Lea Bridge/Markhouse Rd area of Walthamstow

[L238]

Does anyone have any insight into what this area is like? We are looking to buy (2bd flats) & it seems that properties are cheaper here than other areas - I’m presuming that’s because transport is awkward - but wondering if there are other reasons (crime stats etc)? Any advice gratefully received

Abba you won't get a house in Walthamstow for that budget, but you would get a very nice 2 bed flat within walking distance of the Victoria line. I find Wood St fairly rough, and Upper Walthamstow is a walk from the tube, but you could look at a flat in the Village for £450k.

Also
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54895581.html

Or wild card - this new flat with roof terrace in Wanstead. Wanstead is genuinely really nice but much more suburban. Given how close this is to the station it would be quicker to in/out of london than being a 10/15 min walk from Leyton. Living space a bit small at

@abbaroony you could also try Tottenham Hale as that would be amazing for your commute and fits your budget. It is def very 'gritty' though!

I used to live around there. It was OK but I would go back. Both the main roads you mention are incredibly polluted and it affects the way the whole area feels.

I was thinking to suggest Tottenham Hale. It’s better than it was.

I live in a nice pocket of Walthamstow which doesn't seem to attract as much attention and house prices seem to reflect that. Don't know why though - it's a 10 min walk to Wood St station, on several good bus lines, 20 min walk to South Woodford, really good primaries and and lots of green space. Friends have sold tiny flats in the village and bought nice houses here with the proceeds.

I definitely would advise against the St James/Markhouse bit of Walthamstow - it does sometimes feel quite lawless, with open drug dealing and it just looks sad and unloved in many places.

@FiddleFigs what is that area called? Is it upper Walthamstow/wood st? We saw a place near Wood st station and liked the area but not that particular property

@L238 it's the bit across Forest Road from Upper Walthamstow. Quieter than Wood St. I think the Estate Agents call it the "Forest Quarter" (but I've never actually heard any one else use that phrase). It's really nice and quiet. On a map, it's the area of streets bordered by Forest Rd, Hale End Rd, Beacontree Rd and Pentire Rd - it looks like it's miles away from Wood St (or anywhere), but it really isn't. Fewer flats though, but they do come on the market every now and then.

When we were looking to buy we looked into Walthamstow but still couldn't find anything in our price range that we liked. Then we discovered Eltham in SE London which we LOVE! SE is still relatively affordable for London.

The only problem is there is no tube line but it takes me 25mins to get into central London using South Eastern trains.

Other than that it is a lovely village type of area with the Beautiful Eltham Palace (antiques road show filmed there a few months ago) and a real community feel. They are building a new cinema which will be open in April and there has been new Craft Beer pubs which is always a good sign.

We love it here and we're so glad we found it. Have a look and see!

Thanks @FrankieChips I work in East london so would prefer not to commute through central and then out again, but we have looked at some areas in SE London. Lots of friends are really loving Brockley but I haven’t seen anything I like there (so far!)

Oh dear, I seem to have caught the Rightmove bug too..

This one is definitely a wildcard.. no garden but very close to the flats.. needs a LOT of work (and "vision") but the loft is convertible and it's a good price

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/map.html?locationIdentifier=OUTCODE%5E746&minBedrooms=2&maxPrice=425000&numberOfPropertiesPerPage=299&radius=1.0&viewType=MAP&viewport=0.00794218%2C0.0156669%2C51.5623%2C51.5682

(Sorry can't do fancy links)

Gah, don't think that link worked at all

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73987337.html

Depending on where you work it would take about 50 mins or less. You wouldn't have to go central first. Get a train to Peckham Rye and then the overground goes through Whitechapel, Shoreditch, Hoxton then arrives into Dalston. It's only 2 trains.

Does anyone find it INSANE that flats are the same price as houses? Maybe that's a new thread entirely lol. Having a look at all the houses in the links now. I love being nosey!

On the local food scene, ate at the refurbished coach and horses on Leyton high road the other week and it was v nice.

@L238 if you are looking south of the river, I've had quite a few friends buy in Hither Green with a similar budget to you.

Yuck

An area full of 99p chicken and chips places. Can't believe anyone would actually want to move there.
Transport is awful. That lea bridge station is crap the trains are cancelled / overcrowded most of the time. The road is gridlocked.

I know because I'm at the riding centre several times a week. The only good thing there. You wouldn't want to live there though.

The council have plans to regenerate the area around Lea Bridge station, which look pretty good:

walthamforest.gov.uk/sites/default/files/301117FINAL_LOWRES_Lea%20Bridge%20Station%20Sites_Consultation%20Boards_0.pdf

Hi @L238, where did you end up going in the end? I am finding myself in the exact same dilemma that you were in two years ago! My partner and I are into Leytonstone and the Francis Road pocket of Leyton, but have seen a flat online which is much bigger than we would ever get in our preferred areas, on Hibbert Red (round the back of Markhouse). Feeling torn! Our budget is 430k - seems like we either buy a done-up 3 bed in the grottier area (but perhaps not add any value) or buy ourselves a smaller 2 bed which we could work on over time (the ones in Leytonstone with the kitchen all done and opening onto garden are going for more like 500k these days!)...Would be intrigued to hear about what you ended up doing and whether you had any words of advice!

@dido1990 I live around the Markhouse area, would be happy to answer any Qs! It is definitely not as nice as other parts of E17 but I don't feel less safe here than I do in say, most parts of Hackney, where houses are twice as expensive. I am someone who likes being at home though so getting a bigger, nicer house was a priority for me and it's not that onerous to walk 15 minutes to the village or whatever if I want to go out for dinner or a pub.

@HotChoc10 thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. We currently live in what would be considered a rough pocket of Southwark, and haven’t felt unsafe. It’s less safety I’m concerned with and more things like noise, rubbish left in streets and traffic that’s the draw back. However the roads that are tucked away behind markhouse don’t appear to suffer from this issue? Our other question would be how easy it is to get to the green areas of the Walthamstow marshes and wetlands. It looks like the marsh goes all the way down through to lea bridge, but I’ve only ever walked on the Walthamstow side via coppermill lane- how do you find it for access to open space? Also, where is your closest spot for grabbing a coffee? We are spoilt where we are so would be reassuring to know that it’s not too long a walk away.

@dido1990 it's great for open space, probably the best bit about it. A short walk to either walthamstow marshes/the wetlands, hackney marshes or hollow ponds up at epping forest. I'm on one of the roads coming off lea bridge and I don't think its particularly noisy. I moved from Kilburn which was a lot noisier. There is a fair bit of mattress fly tipping (but pretty sure that continues throughout the Borough). Traffic on lea bridge road is often awful, that is true. I'm afraid I don't really go out for coffees near home so can't answer that one, but there are a lot of cafes on the side towards St James Street.

I have lived in the area more down on Lea Bridge rd, it has pinchadeli nice Italian coffee shop, near Blok clapton, near Chatsworth rd, but it's noisy as I am on the Lea Bridge rd, I don't like the noise of that. I don't like the area tbh. I have tried to fall in love with it, to no avail. don't meet any community here.