Looking to buy in Crystal Palace - what do you think about these?

[whysohardtogetusername]

We're looking to buy a 3 bed in London to start a family, and recently visited Crystal Palace which seems great. Saw a few houses advertised, would appreciate views.

The one in the middle of the triangle is obviously a great location - do you think likely to go for over 500k? www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/55047790

There were a few houses which came near the train station in the same estate. Is there a reason they are quite a bit cheaper? Anyone know? www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/56773665

Wider advice on where else in Crystal Palace triangle striking distance that's nice to live and under 500k appreciated. Proximity to a train station and a decent coffee shop main requirements!

I like the first one. My house in the northwest is less than £100k.

I can never get over london prices. How do people afford them.

The Anerley one is sold. I would go more towards Beckenham or Bromley if you can. What train station do you need to get into.

Thanks - need to get into Victoria (could do Canada Water too).

(Just realised I posted the wrong link -- there's a similar one round the corner still up: www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/56647262)

OK so OP let's just say i know the area very well.

The one in the triangle: the best thing about it is the location as it is literally in the middle of the triangle. Minutes from all the shops etc. You'd probably use gipsy hill station more often (approx 8 min walk down hill... 15 min walk back up the huge hill!) The draw back is that the houses only have a tiny back garden and there's not a huge scope to do much with them internally. I thibk that would probs sell for around AP

The second one is literally opposite my old flat! This is a good location for the park and crystal palace train station but not such a good location for the triangle (12 min walk up a massive hill or a v short bus journey) however anerley hill is getting a bit nicer in the last few years and there's a few nice coffee shops like crespidia, a vegan place and chic available now. The garden of this place will probably get quite a lot of noise from the traffic on Anerley hill. However i lived in this exact location for 5 years and never had any trouble. Oh but the house on the corner opposite was owned by a drug dealer (they got busted twice bith times at 3am!!) and keep a look out for Elvis, harmless and moody but a good local character. I loved being so close to the park here btw and would also sometimes use Aneelry or Penge West/East Station as they're on slightly different lines. BUT it definitely didn't feel like 'crystal palace' living there, deffo anerley. So first place trumps location for sure.

We live closer to gipsy hill station now and the location feels a lot more part of crystal palace and also in catchment for the best schools too. But you won't get a 3 bed house for £500k, maybe a flat. Fwiw we live in a flat with our 2 DCs and I'm so glad we went with location over space.

Let me know if you have any other questions about the area!

Have pm you

Second zoopla link didn't work OP

Beckenham is v yummy mummy suburbia to me and Bromley isn't really London. Probs get a bit more for your money tho.

There are a couple of nice houses in beckenham which is a nice town, trains go to Victoria and there's also trams to East Croydon to London when the strikes or bad weather start. There are a couple of lovely parks, Kelsey Park and Beckenham Place Park. There is a Waitrose, Lidl and Sainsbury, good schools, masses if coffee shops and places to eat and it's only about 10min drive or bus into Crystal Palace.

The brackets in the link break it - here again: www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/56647262

Thanks all, this is super useful. Have been looking at Beckenham too but it seems more pricey, perhaps I'm looking in the wrong areas. Will check out Penge end.

And thanks @MaizeBlouse. Could probably live with a local drug dealer, we live central now so used to a more 'gritty' feel :) Gipsy Hill looks lovely, we walked through it a few days ago, can see why you chose location!

The Zoopla house is nicer OP, a better aspect on to the street and generally a bit more pleasant on that little stretch. Plus you'd be living next door to the lady who feeds the local stray cats

Def consider Beckenham if you want to live in more of a suburb town type place, it is nice but never felt like 'London' to me and the community in crystal palace is the best out if anywhere ive lived in London

Definitely also check out Sydenham OP especially rhe parts closer to Dulwich. It has a really nice high street and some gorgeous green areas and is kind of ubder the radar in terms of good places to buy imo 2 train stations to choose from too

4 bed! And totally huge! Sydenham Wells Park is really gorgeous too and close by to Sydenham Station www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74794434.html

We have friends in Crystal Palace and it seems lovely especially around the triangle but would be wary about the commute and schools if those are issues for you

Less worried about the commute, but are the schools bad?

There's loads and loads of great primaries OP but I'm not so sure about secondaries.

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/compare-schools

You can compare schools on there.

If you’re looking to start a family, you might like one of the gardens on the bigger side (could also give you the option to extend which you can’t into a tiny garden).

The house inside the triangle seemed like a weird location - is it right on the back of shops/restaurants? Would it get smelly or noisy at weird times?

I know Crystal Palace well. Lots of families with young babies living around the triangle. Loads of baby activities going on there. Many families tend to move just before school age to get more space for their money / gardens, and also because depending on where you are in Crystal Palace, you might have primary school catchment issues - there has been a shortage of school places for a good few years now, definitely a few black hole areas for catchments.

The triangle is a great place to live before kids. Lots of pubs and a decent night life (pre-covid). Not sure it would be my preference to live there once I had kids, though. It's quite a busy area, lots of traffic. Think I'd prefer a more residential area nearby.

If you are looking at Penge / Anerley, have a look at South Norwood, too - this is where a lot of CPers move out to once they have children, you get a lot more for your money, quieter residential areas, great transport links from Norwood Junction and there's also the tram line. I used to commute from this station so know it well, you can get to Canada water in 20 mins on the overground line, direct to Victoria in around 40 mins, or even faster if you go via East Croydon and get the 15 min fast train to Victoria. There's also a 12 minute train to London Bridge.

@whysohardtogetusername
Unrelated to the OP's thread, a variety of circumstances.

1. DH and i afforded our 400k flat by staying with his mum for 3 years (his mum lives in London). We saved 70k and borrowed 330k.

1. Many of our friends also have London based parents who have built up a lot of equity in their properties. They are also willing to help their children. I know a family who is of very modest means but sold their house for 1 million and got their children on the property ladder. Another family bought houses for all 3 kids (not a high earning family but fairly middle class).

1. The high earners obviously, there are more of them in London and also come from all over the world, also more likely to be from wealthy families

1. BTL landlords, overseas investors(many of whom come from countries with low tax rates and can pay in cash).

I do believe London is overpriced and would go down, but the fact is the average buyer has been priced out of it ages ago. The people who tend to be able to buy in London have specific circumstances, most of whom are lucky by accident of birth or simply earn more.

@whysohardtogetusername sorry meant to tag @whysohardtogetusername

Good luck on your housing search!

Oops @nancybotwinbloom

I used to live on the other side of the park, literally garden backing on to it, and used penge west train station or walked to Sydenham. Loved it but we had to move out of London and this was before kids. It does get very busy and trafficky around the triangle.

You might be able to get closer in with that budget.

There's this in East Dulwich: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85374070#/media?activePlan=1. Thinking long term, you would easily be able to get any children into the East Dulwich Charter secondary.

This in Knights Hill/West Norwood with a large garden:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/69453831#/

A 3bed in Sydenham with a very large garden: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/65799624#/media?id=media2

Pretty 50s house in Sydenham/Forest Hill: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/97057460#/

3bed semi in Forest Hill: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85817095#/

Totally left-field, but how about this house boat in Surrey Quays at £240k? www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/75975670#/

South Norwood direction you’d definitely be able to get a house for 500k but again schools are the issue. We’ve lived on the border of CP and SN (bear the lake) for 5 years and love it, would happily stay put but I’m not keen on the schools and now we have DD we’re on the move to somewhere less urban. Depends if you want this to be a forever home? Example: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73674456.html