poky because there are so many rooms one behind the other.

That's a nice house, no interior photo. Eden park trains go to Waterloo. Beckenham has a cinema, a great sports centre, no garden centre but yes they have Waitrose, Elmers End which is near both Eden park and beckenham has a large Tesco. Beckenham has some nice parks, Kelsey Park has a lake, Croydon Road recreation park and beckenham place park. You can look at houses 550k and make an offer. West Wickham is nice too.

So out of all of the Beckenham areas listed, which would be the nicest and tick all of our boxes for transport. Thameslink isn't completely necessary as I can walk from Charing Cross.

Which station is most important, pinhead for school which is on the beckenham hill line or Waterloo which is Eden park/clock house line

School could be nunhead/new cross or new cross gate so I think we would all be ok on the same train route, so Eden Park line would be fine. I'm going to need to go on a fact-finding mission.

Thanks Holey and everyone else for your help tonight. Food for thought.

West wickham ticks all of your boxes and is on the same train line as Eden park and elmers end. Also has a nice high street, with lots of nice restaurants and pubs, and you will get more for your money than you would in central beckenham.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-75123167.html This one looks lovely

That's interesting Mum Zoopla suggested this to me which I love - over budget of course. I'll add west wickham to my list.

There are garden centres near beckenham - chains as well as a couple of small independent ones (Penge and near west wickham from memory)

Usually prices are a bit cheaper as pp Eden Park, Elmers End, West Wickham all really nice areas on the train line, excellent schools Beckenham going towards Kent house, possibly get something in your budget but the housing stock is more Victorian, whereas the other parts I mentioned is more thirties stock, shopping is very good sainsburys, M&S, Waitrose, Lidl’s, leisure centres in both Beckenham & West Wickham, library’s in both places & lots of green spaces/parks.

Penge is also great and well connected with two stations, one going into Victoria and the Thameslink and one with the London overground/into London Bridge. I think it’s cheaper than Beckenham and has a good local community.

Another Beckenham resident here! Beckenham is lovely and there are lots of transport links into town. Some areas are more expensive than others. If you were willing to get a larger mortgage then there are some lovely 30s semis around Overbrae/Braeside and the gardens are quite large. Plus you are good walking distance to Beckenham Park Place which is currently being regenerated over the next 12 months.

Agree with previous posters that Elmers End/Eden Park/West Wickham can offer more for your money, but then you are slightly further out.

This is lovely lulalala but it is massively over budget, looks like it sold really quickly too :(
Gorgeous though, and just what I'd really love too.

You could also look at the West Wickham end of Shirley, lots of houses have really large gardens, but the nearest station is West Wickham which is why Shirley is that bit cheaper.

yes SarfE4sticated they are lovely and do go quite quickly! Prices have been going up a lot over the past couple of years. One house does an open garden every year so you get to have a nose about without having to pretend you are interested in buying something !

Eden Park trains go to Charing Cross or Cannon Street (the CC train stops at Waterloo East but not Waterloo!). Penge is lovely but house prices are higher than Beckenham. Eden Way (your first link) is (in my biased opinion) much better than west wickham (unless you want to move to the 1950s!). I like around clockhouse best (but only because I couldn’t afford Penge). School is Harris for clockhouse is Harris and Langley by Eden Park (my DCs went to Langley - which personally I considered vastly overrated!)