SE London houses - what do you think?

[MrFirstTimeBuyer]

Hi everyone, first time poster, long time reader.

We want to buy a house for a young couple / family in SE London. Budget is around 1-1.25m, and main criteria are a nice/safe area, finished house (not in need of renovation), and decent commute.

Any thoughts on these? The prices seem a bit crazy compared to properties that sold just last year.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118492337#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/116841581#/?channel=RES_BUY

I'd rather be too conservative and miss out on the first couple, then overpay and regret later. What do you think? Any thoughts/advice greatly appreciated!

@tara66

Consider Southfields?

Something like these?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118624733#/?channel=RES_BUY

I know it's shameful after living here for nearly 10 years, but had to google it..

I know a number of those areas pretty well and would probably go for Honor Oak or E Dulwich with that budget. We lived in FH for 5 years (and in various London areas for 10 years). I liked FH but preferred Dulwich and HO- fresher, nicer, better shops and restaurants etc. Great commute to CW too.

Oh, to have such a budget! Personally, I'd go more for East Dulwich, although they probably won't get a semi-detatched Victorian-style property for that price. (They will get a more modern - i.e. smaller - property for that price.) Great transport links and almost all schools are good. Forest Hill is another alternative. Not quite as 'villagey' as East Dulwich, but good transport.

Road to look at near vicars hill are
Embleton
Ermine
Algernon
Algiers

Beautiful houses but they don't come up much. I leafleted privately for mine.

Mainly evening from 3pm for traffic on vicars hill - Thurs - Fri

[quote GreenestValley]Yep Peckham Rye / nice parts of Camberwell / Dulwich have lots of potential around the 1-1.2 mark

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/116453153#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118152755#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/116400860#/?channel=RES_BUY[/quote]
The 2 last ones in se15 are around the corner from me!
Obviously different corners!
Great area and excellent commute.
Highly recommend (been here over 20 years)

@absentbf

With that budget, I wouldn't buy in Penge. Or if I did, I'd spend much less than £1m.

If I was spending over £1m on a house in SE London outside zone 1, I would only really consider Blackheath, Greenwich and Dulwich.

Beckenham is a lovely area, but buying what you linked to seriously exposes you to negative equity. Period houses need maintenance, even done up ones, and sinking £1.2m + maintenance into a Beckenham/Penge semi seems crazy to me.

For your commute and budget, I'd seriously look at Blackheath/Greenwich.

This (sorry to be impolite) is rubbish. Beckenham is great. The problem with Blackheath and the other areas mentioned is that the secondary schools are grim unless you want to go private. Also Beckenham won’t put you into negative equity that’s total gibberish.

Hither Green, Ladywell or Penge?! These are not polished turds. They are still just turds!!!

Beckenham, Chislehurst, West Wickham, Hayes are all lovely areas where your children can go to outstanding state schools.

I literally live 5 mins from these houses.

Barmead road is LOVELY!!!! It's a really special little community down there. There's a great coffee shop at Kent house station. A FANTASTIC primary school next door that people fall over themselves to get in.

Lennard road is a busy road with a bus route but very close to Penge east station.

Of the two I'd go for barmead.

I love living round here.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118450976

This is in a very nice road. A short walk to the staton and very close to lovely shops. About 10 minutes walk to the centre of Bromley.

Lennard Road is not properly Penge, it borders Sydenham and Beckenham and the nearby primary school is good, but the house seems overpriced.
The Barnmead Road house seems better value.
Beckenham Road is pretty busy and that house is not as good value as Barnmead Road.
It's worth looking near Bromley South where the commute is still fast or West Wickham/Hayes, between Beckenham and Bromley - you would get more for your money there.

Is Sevenoaks too far out op?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118859702#/?channel=RES_BUY

To be honest your budget is good for lots of the areas mentioned on here. Slightly less so for a few of the locations but still possible.

