Where should my sister live in London?!

[curiosercurioser]

My sister is 34, recently separated from her partner and moved back down to London.

She’s now managed to get a good job that will allow her to get a mortgage and get on the property ladder. She’s looking for a 2-bed flat up to £500k. She says in a safe area but she needs a bit of London buzz… and a bit of Tinder!… to restart her life.

She works by Bank station, otherwise is open as doesn’t have many friends in London any more.

Where’s good, MN?

East Dulwich and Forest Hill are also worth considering

Yeah, I lived in Clapham when I'd just graduated uni, and I'd say... It's a place that people move when they've just graduated uni. (Unless you can afford a place in the Old Town.) It's lovely, but it's not where I'd want to live as a 34yo single woman unless I was keen on pulling 22yo Aussies.

I'd probably look for an area that combined urban buzz with some families like Greenwich, Herne Hill, Beckenham or similar. I'm not sure about Brixton itself - it's definitely buzzy but also still has a gritty side and skews young IMO (I lived between Brixton and Herne Hill for years). It's reachable from Herne Hill on foot in 10mins, which allows for a nice balance of "village" and "urban cool".

I live in Wanstead and I think its a bit too suburban for someone looking to rebuild their social lives. I second South East London and some of the places mentioned above for a more lively London living experience

Oh and the Wanstead flat linked above is nowhere near the tube!

I know loads of 'adults' who live in and love Clapham. Worth a look, I reckon.

I love south-west. I love it cause it's leafy and feels all safe and cosy but my commute is pretty heinous.

She really just needs to go look at places and see where feels right for her.

I also know loads of adults with families who love living in Clapham with no intention of leaving. It’s definitely not all shafting 22 year old Aussies, although as with all things, location is key.

In Clapham, you needn't be next door to Inferno's...

Clapham South is more grown up and so is the Northcote Rd area. Plenty of families but also bars, cafes and restaurants + far away from the nearest nightclub.

I do reckon she might like Earlfield- more of a dinner and drinks location.

If she’s young, child free and looking to make friends then I would say CLAPHAM

If she does opt for SE London, which has loads of trains going to London Bridge (an easy commute on foot to Bank from there) Herne Hill, East Dulwich and Forest Hill might feel a bit "Nappy Valley" for a single 34 year old. Peckham is wall to wall hipsters and clubbers now, again she might feel a bit old for that area.

I would strongly suggest Crystal Palace. It's not quite as gentrified but has the most interesting shops and cafes and an indoor market, magnificent park, and a younger less stuffy vibe than SE22, SE23 or SE24.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-58603149.html

This tiny flat is a real winner as it's in an incredibly desirable area - less than 5 minutes to station. Yes it's really small but when she does well and moves up the ladder it is very easy to rent out

A bigger flat is this one on top of M and S and actually on top of the Curry Sark station- it's 2 bed so very rentable PLUS it's slightly overpriced if you look at previous sales and been on the market 3 months

Property is also a lot more reasonable than in Clapham.

I second saying Wanstead is a bit suburban. Lots of naice young families, which is lovely but as PP said not quite the richest ground for reinvigorating a single social life.

No disrespect intended earlier to 22yo Aussies, who have many fine qualities even if they aren't my personal cup of tea at this specific life stage. They were definitely the majority population at our several closest bars in Clapham South, though.

Does she need two bedrooms?

I ask as a former two bed flat owner now very happily relocated to a smaller but much more central flat.

10mins on foot to bank...

If she’s not really into the trendy, buzzing scene but more looking for a nice place to settle down but still within the ‘hussle and bustle of lkndon’ then I would suggest she looks at Putney, Wimbledon, Dalston, Highbury and Islington. Still fun but a slightly more mature buzz and easy to get around London

@PlatoAteMySnozcumber yeah i bet you're right about greenwich. @CmdrCressidaDuck I agree. I like Herne Hill - close enough to get on Victoria line, but far away from noise. Two beds are a bit tricky.

Where’s Beckenham?

@Nextphonewontbesamsung this. i go to peckham all the time for work and i'm waaaay too old for it. @LaurieFairyCake so desirable. She'll say too small I reckon. Putney?

Is Wimbledon kinda far?

Walthamstow-Vic line and overground line to Liverpool st a few minutes from bank, very buzzy now and she will definitely have a social life there.

Wimbledon is zone 3 on the tube but also the Waterloo line. Wimbledon Village is super lovely but upmarket and 500k is small change around there.

Beckenham is in the borough of Bromley but sort of on the border or inner and outer burbs. The centre has a wide selection of cafes, restaurants and pubs. Might be a good option if Clapham is too much as it'll be less full and a lot more affordable.

Tough one as I have been in London for 27 yrs now and have lived in Camberwell, east dulwich, Brixton, Herne hill, forest hill and dulwich village. Brixton was fun in my youth and has great transport links but I moved out when I was 34. East Dulwich has become quite up market over the years but still decent prices, good restaurants and transport links as too as has forest hill.

I'm not sure if she'll get much in Putney for 500k tbh.

Tooting gets a bad name but is actually really nice. Up and coming, so she could probably afford something in the area. Tooting and Broadway markets are great, lots going on. Mixture of families, "young professionals" and people that have lived there all their lives.

I thin she would be wiser to rent for the time being as London prices are falling. I've been watching my own block of flats and I will be staying put until the market settles down (maybe next year after Brexit debacle settles)

Putney has great services to town - mainline, tube and buses + plenty of cafes and bars for nightlife. Also the river and Richmond Park. Loads of 20 and 30 singletons as well as families.
Lots of one-bed flats for £500K asking but this one is £380K
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73160789.html
and this is £485K in a great block
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-82544603.html

www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/house-prices-in-london-asking-prices-see-growth-for-first-time-in-two-years-a132806.html

London prices are falling in some places and going up in others.

What's MC? I would say Greenwich.

@curiosercurioser - rather than having her narrow down on just one area, your sister may find this tool useful in her search.

I've dropped in her budget and a 45-minute (max) commute in to Bank. She can play around with her lifestyle needs (e.g. access to a busy high street, near green space, etc) through the filters too. The website is a lot of fun to play with.

Here are her results: bit.ly/2U3tHC0

Hope it's helpful!

Nice suggestions. Putney is good but money doesn't go far......

Anyone have experience of Wandsworth?