Favourite part of London to live in?

[Newnamenewnaame]

We’re about to go up for sale... but don’t know where to move next we want more space and can get a bigger mortgage. But... that’s it! That’s all we know!

What’s your favourite part of London to live in? (With a family.)

(South London is a bit tricky because it’s further from friends or family, but up for hearing anything!)

What’s important to me is that there’s a friendly crowd and a villagey vibe. Of course excellent schools too, but London has excellent schools everywhere, it seems!

1.2m will get a terrace in Balham/Clapham/Wandsworth near great primaries but again secondary school issue. Kids can sit a test for Graveney if they are clever.

If you prefer not to be south then as well as West Hampstead, you could look at Queen's Park. Very villagey. Crouch End is great as someone else said. Stoke Newington is also really lovely.

For Shoreditch commutes, Wanstead seems to be the nice area where half of Hackney has moved out for grown up living.

You could also try Beckenham, I reckon. It's in the north of the borough of Bromley and sort of on the cusp of inner and outer burbs (so part Victorian streets and part 30's). The town centre is quite London villagey: smaller shops, good number of independents, cafe culture etc. Very good state schools.

Carshalton Village is basically like coming on holiday every day after work. Feels pretty rural (but you can tell you're still in London by double decker buses and traffic).

Not sure if the borough of Richmond will be a good fit as it's a bit more red trousers than Shoreditch.

Not great at North London but have friends in Stoke Newington & near Finsbury Park who are happy.

What about somewhere along the overground? We live in the Forest Hill/Sydenham/Crystal Palace area which all have lovely independent shops, cafes and restaurants, loads of parks and recreational areas and a short journey on the overground to Shoreditch (and Canada Water if you're going into central). All three feel villagey and have a very strong community feel.

I wouldn't live anywhere else in London at this point!

Oh I should also add that house prices particularly in FH and Sydenham are markedly lower than areas nearby such as Dulwich.

Shoreditch is great for the overground, fast and easy from SE London. That’s what we did / do

Check out the stops but some nice areas

FH is still relatively cheap I agree

Relatively as it’s still London prices

But much less than ED

In FH, for the op end of your budget you could get something like this: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-83456030.html

Bottom end something like this: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-79703639.html

I wish someone would define ‘villagey’ to me It all sounds like a bunch of areas that are pretty different in feel

Villagey to me means not having to leave your area to do things eg lots of places to shop, entertain & eat & green space very close by. So the area feels like it's own destination as opposed to somewhere you just drive through to get somewhere else.

Hm... I think I also think of 'villagey' as having quite a serene vibe and maybe not necessarily with a ton of shops (but definitely enough to get on with day to day and for some going out). So more along the lines of Wimbledon Village, Blackheath, Dulwich Village or Carshalton. Places like West Hampstead, Crystal Palace etc I'd classify as nice inner suburbs rather than villages.

Those three with village in the name do live up to the idea imo.

FH is more residential but then again connections are important. Dulwich Village is much harder to get to from Shoreditch

Not sure if there’s a villagey place on that overground line.

I think “villagey” also means there are a lot more independent stores than chains. Lots of organic butchers / florists / bougie little cafes rather than 99p stores and Morleys

Wimbledon Village, Blackheath

They have tons of shops! Plus I really wouldn't put Carshalton in the same bracket as the other 3 but I know your the worlds biggest fan 😜

I don't consider Forest Hill & CP villagey though. I do think Northcote Road & Lordship Lane is though & agree with the independent shops.

eeksville, certainly not saying Carshalton Village is in the same bracket as Wimbledon Village or Blackheath. Blackheath is fancy and Wimbledon Village is as fancy as they get. In Carshalton you can get a loaf of rye sourdough for £2.35. And certainly no Matches Fashion around .

Barnes! More compact than Kew/Richmond. Good trains and bloomin lovely with the river and duck pond.

I went to high school in Wim & used to get some amazing shoe bargains in Matches before they had a website.

Did Matches actually start in Wimbledon Village? I don't know why I'm even surprised. I was there yesterday morning actually. So funny to see a bunch of people on horseback riding by all the boutiques.

I remember rushing to one of those Matches sales and getting Marant heels at 90% off, they were v nice too

I remember rushing to one of those Matches sales and getting Marant heels at 90% off

Gone are the days of those discounts lol

The Flannels in Sutton has cheeky discounts. A lot of new season stuff is 20% even though it’s full price everywhere online. And the word ‘sale’ in nowhere is sight - you only notice when you look at labels.

We left London 9 years ago because of crime and small squashed together living places so not London at all. Sorry op

I live in East Dulwich. I have a little flat (my finances don't stretch to a house down here). I can confirm it is a great place to live. Lots of places to eat and drink, a well-supported local football team (Dulwich Hamlet), tons of green space, the Woods, Horniman Museum, good transport links and good state and private schools. Competition for state schools is extreme, we had to be put on waiting lists because the secondary schools offered were miles and miles away with poor exam results. Dd goes to Sydenham School in Forest Hill, and I have found it to be brilliant. (She got the place after it wasn't taken up by another pupil)

Dulwich Village is beautiful, but very very expensive. It has a pizza Express and The Real Greek, along with some cute independent shops. There is a nice pub, the Crown and Greyhound, which also has a hotel, The Innkeepers Lodge. In ED Lordship Lane is sadly being slowly infiltrated by chains . But you aren't a local unless you've had sausage and mash and a pint of Peckham Pale in the East Dulwich Tavern .

We have thought of moving to Kent or Sussex so that we can get an "upstairs" and our own front door, but because Dd is happy at school and because there is so much to do here, we plan on waiting until she goes to uni (hopefully).

Village to me is more about the community vibe. People knowing each other in the streets, shops etc., and having time for a chat. West Hampstead has a really good community spirit that I always loved. I lived briefly in Wimbledon and felt nothing like that there.