Catford/surrounding areas SE London where to live?! Send help

ComtesseDeSpair · 14/02/2022 10:05

The Corbett Estate is nice, but it’s still in Catford which is a bit of a dump. I suppose it depends how much time you’re anticipating you’ll spend in the local area: if you’re the sort of people who drive everywhere to get to places which aren’t in your neighbourhood then you won’t notice so much, but if you like to be walking distance to nice local shops / cafes / restaurants etc then Catford is a bit lacking.

What about Sydenham? Slightly cheaper than Forest Hill and Crystal Palace but much nicer than Catford.

Londongent · 14/02/2022 10:13

How about Bromley..
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118380797?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Comedycook · 14/02/2022 10:17

Hither Green isn't up and coming...it's already come up! Very middle and class and yummy mummy now.

Lots of nice houses in catford but the high street is still grotty.

Lee is nice... and Bromley although much more suburban

Comedycook · 14/02/2022 10:18

*middle class not middle and class!

Original poster

haventaclue2312 · 14/02/2022 10:27

Thanks all for the help so far. Which areas of Bromley are specifically worth looking at? We both work in town (London Bridge and Oxford Circus) and have friends all around london so would like decent transport links. @comedycook @londongent

OP posts:

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 14/02/2022 10:30

I doubt you would be able to buy a 3 bed house in Ladywell for £600k. It's a lovely area and very family friendly. Park, good schools, but not cheap these days, sadly.

Comedycook · 14/02/2022 10:31

Bromley is a huge borough!

BR1 is the closest to London and most like London if you see what I mean. It encompasses Downham which is not particularly nice... basically lots of housing estates. BR1 going into BR2 around Bromley town centre and the shopping centre is nice. Bromley South is the train station. You can go further out into Bromley and it gets a lot more like countryside.

GreenPalmTree · 14/02/2022 10:48

Penge and Anerley are nice areas with good transport connections.

This one needs some TLC but with your budget should be possible!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119666228

To get to London Bridge you can get the slow train from Anerley station or bus/ bike/ walk to Norwood Junction for the fast trains to London Bridge.

For Oxford Circus Get the train from Kent House or Penge East stations and change on the Victoria line at Brixton or Victoria - this train line is fast into London and fairly reliable!

Londongent · 14/02/2022 10:51

@haventaclue2312

Thanks all for the help so far. Which areas of Bromley are specifically worth looking at? We both work in town (London Bridge and Oxford Circus) and have friends all around london so would like decent transport links. *@comedycook* *@londongent*

Bromley North Station is best for getting to London Bridge, there is a little shuttle train that goes to Sundridge Park and then Grove Park, then you can get a quick train (19 mins) from there to London Bridge. Bromley South is better for Oxford Circus as there are direct trains to Victoria. Bromley is a good place to bring up a family has a great high street too, easy access to the country side. Some may say it's very suburban, so depends what you are looking for...if you want something more edgy go closer to London. But if you gave me the choice of Bromley or Catford it would be Bromley all day long especially for bringing up a family

Newone2 · 14/02/2022 10:54

@haventaclue2312

Hi everyone!

We're currently in East Dulwich in a small 2 bed flat. We need to move as our baby daughter takes up A LOT of real estate with all her sh*t.

Wondering if anyone has gone through similar recently and can recommend any SE neighbourhoods? Our budget will be max £600 I reckon and we're looking for 3 beds with a garden.

I am looking at places like Hither Green etc, but can anyone speak to areas like Penge, also Corbett Estate/Catford? We've a couple of super posh local mates who have completely poo-pooed it which is putting doubt into my mind, but I've seen some beautiful places in these areas and feel like they are immediately putting them down because of things they've heard in the past?

I've heard that Hither Green, Ladywell are lovely 'up and coming', but what do you guys think about Catford etc? Have specifically found a beautiful home on the Corbett Estate I feel quite excited about.

This post is not meant to offend anyone living in these areas by the way, I am genuinely curious and wanting advice and first hand experience of people living there :)

Thank you in advance! X

I agree with another poster hithergreen and lee are nice.

Catford is a dump. Its actually called crackford by alot of people. There are middle class people as well they have lovely house etc but then they are in catford so kind of ruins it. But having said that i think the further you are from the heigh street the better it gets.

Downham is a massive council /ex council estate. I personally really like downham but it would depend what part. As there are good parts and parts that are not so good.

DavetheCat2001 · 14/02/2022 11:46

West Norwood?

Direct trains to London Bridge and Victoria.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118739117

Might need to stretch the budget a bit for a 3 bed though.

Snoofox · 14/02/2022 12:00

I live in catford with toddlers and really like it. I’d say the roads inside the south circular near blythe hill fields are the nicest. Right by two parks. Process to revamp the Catford centre is underway already- you can see them doing works on one of the train stations. So the area will continue to improve. It will be tricky to find a 3 bed for £600k though.

dd207 · 14/02/2022 12:02

I would also look around Crystal Palace. Surrounding areas close to Dulwich are on the up like Gipsy Hill:

Baird Gardens, Dulwich Wood Park

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/82165173

Whiteley Road, Crystal Palace, SE19

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118837628

Phos · 14/02/2022 12:10

Hither Green is lovely. My dad lived there.

Catford is mostly a dump - the bits closer to Hither Green are ok and maybe if you go out towards Lower Sydenham.

