London - house budget £450k

[AutumnLeavesSeptember]

Help please Londoners :) We live in zone 2 east London right now (in a shared ownership property). We want to buy a whole house and we have a budget of £450k. This isn't possible in our "home" area so we're looking for ideas about where to move to in zone 3 and beyond?

Anybody live anywhere with good schools and nice parks that they could recommend? I commute really far but only 2 days per week and my partner WFH so location isn't too important.

Harrow might suit? its in zone 5

Where do you commute to? Would help to be on the corresponding side of London at least!

Shooters Hill? Old article but not inaccurate. SE London, you'll get a good sized house here, and crossrail will (eventually) make journeys in to central London less of a pain. Lovely woodland and Greenwich park on your doorstep, outstanding primaries and good secondaries.

Thanks for all the tips. We had been looking at Shooters Hill on Rightmove Stairs, that's really helpful to know it's nice. Will try to visit this weekend.

I go to the South cost Rose at the moment but I'm a contractor so it could be somewhere else next. But I definitely need somewhere with good travel connections, for sure.

You could afford a cute house in Enfield where I live and it's only 10 mins to the M25 and not much more than 20 to the M1 and M11. But less convenient for the south coast obviously.

This one looks good - with 2 beds and a bonus loft room for your home office: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-87495686.html

Or if you're not bothered about period features:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-88797020.html

Barnet may also be worth a look.

I would suggest North Chingford or Highams Park (zone 5/4 north east London). Depending on whether you want a two or three bed house, you could get something nice or very nice in a good area. Both areas have Epping Forest on their doorstep, plenty of parks and playgrounds, Outstanding and Good for most of their primary and secondary schools, and grammar school catchment should you want it. Overground 25 mins to Liverpool St, or a couple of stops to Walthamstow Central on the Vic line.

This one needs a bit of work, but there’s a small playground, an Outstanding primary school and the forest within a five minute walk in each direction. About 15/20 min walk to tube, or a bus every 7/8 minutes.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68677605.html

Good luck with your search!

What about Eltham, zone 4. I love it.

Shooters Hill, Bexley Borough (Sidcup area), Bromley (bit more expensive) or maybe Hove, Lewes in Sussex.

Sorry, just seen it's London! Eltham is nice but a bit difficult to find a house in the nicer parts for £450?

If you'd consider south London, Purley has great transport links (25 min to London Bridge or Victoria) and lots of houses under £450k: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=STATION%5E7472&maxPrice=450000&radius=1.0&sortType=6&propertyTypes=detached%2Csemi-detached%2Cterraced&primaryDisplayPropertyType=houses&includeSSTC=false&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=

And great schools: www.locrating.com/the-best-Primary-schools-in-Purley_London_England.aspx

Surrounding areas could also work: Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Kenley, etc. All within easy reach of London, but with affordable house prices

Another vote for Highams Park or North Chingford, definitely houses listed for your budget. Good primary and secondary schools and right beside Epping Forest with good transport links.

Thanks for all these awesome ideas. Unfortunately DH is SE in events so we're going to hold off until Coronavirus sorts itself out. If we use all our savings to move and he has no work then we'll be financially screwed. Will definitely go and hang out in all the suggested areas and get a feel for them.