How to choose an area to move to with a new baby

[pimlicopubber]

Happy new year!
Pre-covid, I spent a while on mumsnet getting an advice on the best locations to buy a flat for a young childless couple.
Things have changed a bit, our purchase fell through and we found out we are expecting a baby!
So now our requirements have changed a bit.

We have spent the last few weeks walking around different neighbourhoods, but are still unsure of where to move to.
What should I look out for?
Your advice would be much appreciated!!

Pre-covid, we were living a central London lifestyle with frequent theatre and bar visits, cycling everywhere etc. Unfortunately, this means our friends are also centrally based and none have children yet. I am therefore feeling a bit anxious at the prospect of moving to a quiet suburb and also don't have anyone to go to for advice.

Some areas that seemed nice, fun and relatively affordable:
Battersea
Finsbury park tube towards Stroud Green, Stoke Newington
Tufnell park/Dartmouth park
Herne hill (have not seen anything decent to rent, though :-( )

Are these suitable areas for young families? What should I look out for, apart from schools?

For example, our local GP surgery is terrible, I need to spend 2 hours calling the reception if I want to have any chance of getting through.

I second EdgeofaCoin's suggestion of Archway

Seven Sisters, only one stop from FP and bus ride from SN but much cheaper, lots of families with you do kids, and lots of 3 bed houses for your price range. All schools in Haringey are good or outstanding.

*lots of families with young kids

Also 3 tube stops from KX

Wimbledon has a lot of very good Primary schools.

Purpletrees: Nervous about the catchment areas as well :-( Some colleagues waited till their oldest child was accepted into a school before buying.

purpletrees16: I have friends all over London, but they all live in zones 1 or 2 except for one couple who left London to buy a large house. We lived in SW1 for years and I would go to a lot of events in central London, cycling or walking everywhere. Now I'm hoping to make local friends, but still don't want to switch to a 2 car family lifestyle, so not keen on leaving London yet even if the commute would be the same (or even shorter).

If you’re working central and around King’s Cross, then I’d focus on and around the Victoria line - it is super quick and reliable. Finsbury Park a great bet! May want to check out Walthamstow, too - you could get a house for your money, zone 3 but feels urban and more “Hackney-ish” than other zone 3/4 places like Wimbledon (which is really lovely but sounds more of a leap for you at this stage). Lots of cafes, restaurants and amenities around central Walthamstow and the village area, plus around Blackhorse Road you have lots of stuff popping up across “brewery mile” - also lots of young families making a base there too. South of the river, some pockets around Brixton might also be worth considering?

How about Streatham? (I am biased!).
Thameslink to Kings Cross in 35 mins, or train to London Bridge or Victoria, or bus to Brixton.

Loads of open space/parks which we’ve appreciated much more after kids. Nice cafes/bars/restaurants, new little theatre at Streatham Hill. But less posh than Wimbledon, so much more house for your money.

I love Walthamstow.

They have a great local music festival in the Summer.

I don't know much about schools there - it's a grammar school area, though, so secondaries might be an issue.

But Walthamstow is great.

I used to love Brixton but I honestly think Walthamstow has the edge on it.

How about Greenwich or Westcombe Park? Lots of young families with kids, outstanding primary schools and great green areas.

How about Muswell Hill? No tube means prices are cheaper. Great schools and green spaces. Easy W7 bus to Finsbury Park and easy access to national rail at Alexandra Palace to Kings Cross, Northern Line from Highgate and Victoria Line from Finsbury Park.

Never replied to this but If your life is in sw1 then I predict a general exodus to Surbiton, Kingston, Teddington or Wimbledon/Richmond and a few to actual 2 car land in Surrey. Purely for as that’s where the commutes work out (Vauxhall) and where people like to live! Could be wrong though ;-)

Muswell is nice - don’t accept a job in Canary Wharf if you choose it though. Colleagues have a commute.

@purpletrees16

Never replied to this but If your life is in sw1 then I predict a general exodus to Surbiton, Kingston, Teddington or Wimbledon/Richmond and a few to actual 2 car land in Surrey. Purely for as that’s where the commutes work out (Vauxhall) and where people like to live! Could be wrong though ;-)

Muswell is nice - don’t accept a job in Canary Wharf if you choose it though. Colleagues have a commute.

My partner is VERY noise sensitive and would not be able to take any airplane noise, so I am afraid Wimbledon, Richmond, Putney, Battersea are all out :-(

Any of these neighbourhoods that are SUPER quiet? I know most people don't notice these things.We went to a viewing near Clapham Junction and just knew it would be an instant no due to the airplanes, but most people here don't seem to care and it hardly ever comes up, so they probably don't even hear it.

Bermondsey/Southwark get my vote. Have lived hear for 6 years, my partner longer (also 30 with baby on the way!) we wouldn’t live anywhere else. V.close to central, I am a walker but coventG, soho, south bank are all gorgeous walks on foot... transport wise it’s perfect, London Bridge gets you anywhere v.speedy, buses all over town, we frequently head further south and spend a lot of time in greener Greenwich/Dulwich :) schools also looking great. Where we live feels very quiet, a selection of Victorian terrace roads, it often feels strange to be so central. Pre-COVID, it’s lively, Bermondsey street has fab food/malt by street market + borough. Any way.... I know I’m bias! Every place in London obvs has its downsides too...

House prices wise, it’s rising pretty quick, you can still get a small house for under a mil.