Streatham hill, streatham common, herne hill or tulse hill?

[Dreambow]

Hi,
My partner and I are looking to buy a family home in streatham hill/ streatham common/ herne hill/ tulse hill.
We have been searching for a few weeks. Our budget is £1.6m max (managed to do well on a previous property). We would like to be in a nice area/ up and coming area and plan to be there for 5-10 years before probably moving out of london. We plan to start a family in the next few years and so have to look at schools too.
We are interested in streatham but hate the big road going through it. Streatham hill seems nice but not sure about the common area - the greenery is lovely but the high st is very shabby and the train connections are not as good as streatham hill. Is streatham common a good area?? What’s herne hill like? Would you buy in tulse hill?
Any help would be appreciated as we are stuck!

How well do you know these areas? I’d look at the police website for crime numbers.

When I lived around there Tulse Hill wasn’t very safe but maybe it’s changed.

What about Tooting? Way better connected (tube) and a nice common too.

Herne Hill is the nicest of these areas.
I lived in Streatham Hill before leaving London 3 years ago and while we had no bother we did have A LOT of dealers and therefore a lot of police on our street all the time

If you can afford it Herne Hill is brilliant, and has very highly regarded schools. Brockwell park on the doorstep, weekly Sunday market, and a very strong community vibe. Quite monied lefty/arty vibe.
Also good transport links from the station.
If I had 1.6 mil and had to choose from those areas I would choose Herne Hill without a doubt.

Herne Hill is the best of your list. Train is 10 mins to Victoria or 16 to the city - much nicer than getting the tube. Amazing schools, park and market.

Hi All,

Thank you so much for this. We will look at herne hill in more detail!
Will look at the crime stats as well - good point!
We live in Colliers Wood at the moment and so have ruled out tooting as would prefer a larger house (toots tends to have smaller houses and the big ones are probs a bit too expensive).

The reason I was looking at streatham as this will be a family house as well as an investment as the plan is to move out of London in a few years and hopefully only have a small mortgage if we make money on the house. I feel like streatham is up and coming. I can see streatham hill improving but not sure about the common (although the actual common is very pretty). If any one has any insights on streatham - the common in particular - it would be helpful! Thank you :)

I wouldn't call Streatham up and coming - its pretty established already and very popular with families and professionals. Good schools, lots of amenities, green spaces, transport. Furzedown area is lovely and near Tooting station.
People move out of Streatham because they are getting priced out when they want a bigger house. I doubt youd lose money.

Hello, Streatham resident here. We have a house on the East side of the high road, just above Streatham Common itself. Also bought as a family home (we got a fixer-upper and have renovated). Transport links are great - we are 10 min walk from Streatham Station (the City) and 20 mins from S Hill and S Common stations (Victoria). Bus to Brixton or Balham for tube takes about 20 mins.

In terms of areas, I’d say that Streatham is a little bit shabbier than Tulse Hill or Herne Hill (especially), and probably a more diverse community. You’d definitely get more house for your money and a bigger garden in Streatham. Don’t get me wrong, you’d get a lovely big house in TH/HH - but you’d get a lovely giant house with big garden for that in Streatham (particularly coming down the hill towards the common itself). On the whole it’s a fab area for families, Streatham Common and the Rookery is great as is Tooting Common close by, Kite Day, Streatham Food Festival, theatre, cinema, etc.

I’m not such a fan of Streatham Vale (the area below Streatham Common station) as the houses don’t seem as nice, and further from the green space of the commons.

I am obviously biased but v happy to recommend! PM me if you’ve got specific questions.

I would think streatham hill and herne hill are similar in terms of established / possible to reach a tube station with not too many difficulties/ good over ground links / good green spaces / good primary schools. I would expect them to rise and fall in line with each other. Arguably more room for growth in streatham common / tulse hill but neither will ever be as good as the other two areas imo as further out / less good transport etc etc so its risky how much they will catch up.

Housing stock in herne hill is tricky -there are gaps at some budgets. Also people dont move much. £1.6m will buy you a good house but not a massive one with a huge garden.

Out of those I would choose Herne Hill but with your budget you could find a lovely house in Dulwich, beckenham, Bromley and further out.

I agree with @HappyHammy Dulwich is a lovely area.

Hi, I was wondering if you made a decision. I have the same dilemma at the moment and can use your wisdom :)

Moving to Dulwich vs Streatham Common? I am going mad 😬
Hi all, we are living in Wimbledon Chase and planning to move closer to Dulwich as my DD got a place in one of the schools there. My budget gets me a small terrace house with a small garden in Dulwich vs I can get a much bigger, nicer house with a huge garden in Streatham Common with school coach to school. Which one should I choose, please advise? I really didn’t liked the Streatham high street but Streatham Common close to Rookery seems really nice. Would it beat a small house in Dulwich? Ideas please

Myne Only you can decide that as the two areas are so different. I don't live anywhere near there now, but did for over 32 years so know them well.

