Plaistow/ Forest Gate area

[Palmtreebythesea]

What is this area like? Young couple (no kids or pets) looking for a two bed flat on a small budget, £300 k max. Is this area ok?

Have you looked on Rightmove?

Forest Gate has some rough streets, basically the closer you get to Wanstead Flats the more expensive it is. There's also a really nice conservation area. I used to live there years ago and it was really rough, it's better now, nice cafes and shops. There are train stations but no tube. It's bus to Stratford station if you want the tube. Forest Gate station has direct overground trains to Liverpool Street but they get very very busy.

For example, this is on a nice street in the conservation area but really run down, over your budget, and no garden or parking www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88914793#/

This is not so nice street/area (very busy road) but better decor for same money www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/90333031#/map

I don't know Plaistow very well at all but it used to be quite rough.

Plaistow is rough and Forest Gate is quite rough, but better than Plaistow. You might consider Leytonstone in that area too?

Btw if you are looking for an area you might settle in longer term, Chingford might suit you for that budget.

Leytonstone is better but more expensive I think. Didn't used to be but it is now. You will struggle to find a decent 2-bed flat in Leytonstone for that price and it will be quite far from the tube station.

Forest gate has some lovely cafes and bars, mostly under the railway arches. I'd go and have a wander if I were you. Tromso does really good food.

This is my favorite in Forest Gate www.thewansteadtap.com/

This looks nice. Wanstead, close to tube, good street. Small but good location and balcony www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/75223020#/

Where are you now?
They are rough areas.
Agree with pp Plaistow is worse.

Thanks everyone! I have looked on Rightmove and found these were the sort of areas I could afford, Will avoid Plaistow though! Currently living in a small village and not loving it at all and would like to stop renting. we’d like to be in a much busier environment and need to be in the London area as our jobs are in the North London area

Which tube station do you need to get to in North London?

The problem with forest gate is that it's an overground station. You can change at Liverpool street or Stratford but it's busy and not as frequent as the tube. If you pay a bit more then Leytonstone or Wanstead would be better. Leytonstone is more diverse, busier and Wanstead is a bit more commuter with lots of young families.

Forest Gate etc are very much East London (and handy for the City).

For North London, it's possible Enfield might suit better?

Forest gate is on crossrail so from next year will be on the Elizabeth line. It’s a 5 min train to Stratford atm (trains every 6 mins), or 12 mins to Liverpool street. It’s also on the overground from Wanstead park (gospel oak/barking) - you can get onto the Victoria line from there.

My best friend moved there from hackney and has a lovely big house near the flats. There’s loads going on in the area for young families. But not sure your budget would stretch to one of the nice bits.

Good investment then! I didn't realise it was on the new Elizabeth line!

I’m based in the Wembley area, from the properties I’ve seen on rightmove where the nearest stations are Custom House and Upton Park, the TFL journey planner says 1 hr 6 mins which is okay for me. Thank you, I’ll look at Enfield!

Ah, if your work is in Wembley that's North West London. I wouldn't be looking East to buy because your journey will worse than it looks on TFL.

I don't know that side of North London well, but I would be looking up the train lines from Wembley/Wembley Park, if it's not too expensive.

Agree with the above pp - I wouldn't move to either of these places if you're commuting to Wembley.

FG used to be quite posh years ago...hence the big houses you see and had quite a large jewish population who then moved out to wanstead and redbridge in the 70's.....there is really very little to do there ...i visited last week to see a friend and had a big walk about...the high st is dire...a few odd nice cafes.....other areas are better e.g. leytonstone etc but obvs more expensive....plaistow ... not much going on there either and has some gang issues...

Would avoid both.

@earsup

I suspect you were looking in the wrong places for nice cafes - they are mostly under the railway arches.

Forest gate has nicer cafes than Leytonstone right now.

we found a nice cafe under an arch next to a boxing gym...but i dont think that compensates for the high st ...grim....lots of men wandering about with cans of lager etc at night....

Take a look at East Ham too, especially around Central Park. It has more and more young families moving here for the good schools and it's good value for money.

People on this thread have lead very sheltered lives if they think Forest Gate is rough

Plaistow is fine and some bargains to be had, plus good schools, and the wonderful West Ham Park

Enfield has some nice areas, e.g. near the river is leafy / green. But Enfield to Wembley is (at least) as long a commute as from Forest Gate.

The 1 hr. 6 minute commute will be 1 hr. 30 mins door to door (if you're lucky) as you need to get to / from the station at both ends. And the route is a pain because it requires multiple changes between train lines (you'll be lucky to get a seat on any of them during peak period) - it will get old quickly.