Norbury vs redhill

[LillyC]

Dear all,
As so many others decided not to wait anymore and going into the property ladder. I lived 7 years in Brentford and the last 1 year ish in Twickenham, both areas where I can't afford (only by a miracle) as I'm after a 3 bed. Areas outside which I'm considering are Morden / Norbury / redhill area. Needs to be 15m or less walking to a train. I've seen a really nice house in the Norbury hill but I've seen a post from 2015 saying crime is really high and its a shit hole really. I liked redhill area but unsure about the move. Anyone that lives in either of those that would comment on how it is to live in either area please? DS is 3 but being a September girl I'll need to apply in September this year for 2021, so having good schools is also a must. So unsure about what to do. I'll do my own research and visit those areas but wanted to have some feedback from anyone who knows the areas as well. Big thanks in advance!!!

Redhill isn’t great but it’s surrounded by lovely areas, it’s a strange place. Local school is Warwick which ‘requires improvement’ from last ofsted in July last year.

Twickenham to any of those places is going to be a shock IMO

Out of the two, I’d choose Redhill.

However, have you considered Sutton or the surrounding areas like Cheam or Carshalton? Similar house prices but very safe and excellent schools. The stations are zone 5 (and some 4) so cheaper commute than living out of London.

There are also areas in SE London that are safe, affordable with good schools and commuting.

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/find-a-school-in-england

That’s where you can find out about schools.

Hi there. I live near Redhill and years ago used to live in Croydon - two very different places and I would say the Morden or Norbury experience is more like the type of outer London one in Croydon. Redhill itself is a bit odd and not overly nice (for Surrey) due to 1980s redevelopment. But they have just started a regeneration which will bring a cinema new shops restaurants and flats. Areas surrounding Redhill worth looking at depending where you need to commute to. If somewhere on the Thameslink line I would suggest Earlswood- one stop down from Redhill, lovely community feel and Earlswood’s nursery and infant and junior schools are good. Reigate is lovely and very good schools all through education. Direct trains to Victoria. Very expensive housing though.

The other thing to consider is how much do you want to spend commuting? A season ticket from Redhill will be a lot more money than one from Norbury or Morden. Xx

Depends where in Redhill. 15 minutes can just about get you to Redhill/Reigate border but there is a variation in house prices which reflect the area. Two new primaries have opened in last 5 years and at least two schools added extra capacity so less pressure on Reception school places than there was. Redevelopment of town centre is finally starting! Merstham might be worth considering too.

DD2 lives in Redhill and loves it. Her journey to work from Redhill to London Bridge is only 30 mins. Close to M25 should you need it.

Her boys go to Lime Tree primary school, the area is surrounded by fab countryside, and the town centre is undergoing massive regeneration. What's not to love? Unless you need/want to be closer to London, which Norbury is. They moved out from Streatham to have a decent sized family house about 7 years ago.

oh, Worcester Park is zone 4, actually nice and affordable.

Thank you so much for all your comments!! So I need to commute to Liverpool street and have a commute of 55m at the moment so need to be in the scale of 1h. I've checked some interesting property in Earlswood plus a help to buy in mertsham. Sunday will drive to morden / Norbury just to get a vibe. Its always good to have your comments, really grateful!!

Have you not been to Norbury and Morden before?

Whilst you’re there, check out the lovely Carshalton Village. It’s got the Thameslink from Carshalton station and a London Bridge train from Carshalton Beeches. Sutton has both.

And Worcester Park could be omen route. It’s on the Waterloo line.

Never been to that area area at all other than Cross the South circular road via Clapham common. Will certainly check your suggestions although I don't think any property has popped up in those in my price range

What’s the budget if you don’t mind me asking?

I used to live in Streatham and that had more going for it than Norbury or Morden. Personally wouldn’t recommend either as they are still rough round the edges and not sure why it would change. Carshaltan I have driven through many times and looks lovely as people are saying so how about eyeing up some of those surrounding areas?

It's not a secret, it's between 500 to 525 which for a 3 bed is quite tiny I know. Don't want to streach too much.

That’s actually a good budget to work with in the borough of Sutton.

You could look at Worcester Park - similar commute to current, Cheam Common Inf&Juniors are top schools and easy for drop offs on the way to work. Slight black hole for secondary (Blenheim and Glenthorne take some and you can hope for a grammar place). If you buy a bit further from the station (15min walk) towards Cheam High, you’ll get yourself into that catchment and within walking distance of the leisure centre and the lovely Nonsuch Park. Near the station, there’s a Waitrose and a bunch of other shops, cafes and restaurants.