You are in a size of house versus location issue which so often is the case. I know what you mean about Streatham High Street as I feel the same, but the area around the Common is quite different.

Dulwich, in my view, is a nicer area but then comes at a greater cost. What is your budget? Are there any other potential areas that you could also consider?
What is the size of your family? What is the potential sq footage difference between the houses in the two different locations? Perhaps you need to write down everything and then look objectively at the pros and cons of each area to see what is important to you.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Streatham at all, it's very popular. As with everywhere in inner London and the surroundings there are nice bits and not so nice bits. Perhaps Dulwich has less not so nice bits but that is a premium you pay for.

Thanks @friendlycat for taking the time to reply. We get a 1000sqf more house in much better condition in Streatham Common. You are right this is a classic drama of location vs size. We are a family of 4 with active kids so space matters but also convenience of getting to school. I will do a pro/cons as you suggest. We have landed on Streatham common as there is a school coach from the area. The other area we are looking at is Kent House but there is no school coach there so the only option would be to drive her there. Would be great to hear from someone who moved to Streatham common recently, thanks so much for sharing your wisdom

For 1000sq ft difference I would do Streatham without any doubt, especially with a family of 4. That’s the difference of a 1930s semi in lots of areas!

I do also know Kent House as I was brought up in Beckenham. Another nice area very close to all the amenities of Beckenham and Penge (I know Penge is loved on MN) but honestly I’m not that keen.

But I would say that the traffic hot spots between KH and Dulwich will be a tad trying for school runs. Perfectly possible but the school run commute won’t be as easy.

Dulwich you will pay a premium for. Only you can decide whether you want the location versus size of house. Streatham you are more into inner London. Kent House in my opinion verging slightly out of inner London and what historically would have been classified as suburban but I fully accept that parameters have changed these days.

In some respects both Dulwich and Beckenham have some similarities. Streatham is a bit more “gritty”. But it’s all relative. Actually a house in any of the locations would be fine so perhaps it’s down to the house at the end of the day.

Thanks so much @friendlycat , really appreciate your help. If it is going to be down to the house, it would have to be Streatham Common. It is the most beautiful house I have ever seen, better than my dreams. I am getting an Edwardian villa for the price of a small terraced in desperate need of modernisation in Dulwich. 🤩 might worth the compromise, I don’t mind gritty as long as it is safe.

Well. I think that’s your answer then. The house of your dreams. Lots and lots of people would love to live in Streatham. I hope people come along to give you the current heads up on Streatham and why you should buy there.

Streatham Hill is brilliant for schools, with a potential choice of Streatham Wells, Dunraven and Hitherfield primaries.

The area around the so called ABCD roads (Wavertree to Amesbury) is very community orientated with street parties, book clubs etc. Easy walk down to Tulse Hill for Thameslink, or the High Rd for Streatham Hill station or loads of quick buses to Brixton Tube.

It is also walking distance to the Picturehouse Cinema at W Norwood if you don’t fancy Streatham Odeon. Theatre on the High Rd: Streatham Space Project.

Herne Hill: great place to live but more expensive and make sure you are in catchment for Rosendale.

Thanks @EggInANest , we are all sorted in terms of schools as the kids are going to school in Dulwich. So we are looking to Streatham Common as there is a school coach going through that area. Any ideas about that specific area of Streatham?

Streatham Common close to the Rookery is bloody lovely in my view! We are the other side of the common, but are over to the Rookery every weekend pretty much (tho my kids are younger than yours). It has a lovely feel (those streets do an amazing advent Christmas lights thing) and you’re near to lots of nice community stuff. I was in Dulwich today, and of course it’s absolutely gorgeous, but I think if I were you I’d take the bigger house.

Herne Hill is by far the nicest of the places you've listed.

Do you want walking distance to trendy high street boutique shops and pubs? Smaller house and less diverse but upmarket neighbourhood. Dulwich.
Do you want a bigger house, fewer yummy mummy's, and less tourists and hipsters? But more diverse. Streatham.

Streatham has great housing stock but I would only consider the Balham side as then you are close the tube, common & Balham high street.

Streatham Common has some gorgeous houses but transport wise a bit of a pain & people I know who live there drive a lot.

Streatham did used to be posh, had the first ever Waitrose & a John Lewis.

The drive to Dulwich is gridlock but if using school bus less of an issue.