Clapham Common or Surbiton? Moving home

[estherhh]

Hi,

We are relocating to London. After a long time research, we’ve narrowed down Clapham Common and Surbiton but cannot decide which area to go for?

The reason I consider the above 2 areas is for independent schools. From a school point of view, the two areas are the same.

Both I and my husband work in Canary Wharf. Our budget is around 600-700k for a 2-bed room flat or house. We still cannot make a decision so would be grateful to hear different opinions.

Greenwich had good independent schools within easy reach. Beautiful location with the park and Victorian housing etc. Neighbouring Blackheath also lovely.
Neighbouring Lewisham Lee and Charlton all have nice parts too. Some parts less good but you'll get the same at CC. And similar issues with house price/space.
Surbiton would be cheaper but I wouldn't choose that commute, especially if you want to get home for kids.

Surbiton has a good range of really nice period conversion flats and purpose built blocks around the Maple Road area, and there is a slightly younger vibe around there. Also good proximity for the station. Once you start looking at houses, you tend to move towards Berrylands which is much more suburban. I really like Surbiton, I was ready to buy a flat there 10 years ago but it fell through and I ended up in Kingston. When I was in a position to buy a house I couldn't find anything suitable in Surbiton really. I only know Clapham Common from socialising there! From my knowledge of the market in that part of London the nicer areas are very very expensive though. You'd definitely get more for your money in Surbiton. Surbiton and Kingston are full of people in lovely 1million plus houses that were largely bought from the proceeds of selling their 2 bed flats in Fulham/Clapham/Putney!

@ParentOfOne

Don't underestimate the complexity of the commute from Surbiton to Canary Wharf.

The Brits feel compelled to tell everyone and anyone that wherever they live is best and to massively underestimate the length of their commute, basically lying beyond the point of ridicule. I have heard so many people living 15 miles farther from me that their commute is shorter than mine!

The TFL website states it takes 54 minutes from Surbiton to Canary Wharf. Depending on where in Surbiton and where in Canary Wharf, that could easily be over an hour. But that's on a good day. When stations are busy and you might have to wait a few trains before getting on board, how long will that take?

What sucks about commuting from far away is not the commute time on a good day, it's what happens on a bad day: if you live in Waterloo and you must wait for a few trains before getting on it's fine. If you live in Surbiton and must wait for a few trains, even if frequent, that can easily add 15-30 minutes to your commute.

You say you both work in Canary Wharf. What are your hours? Who would take the children to school and who would pick them up?

Listen to this. The commute from Surbiton to Canary wharf is a pain..I lived in Surbiton for 12 years and regularly commuted into London. It wasn't too bad to places in the west end but some locations in the city which were further east were a real pain. Clapham common is likely to be better for commuting but I didn't live there so can't be sure

Oh and just to say, I lived 2 mins walk to the station ( which had its own issues with lack of parking) but friends who still lived in Surbiton had to add a reasonable length walk (20+ mins) or bike/car ride to the station with all the issues or where to leave a bike ( let alone a car) before they could even start on the '54 mins' to Canary wharf. I'd suggest allowing closer to 1.5 hours to do that commute with it taking a bit longer sometimes .

How often has it taken you 20 minutes or more just to get from the train platform to the Waterloo & city platform?

How often have you managed to get on the first train without waiting?

How often have you had delays or cancellations?

How would you arrange school drop offs and pick ups around all of that?

Do you have a backup plan if the train back gets cancelled or delayed and you can't pick up the kids on time?

It is of course doable. Most things are. But it is much more complex than being in inner London

If you’re getting on the Waterloo & City line to CW you’re a muppet...
Getting on the tube at Clapham Common is equally horrible and you still need to change at Waterloo or Bank.

The extra space at Surbiton will more than compensate.

@Littlebearpad You're right, I meant the Jubilee, not the waterloo city line

OP, there were some threads on NappyValleyNet on getting to the city from Clapham Common vs Clapham Junction; you can also get some perspective from that forum

Also, depending on where your future jobs might be, moving too far East might be a liability in the future; Eg say you move somewhere 20 minutes east of Canary Wharf; but what if, after 5 years, you find a new job in the City or Mayfair?

I think there will be a big different in the property size you will get (and its condition/outlook/location) in Clapham Common area versus Surbiton. As you have a family or are planning one I would be inclined to look closely at Surbiton because £700K won't buy you much in Clapham Common area. I suspect you will end up looking more towards Brixton or SE London postcodes as the estate agents start to send you 'nicer'/bigger places that are in the neighbouring areas. Also, be warned that although Clapham Common area has nice pockets it is also cheek by jowl with some areas of deprivation where gangs still rule and crime happens. Naturally the criminals don't have far to travel to the more lucrative 'nice' neighbouring areas.

I live in a nice 'pocket' not too far from there and you would not believe the stuff that goes on (you don't hear about it all unless you're on the local WhatsApp/neighbourhood watch groups). That said you will be in more in the 'heart' of things but on that budget and in a two bedroom flat you might not appreciate it so much as the extra space you may get in Surbiton.

You need to be near the station in Surbiton though to make the difference as you don't want to have to add a bus journey onto your commute.