Where (and what) would you buy in London for 500K

[newnicknewme]

Hello!
I'm currently looking at flats in Greenwich, where I've been living for the past 2 years. I like it here, but it's not ideal commute. The problem is, I only ever lived here and in other bits of central / East London, which I didn't like or couldn't afford, so I have limited knowledge of any potentially better suited places. So here I am, hoping for mumsnet's collective experience and some recommendations for places I would not think of myself.

I'm looking for:

• easy commute to Soho/Covent Garden and Kings Cross areas (which is why Greenwich works so-so, 45-60 mins door to door)
• 2 bed, ideally 60 sqm+ (so I can't go very central with my budget)
• NOT ground floor and preferably a balcony, if not then a small garden could do (which pretty much limits it to flats built in the last 20 years and upper maisonettes at a push)
• a safe and nice area where I can walk - I walk/jog a lot, and having pleasant places where I can go around is super important for me (doesn't need to be a beautiful park, nice low-traffic streets could work too) but I don't really care for cafes, trendy places around etc. Basically, if your elderly auntie would like the place, I probably will too
• schools not important yet, primary school may be a factor in the future but we can cross that bridge when we get there
• up to 500K (FTB so it makes a big difference in SD if I go a bit beyond)

Thanks!

You'd get a 2 bed terrace in Walthamstow for that money. it's a great place to live. As well as the Victoria Line there's the overground into Liverpool Street and Epping Forest is on the doorstep.
I've lived there for 20-odd years and I'm in the middle of buying a house there.

Streatham Hill.
Quiet streets, great community in these roads, quick bus to Brixton firVictoria Line, or to Victoria from Streatham Hill station. Also walkable to Tulse Hill for Thameslink/ London Bridge.
Nice local park, easy walk to Brockwell Park.

Loads like this www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/112234700#/?channel=RES_BUY

Or houses:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113129177#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/107595419#/?channel=RES_BUY

These houses are freehold. Flats in Maisonette / terrace conversions may come with a share of freehold. Modern blocks with balcony may bring high service charges and ground rent and troublesome maintenance regimes.

You can get a lovely flat in Southfields/ parts of putney with communal gardens/balcony. It’s a buyers market for sure for flats so you’d likely to be able to get ones marketed at up to 520 for 500

2 bed flat in or around Telegraph Hill / Brockley Zone 2. Would probably get a garden too.

The answer to OP's question is really not going to be Telegraph Hill, Brockley, Forest Hill, etc.

Those areas really suck for getting to the West End and Kings Cross which are of crucial importance to the OP.

I live on Telegraph Hill and it takes at least 50 minutes if not an hour to get properly into the west end. It is not fun!

Also £600k looks like the floor for a flat in this area these days which isn't really aub-par in some fundamental way.

plenty of 2-bed garden flats for a 500k and under in Forest Hill and (to a lesser extent) Brockley

Okay but with OP already in Greenwich and looking for a quicker commute to Covent Garden and Kings Cross then another SE London transport blackspot is not going to be the answer. (Saying that as a veteran of Canada Water Jubilee line changeovers, lengthy interchanges between train and tube at Victoria or London Bridge, or buses crawling down the Old Kent Road and with plenty of walking either side).

The flats/development next to Catford Bridge Station & Ladywell Fields, SE6 are nice & the 2 bed, 795sq flats with balcony are within your budget. Seems to be a nice community vibe in them. Next to lovely park, running routes (Waterlink Way). Train from Catford Bridge station to Charing Cross for Soho & train from Catford Station to St Pancras. All the local Primary schools have excellent reputations.

Re my previous post: this development all comes up as Adenmore Road on Rightmove

Eg www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/112057874#/?channel=RES_BUY

OP we are currently selling our 3 bed flat in a fab part of Greenwich (borough, not Greenwich Greenwich IYSWIM). We're 8 minute walk from a mainline (London Bridge in 22 minutes, St Pancras in just over 30 on the Thameslink) and DLR, and about 4 minutes from a Crossrail station when it finally opens next year. We're on the market for under your budget. LMK if you'd like a Rightmove link.

We’re in Wood Green - I love it. Lots of little parks nearby and Ally Pally not far away. Piccadilly line takes you to Kings Cross and Covent Garden, I’m getting a seat at the moment which is ideal.
High Street doesn’t look pretty but it’s convenient - New Look, Primark, Wilko, H&M.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113808050#/?channel=RES_BUY

There are quite a few similar to this - purpose-built Edwardian garden maisonettes - in Tooting. Inc. in some nice quiet roads.
An advantage of these is that service/maintenance charges are low or non existent, and ground rent is also likely to be very low.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I had a chance to look or google walk around a few areas.

Aaargh I'm sure there are stages of flat hunting and I'm currently at the point when I realise I'm being way too picky for my budget!
Soo, I'm currently staring at rightmove looking at all these great places I could have if I wanted an hour commute to work and 3 changes and thinking it's not that bad, and then I remember what it's really like in rush hour... I'm starting to think that maybe I should just buy a nicer 1 bed and not try to stretch too much...

I don't want to go for council estates or the very up and coming areas - I know it's probably the smart investment, but I'm not quite ready for this yet. Also, for various reasons I expect that my circumstances may change quickly in the future forcing me to sell, so I am quite risk-averse. It seems that prices in some of these up and coming places are already inflated based on a gamble of the area gentrifying, and there being a constant influx of people willing to move to a less nice area for good transport links, which I'm not sure will be so true with the general exodus from London. Woolwich or areas around Custom House seem the prime examples to me.

@catsjammies yes please if you're ok with that - but as you can see, I don't really know what I want, I'm not sure I would be able to commit in the time frame you probably need even if it is a match.

So if you want my penny's worth I would look at North London-specifically on the Piccadilly Line or Northern. East finchley is lovely or Whetstone ( little further out but near Arnos grove and Totteridge tube) Used to commute daily to Covent garden for work on the tube and it's very easy. Also great for your budget.