Then, Carshalton Village is lovely with the Thameslink from Carshalton and LB train from Beeches. Victoria trains too. There are nice cafes and pubs, a theatre, an ecology centre, lots of young families and events. There’s also a huge leisure centre and a library and tons of greenery (parks, and even lavender fields etc).

If you’re Catholic or CofE, you could look in Wallington - fab period properties and LB train but a bit pants for schools unless faith or DC get into grammars.

Sutton is another one. Thameslink, LB and Victoria trains. Biggish town centre with lots of amenities (cinema, play park and trampoline park, sports clubs, shops, restaurants etc). The south side is the really lovely, leafy bit with the countryside within walking distance. The North side is a bit more mixed but plenty of nice roads, save and great schools anyway. Extra nice if you find a place within walking distance of Cheam Village which is lovely but pricier.

We're soon to put a house on the market in St Johns - a very sweet place just outside of Redhill. 7 mins walk from Earlswood train station? It's a 2 / 3 bed.. Next to St Johns school though which is a fab primary and in catchment for Reigate secondary school which is outstanding. We lived there for 15 years and loved it. You have Redhill for the useful shops, and Reigate for the restaurants / cafes.

In general the area is lovely & friendly though agree I probably wouldn't want to live in central Redhill.

I used to live in Norbury. Spent 26 years there and still have family and friends there. It’s quite a rough area, I wouldn’t want to move back there. Someone will be along to defend it shortly - it seems like every time I post to say that a particular person seems to leap on my posts to say I can’t say that (!) but I have a right to my opinion and it’s based on experience- past and current. We moved away from the area after I was mugged in broad daylight walking along Green Lane (main road in Norbury) after finishing work and walking back from the train station.

Redhill would be my choice from the areas you’ve listed.

Met Police publish all the stats. Morden has quite low crime rates. Norbury isn’t so great and it gets pretty dodgy towards Thornton Heath.

Hi op, what else is important to you other than the commute time and schools? Would you prefer a more rural area or closer to shops and restaurants? And what type of house? I live in the area and spent a lot of time researching where to buy - I'm happy to recommend areas.

So key important things other than the house itself are satefy, friendly neighbours, commute to Liverpool street not more than 1h15m door to door. I dont mind rural areas but we need to have at least a shop close by. I prefer the ability to be close to a coffee shop and groceries. Need to have nurseries around because she'll only go to school when she's 5 in 2021. I've been doing a lot of research and using the police crime maps to compare to where I live (which is mainly burglary). Thanks everyone so far who took the time to share your recommendations here!
Tomorrow going to explore by car sutton / Carshalton / morden and close to Streatham. Just decided that before I sign the definitive paperwork will stay 1 night in the area (hotel and Airbnb) and do the commute to the office - other than the usual check nurseries and things like that.

Is there a reason you want to be south of the river? The trains into Liverpool street tend to come from north London / Hertfordshire - would you consider exploring that area?

If you do want to be south, I recommend looking further east around Bromley/Beckhenham, which is very family friendly and meets your criteria. Sanderstead is also lovely (has a Waitrose and trendy coffee shop), or somewhere on the Caterham line - they'd all get you to Liverpool street within an hour or so (changing at London Bridge). I agree with pp about Carshalton / Sutton, - both much nicer than Norbury imo. Cheam and Ewell also worth considering, though if you go any further west you'd be on Southwest trains, which would be a pain for getting to Liverpool Street.

Just a weird thought... we wanted to be commutable to Liverpool Street and we moved to South Norfolk (from Norbury- quite a change!) it’s 1hour 20 on the train, it’s a direct train. It also stops at a few other places along the way - look at the Liverpool Street to Norwich line.

Merstham is really nice, if you are thinking of Redhill (1 stop earlier). Can also vouch for Carshalton. Norbury is getting better but it isn't great. (Have just moved away from that general area.)

There isn't really anything much in Norbury. You would have to travel pretty much anywhere else to get a decent supermarket, coffee shop etc.

OP, if you don’t need loads right on the doorstep, it’s worth checking out Carshalton Beeches. It’s very leafy and tranquil. The local shops are on Banstead Rd (and a handful by the station). From South Sutton, you’d use Banstead Rd, or Belmont Village or Cheam Village for everyday things like bakery or butcher.