Living in South Croydon/Purley Oaks/Sanderstead? (450k budget)

[roamingcat]

Hello,

Myself and my partner are currently in the process of looking to buy our first home together (max budget c.£450,000) and have come across a property we like in south croydon (also walking distance to Sanderstead and Purley oaks station).

We were wondering whether anyone who has lived in these areas can provide insight into what they're like?

In addition, we've had a look on the trainline and it looks like our commuting options are either going from south croydon to east croydon and changing or a direct train from Sanderstead into Victoria (2 an hour). Are the trains currently running on a reduced service due to COVID, or is the frequency the same normally?

We are a young couple who enjoy going out to eat or drink (in non-COVID times!) and going for walks. Are there many nice restaurants/pubs in the area? From what we can see it looks like there are lots of green spaces nearby so we should be good on that front! In addition, where are the nearest big supermarkets?

Finally, we're wondering whether buying in south croydon is a bad idea given the uncertainty around Westfield, does anyone have any thoughts on that?

Thanks :)

I grew up in sanderstead and bought my 1st property round the corner from sanderstead station.... But moved out of the area 6 years ago as my husband and I wanted to live in a less built up area.

6 years ago the trains were as good as southern rail could be ( rarely on time but as I lived round the corner I just kept checking the app so I wasn't waiting at the station for ages). At least if one line was in chaos I could walk to Purley oaks station which is a different line. Trains always used to stop running after midnight so if I was working late or out in London for a night out then I would walk home from East Croydon.

My nearest big supermarkets were Tesco's in Purley or Sainsbury's in the Purley Way ( I think there is a big Morrisons there now as well).

There are a few parks but not a lot of green/open spaces - you have to drive to the Southdowns ( Riddlesdown/warlingham) or further out into Surrey/kent for open fields and lovely walks.

I'm not sure about nice restaurants - there are some lovely pubs if you drive out into the countryside a bit and a few nice restaurants in Oxted/Westerham. I haven't eaten in a restaurant in Croydon since I was a teenager. I either went up to London for a nice meal or drove out to one of the more rural areas.

It's a good area if you commute up to London but after a few years I just wanted to live somewhere less crowded.

I agree with @Quail15, but be prepared for the influx of poorly-informed posters clutching their pearls at the idea you would ever want to live within 15 miles of Croydon...

Sanderstead, Purley Oaks and some parts of S Croydon are lovely. If you post a link to the property I can probably give you the lowdown on the area.

Sanderstead 'proper' is actually quite a trek from the station, at the top of Sanderstead Hill. It's a very nice, green, villagey sort of atmosphere with very good primaries, duck pond, a couple of cafes and a couple of restaurants. No pubs or bars as it's built on land which has a covenant prohibiting them. It's mainly young families and retirees, with some big houses which would take you over your budget.

For more dining / drinking options and cheaper housing, south Croydon is a better bet although it is a bit 'grittier' as you get nearer to central Croydon. However I've lived in all 3 of the areas you mention over the years and never had any problems.

The trains are fine - you have lots of options direct into London Bridge or Victoria and you can walk between S'stead - Purley Oaks easily.

There's always Purley / Kenley to consider; Purley is well served by trains, local shops, big Tesco, varied housing stock. Tonnes of buses going up and down the Brighton Road as well which will serve all of the areas you mention.

I think Westfield is probably a dead duck tbh so it wouldn't really factor into my decision-making.

I’ve lived in South Croydon and you can easily find a three bed terrace for £450,000. The transport links are good and all trains stop at East Croydon should you want to change there for a quicker train.

Quail and Britney have summed it up but there’s Lloyd park for green space and plenty of places to eat and drink.

I wouldn’t bank on Westfields either, and the town centre is tired and run down, but it has all the usual shops - M&S, House of Fraser, Next etc.

Croydon does get a bad rep, but the south of the borough has a different feel to the north and I never had any problems.

I live nearby in Kenley. Pre-covid there were direct trains from Purley Oaks or South Croydon to Victoria during rush hour, it takes about 25 minutes and they run twice per hour, but only during 'normal' rush hour. There were also direct trains from Sanderstead to Victoria, but not sure how frequently they ran.

South Croydon has some good restaurants - The Store is lovely and much trendier than you might expect for Croydon! There are a few other nice restaurants along that stretch of road as well. Being close to Croydon is handy for shopping. There are lots of nice walks in the area as well.

If you'd like to post the link to the house, I'm sure you'd get more specific advice :)