I'm a bit out of the loop with house prices as we moved away from the area a bit since but anywhere along the Hayes line might be worth looking at: Beckenham, Elmers End, West Wickham, Hayes.

PenCreed · 14/02/2022 12:29

Try Sydenham. Sydenham and Lower Sydenham stations both go to London Bridge (and Lower Sydenham trains then go to either Charing Cross or Cannon Street). If you're south of the high street then Penge East is close for trains to Victoria, although those roads are slightly more expensive as a lot of them are older houses. Sydenham high street is also nicer than Catford!

RedRed20 · 14/02/2022 12:30

We recently moved from Peckham to Penge. You could just about get something nice for your budget. We also looked at Catford but the travel links and schools seemed better in Penge. You could also look at South Norwood.

Nightmanagerfan · 14/02/2022 12:34

We just moved to the Corbett Estate and love it! We have two under 3s. Join the Corbett Estate residents association Facebook group to get an idea of the area.
Pros:
Big houses for the price.
Amazing community
Lots of young families
Improving all the time eg Mountsfield park is getting a fab new cafe and community area
Easy to park
Twin catford stations have good links
Lots of houses being renovated

Cons
Can feel a bit out on a limb, 10-15 mins walk to catford stations
Fly tipping is an issue

DM me if you’d like more info

Twizbe · 14/02/2022 12:41

Penge / Sydenham would be great for you. Sydenham has direct trains to London Bridge and Penge goes to Victoria for Oxford Circus.

Both areas are really nice for families. Penge has really changed in recent years and has a life community feel.

SE13Mummy · 14/02/2022 13:10

The Corbett Estate in Catford is full of families and has lots going on. There are excellent primary schools locally and good access to decent secondaries. Whilst the high street may not be the most exciting, there are an increasing number of independent businesses setting up shop there or nearby, an independent cinema, nice pubs and restaurants, banks, a Post Office etc.... it's definitely improved since 20 years ago when I first came here to look at a flat and my first glimpse of Catford was the gun shop.

ThePlantsitter · 14/02/2022 13:20

I moved into Crofton Park about 10 years ago and advice I would give my then self now is don't get fixated on Victorian properties. The room proportions are often nicer in more modern houses and although they might be a bit less 'cosy' looking from the outside they are more likely to not be falling down.

I agree with @Snoofox about the small area she's talking about - it seems to have its own microclimate there and the gardens are amazing!! (south facing on a hill I suppose).

Newone2 · 14/02/2022 13:51

@ThePlantsitter

I moved into Crofton Park about 10 years ago and advice I would give my then self now is don't get fixated on Victorian properties. The room proportions are often nicer in more modern houses and although they might be a bit less 'cosy' looking from the outside they are more likely to not be falling down.

I agree with @Snoofox about the small area she's talking about - it seems to have its own microclimate there and the gardens are amazing!! (south facing on a hill I suppose).

@Theplantsitter could you tell me what Crofton Park is like? I may be moving there soon would be nice to know.

noworklifebalance · 14/02/2022 14:09

@haventaclue2312 - check out this thread. Ignore the part about the houses, as it evolves into discussions about areas.

(The two houses on the thread are right on the border with Beckenham and Penge).
The move from ED to Penge/this end of Beckenham/Sydenham/Forest Hill is a well trodden path.
Good luck!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/4461191-SE-London-houses-what-do-you-think

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 14/02/2022 14:15

We used to live in Crofton Park and are still nearby. It's changed out of all recognition since we first went there, well over 35 years ago.

It's a very green, leafy area. Terrific parks: Blythe Hill Fields, One Tree Hill, Hilly Fields, Telegraph Hill and Ladywell Fields. Several interesting little community gardens and nature reserves dotted about. Lots of cemeteries in the area which are gradually also turning into nature reserves as they are not much used for new burials these days. Lots of street trees.

Transport: the train service from Crofton Park is much improved. Those trains go to Blackfriars with an easy change onto the Circle and District lines and to Thameslink services going north through Kings Cross.

It's also easy walking distance to Honor Park and Brockley stations, which are on the same line, changed out of all recognition from decades ago. The main line service goes from Sutton to London Bridge and the Overground goes from West Croydon to Highbury and Islington, so it's four stops from Brockley to Canada Water where you can change onto the Jubilee Line.

Slightly further afield there are Lewisham, Ladywell, St John's and New Cross stations and there are also several bus services, so there are lots of travel options when the obvious ones have problems.

Other things: lots of coffee shops these days. Various pubs and wine bars. A few places to eat in. Some good takeaways, e.g. Brockley's Rock. The Babur (Indian) restaurant is absolutely excellent. Le Querce used to be a very good Italian restaurant. Haven't been there for a while so I hope it's still thriving.

There's a good interesting independent bookshop in Brockley now. Volunteer-run library in Crofton Park. Full library service in Lewisham.

Brockley Market every Saturday in the car park of Lewisham College (Lewisham Way). Farmer's Market in Telegraph Hill.

Lots of chain shops and supermarkets in Lewisham, which is very nearby.

We find it a very safe area.

State schools are good, from nursery through to sixth form. Lots of good independent schools in the area too. Grammar schools in outer London are reachable by train if that's an option from 11.

londonmummy1966 · 14/02/2022 14:32

You could look at the Streatham Tooting borders - trains into Victoria from Streatham and northern line to London Bridge from Tooting.

ThePlantsitter · 14/02/2022 14:50

Yep, what @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g said and just to add the community feel is brilliant.