The areas mentioned are so wide and vastly different that realistically you need to go to all of the areas and decide your top location and where you actually want to live otherwise you’ll drive yourself mad!

Factor in future proofing with children/family life as the stamp duty is obviously weighty at this price point.

Then drill down from there suitable houses within your preferred location(s).

For instance I know really well the locations mentioned of
Wandsworth, Dulwich, Sydenham, Forest Hill, HO, bits of Ladywell, Crystal Palace, Penge, Kent House, New Beckenham and actual main Beckenham.

My choice out of all the above would be Wandsworth, Dulwich and Beckenham. But for your budget you would get different houses, square footage and gardens in each. They are all expensive but Beckenham is very different to both Dulwich and Wandsworth.

Then when you do the same Blackheath, Greenwich, Peckham etc exactly the same happens so you really need to like the vibe and amenities and style of roads, housing to be able to decide. Factor in transport links etc etc. otherwise your search area currently is just too vast.

I agree Barnmead Road area is nice but the house for sale has a dark north facing garden and backs onto the Kent house station platform as well as the busy railway line. Beckenham Road is a very busy road. Also Kent House station isn’t the best station in the area for Canary Wharf, though it’s not far to walk to Clock House station (can then pick up the DLR at Lewisham or tube at London Bridge).

Leonard Road is nice, but fairly busy. Although I’m in the Clock House area, personally, I prefer Penge East/Sydenham border (easy walk to Sydenham station so better overall transport links (as includes the overground).

Good luck!

What about West Norwood?

Cinema, Community ‘Feast’ festival every month, leisure centre, excellent Julian’s primary, Dunraven secondary from one side, lots like this
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118072157#/?channel=RES_BUY

I don't know that I'd want to live in Penge-there was an infamous bungalow murder case, huge trial 'The Penge Bungalow Murders'. Is the house anywhere near that?

I also think the Leonard Road property has been on the market a while and does seem a bit high and makes the Barnmead one seem reasonable!

@LuluBlakey1 😂🤣😂

Ladywell area is a good call, it's definitely on my list for my next project. As is Brockley/Hilly Fields area.

It depends what vibe you like. Are you an inner London or outer London? I'm definitely inner; outer London is just not for me at all. Most people talk about retiring to the countryside - I want to gradually work my way into Zone 1!

What m Twizbe said! Clockhouse is a seven minute walk. Or walk 15 mins to Penge west and get the overground direct to Canary Wharf. Barnmead road five mins from two outstanding primaries. Penge has 170 street art sites, really strong community spirit, excellent transport links, independent shops and restaurants.

West Norwood is edging towards Croydon, which I would avoid.
Penge is Bromley borough, which just doesn't feel very London.
I would have an absolute field day with your budget, can we please swap lives 😄

@Twizbe

I literally live 5 mins from these houses.

Barmead road is LOVELY!!!! It's a really special little community down there. There's a great coffee shop at Kent house station. A FANTASTIC primary school next door that people fall over themselves to get in.

Lennard road is a busy road with a bus route but very close to Penge east station.

Of the two I'd go for barmead.

I love living round here.

Hi - love to have an inside scoop!

What's the name of the primary school? I was looking online on locrating.com (maybe there's a better source? I'm new to this bit) and the only outstanding primary school nearby was the harris academy for girls a short walk on lennard road (coincidentally).

We are also checking out this property and would appreciate your view. The biggest downside that we see is that it is on the main street (while for barnmead that's one of the main positives), but overall it seems much better value so we are wondering if we might be missing something.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118677533#/?channel=RES_BUY

Any other areas/streets in the area that you'd recommend?

The house you’ve just linked is on such a busy main road. Honestly you could do so much better for yourself and your budget.

If I had your budget and your requirements I would not view this house you’ve just linked. The noise and traffic will be phenomenal. You can do sooooo much better.

The two outstanding primaries are Harris Kent House and Alexandra Infants. Secondaries in Penge are more of a problem. You should visit the area.