If you were to buy your family/forever home in London with a budget of £800K, where would it be?

[Pepperkins]

Hi all,

Having bought our first house last year, we can't really see ourselves here in the long term. We are keen to start thinking about a house we could see ourselves for 5+ years if we were to make a purchase next year.

If you had a budget of up to £800K for a 3+ bed house with garden, where in London would you buy? Are there any particular nice streets you'd recommend looking at or other features nearby that make it great, such as good schools and green spaces?

For context, we are currently in Walthamstow but not in the nicest part. We'd be very happy moving within Walthamstow, but also keen to explore other areas with quiet streets and friendly communities.

I only know about some bits of North london and £800,000 won’t get you a 3 bed house in the nicer bit.
You would be looking at Bounds Green, Wood Green, Palmers Green, Finchley that type of place, you might get lucky and find something on the fringes of Crouch End Stroud Green, North side of Muswell Hill.

I’ve been looking for a while preferably 3 bed flat house up to £750,000 and it’s not enough, where I want to be (near Highgate station) it’s really a 2 bed budget.

I’m sure others would have more in budget options for you in other arts of London.

Blackheath borders, Greenwich borders (both green, decent schools, parks and river and very easily accessible to central London). Southgate, Totteridge and Whetstone or outer London Boroughs - Chislehurst for example.

You’ll struggle even in Finchley and Bounds Green etc with that budget. You may get three beds or you may get a garden you can swing a cat in but not both unless you are v lucky a d find an ex local authority house with garden (Hornsby, around rectory gardens might be worth a look). Good luck!

Hornsey!
Or the outer reaches of Muswell Hill as it hits North Circular.

£800,000 would get you something pretty nice in Forest Hill, Crystal Palace, parts of East Dulwich and the Dulwiches generally with the exception of the Village. Very green, good schools, family feel without being tediously Nappy Valley, trendy-ish without being teeth-achingly hipster.

Was going to say walthamstow! I live there. Are you near village?

Maybe Harringay Ladders or Harringay Gardens? South Tottenham might be do-able too. You could probably afford the Upper Walthamstow area unless that's where you already are. I'm assuming you are St James street / Markhouse road as you say the less desirable bit. How old are the kids?

I would move to Highams Park, it's a lovely area. Not too far from you but completely different vibe.

Do you have the appetite to take on a project? For that budget I'd be looking for a wreck that could be renovated / extended over time to end up with a nice family home that suits your needs.

Agree, you might get something on the ladder but a lot of them are large houses so £950,000+ depending on done-upness and street. Also some bits of Wood Green, there are some lovely houses, not sure what schools are like.

@Shortysoso yeah, some of the streets are hit and miss. I dont know enough about the area but have friends on what seems like one of the nice streets. I think I they are generally cheaper on the other side of Green Lanes towards Tottenham.

What about west London or is that too far? Ealing is nice.

You’d get a lovely house round my way, Epsom, for 800k

It’s Surrey but links to London quite good

my area, East Finchley:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76770339#/

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/73071483#/

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88306246#/

What could you afford in Herne Hill?

You ll also struggle with Whetstone and even more so Totteridge on that budget for anything decent for a family. Southgate and new Barnet area may have few houses for that budget but I am pretty sure you won’t be impressed for what it gets you.

As for project, unless your partner or yourself can do most of the work yourself they are usually not discounted enough to make them worth.

Highams Park north london or new cross / hatcham park in south east london - great schools and transport, walking distance to Peckham, nunhead, deptford etc and lots of green space. Large 3beds with 40-60 foot gardens and cellars, for under £800k.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/96797417#/

or High Barnet? good schools, zone 5, decent shops.

Wow, thanks so much everyone! I think we may be priced out of somewhere decent in north London so we would like be looking around Walthamstow our South East, eg Herne Hill/Dulwich borders. @Magicbabywaves we are a 15min walk from the village but our immediate area isn’t so nice. I’d love a quiet leafy street that we like waking up to. I think to get a house in one of the nicer parts in any of these areas we’ll have to take on a bit of a project!

With your budget for a 3 bed, Barnet.

Crouch End / Muswell will be out of your price range but if you like that area, consider Ally Pally (Wood Green postcode but sort of in between WG, Bounds Green and Muswell H).

SE London, Forest Hill is nice and you could get something for your budget.

I know it’s not London but the rail links are excellent. Marlow. It’s on the m4/m25 and so easy to drive into London or get the train. And a lovely area to live.

Kingston upon Thames

Herne Hill or East Dulwich but remember that they are not on the tube and that is a big downside