South London house move - Where?

[SELDNMUM]

We’re hoping to move and buy a bigger house this year. Ideally 4 bedrooms or 3 if there is space to extend. Budget is £750k - 800k. We’re currently in zone 2 South East London and I’d rather stay in Peckham/Dulwich area and so far we’ve considered parts of Bromley including Beckenham and Sutton. My partner is more keen to move outside of London so we went to look at Woking last week. I don’t really fancy the commute and high fares but am open minded. We’d also have to reduce our budget if we moved out of London.

We have a 1year old girl and planning another in the near future so primary and secondary Schools are important as we’d rather not have to move again. I currently work in Victoria and Partner around Oxford Circus.

Does anyone have any suggestions of where would be good to buy? Any intel about what the area, schools and commute are like? Anything else we need to consider? Also open to new neighbourhoods we may not have thought of.

I should mention we’re a mixed race family so would rather somewhere with some diversity.

Is there any info I’ve missed out? Feel free to ask.
Thank you in advance.

You'll probably get more for your money in Bromley/Beckenham but somewhere not too far from Brixton could work seeing as the vic line would help you both? Have you considered Streatham (guessing Brixton won't be within budget)?

What do you like/dislike about Peckham/Dulwich?

There's a really big difference between the feel of somewhere like Streatham and somewhere like Woking, so if you're really that flexible I'd see what some of your must haves were and try and work with those parameters. There are lots of places with decent schools, the difference is going to be things like the high street, local amenities, transport options, green space, etc etc.

@Smallgoon thanks, we'll take a look at Streatha but not too sure about Lambeth Schools.

@LBOCS2 we love where we are but I don’t think we can get a decent house in our budget. And most of the good secondary schools are church schools which wouldn’t apply to us.

Green space for nice walks and a decent high street would be nice. We mostly do internet shopping but somewhere that has a decent supermarket, decent activities for kids some where nice to eat for date nights. We’re not really pub people. We drive so don’t really mind if these are not right on our doorstep

Forest Hill, Honor Oak Park, Sydenham. Good schools, fast train line. Might not get a 4 bed but definitely a three

These areas also have good restaurants and stuff, lots going on

Forest Hill might tick your boxes. Nice little high street and Horniman Gardens for green space.
www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/49003118?search_identifier=2ad8792cd292262f2871a2b87ae3f553

Beckenham has excellent schools, some really lovely parks lots of activities for young children, leisure centre/cinema/library also very good restaurants/coffee shops & good range of supermarkets I would think on your budget should be able to get a four bedroom with a good sized garden, happy to help if any particular area/roads if you need further information.

Crystal Palace might work? Not too far and ticks the green space / high street requirements.

Streatham has brilliant schools!

Streatham Hill, lots of nice neighbourhoods, good community, lovely primaries around the 'Outstanding' Dunraven secondary include Jullian's, Hitherfield, Streatham Wells, Dunraven Primary.

Search Streatham Hill. Lots in your price range on Rightmove.

I'm glad people are suggesting Forest Hill, as I've recently bought there and I think the area's great - particularly for those priced out of Dulwich. I would deffo say that Forest Hill and Sydenham have a different vibe to Peckham though. I'd say it's a more laid-back, community feel compared to Peckham which I find to be a little overwhleming, a bit like Brixton (not a bad thing, I really wanted to buy in Brixton but couldn't afford to).

Afraid I'm not the best authority on schools but I keep hearing the schools in Forest Hill/Sydenham are meant to be good.

If you are thinking of Forest Hill/Sydenham and Beckenham, Penge also meets your criteria and is a little cheaper. Schools are better in Bromley than Lewisham. Penge, Beckenham Junction and Bromley South are good for trains to Victoria.

Lewisham primary schools have ranked first and second in the country for years so I don’t think Bromley is better @woodlandwalker

Carshalton village ? London Borough Of sutton so schools are good. Lots of green space.

Carshalton station has trains to Victoria, London Bridge and thameslink. Also not too far on bus to morden for northern line.

You'd get a lovely house in Petts Wood for that budget. We used to live in East Dulwich and have gradually moved further out and are now in PW. Zone 5 so still officially London. Great for commuting but surrounded by countryside and nice community feel.

Beckenham based but more towards clock house station end and I love it couldbt think of moving elsewhere. So many links into London I can get to victoria from Kent House station ( one stop after beckham station) or go to london bridge, charing cross and cannon street via clock house. Also near tram so can get to Croydon and then onward to gatwick within 45 mins.

Lots of nice parks, gyms, great little high street that just got an uplift.

Check out houses around kent house station too which is technically in Penge.

Also crystal palace but its pricey.

Only other area I might consider moving to would be orpington or sidcup if I really had to.

You would definitely get something nice for that money in Penge. Right next to Beckenham but cheaper. Depending where in penge you buy fast trains into Victoria.
I don’t think the high street is amazing but you are in the middle of Crystal Palace and Beckenham with lots of nice places to eat and some nice shops and close to Croydon to get lots of high street shops.

Hither Green, Catford and Ladywell are worth a look. You'll get a good amount of house and garden for your money, travel connections are good and schools are excellent.

peckham and dulwich are great places, camberwell as well.
you've got lyndhurst and belham primary school are great.
you've got decent budget for the area.

Thank you for all the suggestions. Lots more research to do but i think Beckenham and surrounding areas is where I’d like to be.

Yes I was going to suggest Penge. If you're near to Penge East you will be in Brixton in 6 minutes and it's only about 16 to Victoria. Crystal Palace park which has dinosaurs, a skate park and a great cafe, not far from Beckenham Place which has a swimming pond and a very strong community feel in Penge. Should be near enough to Sydenham Girls (the company, not the private).

There are also a lot of Dulwich transplants! Few nice pubs or up the hill to Palace for a wider choice of restaurants.

*comprehensive, not company.

(I would suggest not limiting yourself to the London Bridge or East London line a la Forest Hill- it's slower, less frequent, more crowded and prone to delays)

Nunhead? Telegraph hill? You wouldn't get one of the big houses on the Hill but the smaller ones on the roads that skirt around the edges of nunhead / telegraph hill are do-able. Haberdashers Aske is a great school and starts from pre-school all the way through to 6th form.

Nunhead has trains to Victoria and New Cross Gate / Queens Road have overground and trains to London Bridge. The whole area is great for kids.