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!

I agree that it isn’t great to live on Beckenham Road

West Norwood is not 'edging towards Croydon'! It's surrounded by Dulwich, CP and Herne Hill, and definitely worth a look.

Very nice houses and excellent schools, both primary and secondary.

The area has improved vastly in the last 20 years, and is very nice now without the sanitised feel of East Dulwich 'yummy mummysville'.

@toomanywheeliebins

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

thanks - i will save the names and go check them out. I looked on rightmove and as you say - not much up there

@MrFirstTimeBuyer

Thank you all for your feedback - I'll go through it all and revert if i have questions (if people will be kind enough to answer).

Multiple suggestions of Hither Green - I looked around a bit. Found some properties that sold recently - do you think those are good value or overpriced? I want to get a sense of the range that I should be looking at.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/82453506#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113732744#/?channel=RES_BUY

Regarding Dulwich areas - how are the areas towards Tulse Hill? I kind of love this place (sadly already sold), but not sure if that's just me?
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108258416#/?channel=RES_BUY

Couple things that are relevant about us - don't have a car yet (but plan on getting one by the time we have kids, because it'll make things easier).
We're in early to mid thirties, but compared to our age group we don't go out as much. Pre-covid we would go our for a nice dinner now and then, but haven't gone often recently. Most of our "going out" consists of visiting friends around London (and if we get a nice new place, we could host most of the gatherings going forward).

Regarding Dulwich areas - how are the areas towards Tulse Hill? I kind of love this place (sadly already sold), but not sure if that's just me? www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108258416#/?channel=RES_BUY

This is moments away from West Norwood, I have friends on this road.

@Therealrealitystar

Just to add. As you’re mid 30s I’d imagine you’re planning kids within next five years don’t waste stamp duty. Buy in catchment for good schools unless you’re wedded to independent schools. I wish someone had told me to is 15 years ago when we bought our first family home. We are in a five bed 2 1/2 bath of similar value to your budget. Nice space for 2 kids / office / guest room. Wasted nearly 80k in stamp duty moving all over london. Should have just moved to this catchment straight away. Mortgage would have been paid off. The time flew. Both working full time and raising kids - moving is a hassle (and expensive). If you factor in good schools for both sexes and wether you’d be happy for your kids to walk those streets when it’s dark in the winter - many of the above areas become null and void - just saying!!!!

Thanks - We're planning kids (at least the first one) much earlier than in 5 years, so soudns like I will have to move the school criteria further up the list. What's the best source for school data? I googled a few sites, but it seemed you had to pay to get access to all data, so I'd prefer to only pay for hte one that's worth it

Good point about the two sexes - I come from a country with only coed schools, so not something i thought of much.

@Coffeeonmytoffee

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.

That looks very nice! Never been to that area, but I'll add it to my list and will try to swing by next weekend. Geographically it seems very far, but the commute is surprisingly fine.

www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables

Barnmead road is a very attractive road IMO.
Great train links there as you’re near 2 lines.

Honor Oak is worth a look I’d say.

Blackheath is another option. Easy to get to Lewisham

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118808990#/?channel=RES_BUY Op to answer your question - the 'golden triangle' is re secondary schools, if you get in the right area of Bromley/Chislhurst you have access to really good non-selective (Bullers Wood schools), Bromley Super Selective Grammars, Kent Grammars and Bexley Grammars). And yes it seems to be a new house.
Re being far out - masses of people commute into CW/the City/elsewhere in London (in Bromley you have a number of options in terms of stations and lines: lBromley South, Elmstead Woods/Chislehurst/Bickley going into Cannon Street/Waterloo East/London Bridge/Blackfriars some lines via Lewisham).
I would echo what others have said about planning around schools if you have plans to have children - primary schools come around fast and you will be amazed by how soon secondary schools come along too!!

@MrFirstTimeBuyer Re the Tulse Hill one, I know that area quite well as lived there for several years before buying a house in Herne Hill. The thing I like about the area is having access to multiple train lines (thameslink and London Bridge at Tulse Hill and the line to Victoria at West Dulwich). Plus it's close to Brockwell park, dulwich park and dulwich village.

West dulwich is very nice whereas Tulse Hill is still a little rough around the edges. It's improved, as has West Norwood which is not that far away (picturehouse cinema, food market etc). I'm not sure about schools as only aware of the private ones. There are some very nice houses on those back roads but it wouldn't be my first choice with your budget.

Subject to schools, I would look at east dulwich and closer to west dulwich. Also the 'north Dulwich triangle' of Herne Hill which is basically the north Dulwich side of Herne hill coming off Herne Hill itself (danecroft road, Frankfurt road etc) but you'll get a lot less house for your money (prob 3 maybe 4 beds), they don't come up that often and the most reasonably priced houses will require work. But the location is really great whilst being green with a lovely community (and excellent state primaries).

@MargotandJerrywerehot

Is Sevenoaks too far out op?

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

The house is really nice, but we'd prefer to stick with London. All of our friends live aroudn here and don't know anyone in Kent.

[quote TheChemicalMother]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[/quote]
Open to it.

I looked around on rightmove in the area and came across this one listed at the same price. I thought it was better value (bigger in general, more modern kitchen, and love how they did the loft), but I don't know the area so entirely possible that I'm missing something important about the location.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115416272#/?channel=RES_BUY

Thanks - that all makes sense.

