Where in London can I get 3 bedrooms for 800k?

[elementalprimary]

I am planning to move within London after my kids leave school in a couple of years. Don't want to say where I live atm, but I've never really loved it, and moved here for family and work reasons that don't apply any more, so I want to move somewhere that suits me better.

I don't want to be right on the outskirts, prefer city activities like museums and galleries to countryside, and I don't have a car. Ideally I'd live in Zone 1 but that's not realistic for what I want for my money, so am thinking Zones 2-4. I can't move outside London, no matter how much I could get for my money. Ideally I want:

Max price 800k.
3 bedrooms.
Garden/outside space (not shared).
Close to a station.
Somewhere that feels safe to go home at night.
A few local amenities like shops, library, etc, but don't care about bars, nightlife or how trendy the area is, definitely prefer safe and boring to trendy and high crime.

My plan is to spend time now exploring different areas, and working out all the pros and cons so I'm ready to move once my youngest finishes school. Any ideas for areas to put on my shortlist? Or other factors I need to think about? Suggestions I've had so far are Brentford, Crouch End, Southfields, Cricklewood.

Earlsfield. And then just outside your zone Twickenham. Richmond is expensive but in North Sheen or away from the station you can get properties like this.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/120066017#/?channel=RES_BUY
TW9/10 are all very safe.
Just above your budget but East Sheen SW14 has some lovely maisonettes. Super safe.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115337423#/?channel=RES_BUY

Personally, with that money, I'd be moving to a nice part of London like Kew or Chiswick, Richmond. You can get a maisonette for that price, with a garden. I lived in a beautiful maisonette in Barnes, with a small garden. It was just perfect and I much prefer it to the 4 bedroom house we moved into (where I live now) as our 'forever home' (which is now a divorce bone of contention... deep sigh). I am in your shoes.
I will likely have the same amount to invest with and I am looking at maisonettes with gardens (I like living in nice parts of London with access to green space). Also, schools matter to me. My two younger ones are still in primary/secondary. So if school is on your agenda, you want to be in an area with decent secondaries.
Hanwell is another option and the schools are good.

Hah @TheVanguardSix and I had roughly the same area in mind. SW13/14 are both lovely. Chiswick is a bit more expensive but there are cheaper bits away from the high street but still safe.

I got a 3 bed maisonette with garden and terrace in Earlsfield for £750k.

I agree Kew/Barnes/Richmond etc are very nice but I’m actually not sure she’d get a 3 bed with garden close to the station under £800k?

Blackheath - round corner from station, couldn't be a posher area

In catchment for state John Ball primary

Yes, the house is not gorgeous- it's a little close surrounded by big fancy period properties but it does have off road parking and it's own garden (and you didn't want a big period flat)

do you have any work constraints or school constraints? is there anywhere in zone 1 that you need to commute to?

I think crouch end is out of your budget unfortunately. The other areas (especially Brentford) are quite far out and definitely not city living, but if you like them then there are further out places you can get into the city a lot quicker, which might be more up your street if you prefer somewhere quiet. Have you thought about Broxbourne, Roydon, etc (they might be slightly over budget, but there are places nearby? Chingford and Highams Park also fit your description and are in London, only 20mins to the city. If you like the city, then I think you’re better off being NE, E, or SE. You could probably also afford Lewisham.

Colliers Wood is nice - some local coffee shops, independent restaurants, a library, active community organisations, near the tube and also near Tooting which also has a lot going on. Easy bus to Wimbledon, overground train from Tooting.

Ruislip
West Norwood
Streatham SW16 (incl Norbury)
Knights Hill / Gypsy Hill
Maybe Crystal Palace

Denmark Hill

SE London, especially Sydenham and Forest Hill. Safe areas, very mixed residential (ie all life stages). Zone 3, good train & Overground service for getting into central London. Buses if you want to go further afield locally (eg Crystal Palace, Lewisham, Bromley, Croydon).

I think your plan of exploring areas is wise. Everywhere has its pros and cons.

If you’re not confined to school requirements, your options increase a lot.

That said, my biased opinion is you can’t do better for value, outdoor space, access to central London etc than SW London - Southfields, Earlsfield (these have the benefit of Wandsworth’s lower council tax!), Raynes Park, Wimbledon, lower Morden.

Good luck 😊

Harringay? www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/map.html?locationIdentifier=OUTCODE%5E1682&minBedrooms=3&maxPrice=800000&numberOfPropertiesPerPage=299&radius=1.0&propertyTypes=&viewType=MAP&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&viewport=-0.118038%2C-0.0858517%2C51.5629%2C51.5897&keywords=

Take a look at travel times in - transport links (esp tube) f

Sorry - cut off - far better north of the river.

If you go for an outer London place with a really good tube line into central e.g central line or northern line then you get more for your money and the actual time to access zone one stuff can be similar to living in zone 2

I’ve lived in every quadarant and personally I’d say east or north are better

Where will you need to commute to? That should be your starting point for where you look since having multiple changes is a bugger and adds loads of commuting time.

Thanks for all these suggestions. I did look at Kew, Barnes and Chiswick on RightMove. I think they are right at the edge of my budget, so not sure how realistic, but I really like those areas. I've never been to Blackheath or Earlsfield - will look at those two and Twickenham.

I mostly wfh, but currently 1 or 2 days in Westminster. I like going to museums, concerts, theatre etc, so want easy access to Westminster/West End/Southbank without big journey home.

Thankfully I don't need to worry about schools any longer - I'm planning to move as soon as youngest leaves school, but want the bedrooms so that my dcs can live here/visit when they want. I want somewhere that will suit me into retirement (I'm 57), but a friend did mention that areas with good schools tend to also be safer at night, have good local services, etc, which are things I'd like!

Forgot to say, also Haringay is an area I don't know - will check it out. And thanks for the suggestions about checking tube journey times rather than distances.

Twickenham's got nicer recently (more flats going up, new station) but the rugby crowds are intense.
I think Earlsfield ticks more boxes.

Another big vote for Earlsfield.

I can’t believe no one has mentioned North Chingford or Highams Park! North East London, villagey feel, edge of the forest, plenty of amenities and lots of houses in that range.

@MondayYogurt

Twickenham's got nicer recently (more flats going up, new station) but the rugby crowds are intense. I think Earlsfield ticks more boxes.

I've twice lived close to big football grounds so I don't think this would bother me - I'm used to having the fixtures stuck on the fridge and avoiding being out and about at those times. I haven't been to Twickenham for about 12 years, so will go and have a look. Also looking forward to checking out Earlsfield with so many recommendations!

And thanks to anyone whose suggestions I haven't mentioned - I am making a list of every single one, then will do as pps have suggested and check journey times, look on RightMove to see what's available and go and visit ones which seem to tick my boxes.

What about Raynes Park, New Malden, Worcester Park area

Definitely go and check out Blackheath- just couldn't be a nicer area, loads going on - Blackheath halls is 2 minutes from that house, as is the village itself

The train station is 5 minutes walk - trains to Charing Cross in 19 minutes