How long did it take you to decide where to buy first? It's starting to feel like a full time job.

I work late hours all week, so only really have the weekend to explore new areas (and the early sunset doesn't help this time of the year), so it will take weeks to walk through even couple of the areas (Dulwich, Beckenham, Honor Oak, Wandsworth, let's say).

Do you think it's a reasonable approach (in my position) to keep looking around the areas and narrow it down over the next couple months, while keeping an eye on new properties and pounce if something great comes up? I feel like it's better to miss a few 8s and 9s, and be ready to go for the 10s

Of all the properties that have sold recently, the only one that I feel like I missed out on, is the one on Lavengro Road that I posted earlier (it just seems to tick all the boxes - but if anyone can come up with issues I'd actually love to hear them, would make me feel better about missing it )
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108258416#/?channel=RES_BUY so I

@ElinorOliphant

Barnmead road is a very attractive road IMO. Great train links there as you’re near 2 lines.

Honor Oak is worth a look I’d say.

In Honor Oak - do you these are reasonable?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118475003#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118232087#/?channel=RES_BUY

@MrFirstTimeBuyer

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).

The school is Alexandra Infants (we live next to the junior school) I'm not sure if it's rated outstanding but it's very highly regarded locally. I know lots of parents from there and everyone loves it and tries to get in. It was our second choice but only due to some additional needs from my son which made another school slightly better suited for him.

Secondary is a bit tricker but a new secondary school is being built on the Kent house primary site which is across the road from Barnmead.

Theres a well regarded Montessori preschool in the park near to here (Cator park) as well as a wonderful preschool at Holy Trinity on lennard road. There's a well regarded nursery on kings hall road as well.

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

This is lovely, but this road is super busy. The benefit of Barnmead is it's set back from the main road and is a dead end so no through traffic. If I had a choice I'd pick Barnmead hands down.

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

Kings hall road is gorgeous and very popular. I think there are a couple of things for sale on there.

I honestly can't recommend Pengenham (lol) enough. I love living round here with the kids.

@MrFirstTimeBuyer what an road is lovely, just round the corner from the station and all the shops in HOP, but parking a nightmare. The other house, I don’t know the road but it has off street parking so I’d look more to that one.

@MrFirstTimeBuyer

Thanks - that all makes sense.

How long did it take you to decide where to buy first? It's starting to feel like a full time job.

I work late hours all week, so only really have the weekend to explore new areas (and the early sunset doesn't help this time of the year), so it will take weeks to walk through even couple of the areas (Dulwich, Beckenham, Honor Oak, Wandsworth, let's say).

Do you think it's a reasonable approach (in my position) to keep looking around the areas and narrow it down over the next couple months, while keeping an eye on new properties and pounce if something great comes up? I feel like it's better to miss a few 8s and 9s, and be ready to go for the 10s

Of all the properties that have sold recently, the only one that I feel like I missed out on, is the one on Lavengro Road that I posted earlier (it just seems to tick all the boxes - but if anyone can come up with issues I'd actually love to hear them, would make me feel better about missing it )
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108258416#/?channel=RES_BUY so I

Took us about 6 months...we spent Saturdays strolling around new areas and having a look. Occasionally even doing the odd house viewing. We did Bickley, Bromley area one Saturday afternoon- penge clock house Beckenham another, Lewisham, ladywell another. Often we would arrive at one station leave from another. I love blackheath but couldn't afford it. I would look at Crystal Palace if I was you too. Sit in coffee shops notice people just get a vibe. Clock house area sounds good for your commute but you may find it to suburban.

Have you looked at Bermondsey/ Rotherhithe? Not sure what the prices are like but the commute will be easy. I used to live in Bermondsey but in a vastly different price bracket!! It's a real mixture of gentrified and families that have been there forever.

If I were you I would take your time and visit the areas even if it is three four months of doing so.

It's madness to spend the amount of money you are proposing without having a good feel for the area.

Also it's still early days in the year and if you look on Rightmove at the moment there are not loads of properties on still.

When I left London, we went down the trainline and visited everywhere feasible to compile a list of where we would like to live. Many, many places were ruled out. We spent 6 months doing this at the weekend.

Out of interest where are your currently living? What do you like/dislike about your current area? This may help people guide you with some of the places suggested on this thread.

I don't think you particularly missed out on that house that you have linked in Tulse Hill. Personally I don't like that area much and the garden was very small and overlooked.

Sorry I take it back ... Lavengro Road is not especially Tulse Hill and actually I do like those roads!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-118172648.html

Used to be a shop so slightly unconventional frontage but does mean you get a lot for your money for the area. 2 mins from westcombe Park Station which is 2 mins on train to Greenwich then swap to dlr under the river, or cycle it under the foot tunnel and mainly on cycle lanes / off road cycle paths in well under half an hour.

In catchment for the v sought after Halstow primary and around the corner from East Greenwich Pleasaunce

[quote ElaineMarieBenes]@LuluBlakey1 😂🤣😂[/quote]
😁😉

Chislehurst and Elmstead Woods areas - feel rural. Nice little high st in C’hurst.

Much older population. Fewer pubs, restaurants. More trees.

@LuluBlakey1

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?

That's a piece of fiction - it's an actual book.