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.

@HundredMilesAnHour Calm down hun.
It was just a suggestion and there's not much on the market atm anyway.
Her current house will most probably appreciate more than a flat, so relatively speaking, she may have more than the current 800 she has to play with.
It's good to keep an open mind.

[quote dewl]@HundredMilesAnHour Calm down hun.
It was just a suggestion and there's not much on the market atm anyway.
Her current house will most probably appreciate more than a flat, so relatively speaking, she may have more than the current 800 she has to play with.
It's good to keep an open mind.[/quote]
No need to be patronising when you're just plain wrong. Perhaps just check your facts first so you don't give bad advice. Perhaps the OP can stand in her living room and use an open mind to imagine she's got some outdoor space?

[quote CourtRand]@NotAnotherUserNumber only £50k more though

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/71423523[/quote]
I have considered viewing that, but the rooms are so narrow, I think it would feel quite claustrophobic and be hard to furnish.

@HundredMilesAnHour Bad advice 😂

OP, do not ever consider Highgate.

@NotAnotherUserNumber - waving to a neighbour..

OP - Some suggestions within OK walks from tube stations

Kennington
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115175075#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119066381#/?channel=RES_BUY

Stockwell - downside it is on the main road

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119279525#/?channel=RES_BUY

Pimlico - again on the main road but you get a river view

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115347416#/?channel=RES_BUY

Vauxhall

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/116242364#/?channel=RES_BUY

quieter location
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118464383#/?channel=RES_BUY

Clapham/Abbeville village

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113462147#/?channel=RES_BUY

If you could push the budget slightly this house is in one of the nicest conservation areas in South London with a fantastic residents association (organise camp outs in the private garden square etc)

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/71423523#/?channel=RES_BUY

@londonmummy1966
Thank you for the suggestions. Unfortunately none of those except the last one have a garden and that is one of the main reasons I want to move. I mentioned above that I have considered the Durand Gardens place but concluded that the rooms are just too narrow.

I do love this area, so I am not keen to move away, but it is super hard to find a nice place with a garden around here. Currently trying to think of a way to up our income to make it more feasible.

Maybe I will win the lottery and buy one of the typical Durand Gardens homes. This is my totally unrealistic fantasy dream
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/120340511#/?channel=RES_BUY

How about Willesden? Park Avenue, London NW2
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-119075420.html

I would definitely try to be on the tube if you want to get into central London easily.

I would look a bit further out with good transport links, you may be out to museums etc in the first few months of retirement but surely it won't be more than once or twice a month when the novelty has worn off?

Based on the older people I know in London, this is really terrible advice. My MIL lived in Islington in retirement and loved it - walking everywhere, galleries, events, plays. London is a great place to retire as there is so much happening and lots of it is free! Honestly you could fill a lifetime and not see everything.

Obviously if OP isn’t interested in galleries, she won’t go much, but given that she’s said she is interested, she probably will.

I suspect we all bring our own preferences to a thread like this- I’m planning to buy a shoebox in zone 1 when I retire so I can be right in the middle of everything .

@PrimroseTheSmooth

I would look a bit further out with good transport links, you may be out to museums etc in the first few months of retirement but surely it won't be more than once or twice a month when the novelty has worn off?

Based on the older people I know in London, this is really terrible advice. My MIL lived in Islington in retirement and loved it - walking everywhere, galleries, events, plays. London is a great place to retire as there is so much happening and lots of it is free! Honestly you could fill a lifetime and not see everything.

Obviously if OP isn’t interested in galleries, she won’t go much, but given that she’s said she is interested, she probably will.

I suspect we all bring our own preferences to a thread like this- I’m planning to buy a shoebox in zone 1 when I retire so I can be right in the middle of everything .

Agree. I am just waiting for someone to suggest Bromley or Beckenham!

I did a similar move to you. Also have 2 dc at university and I'm in my 50s.

Big difference is I needed a parking space and didn't want to compromise on that (having never had one before!). Also wanted a garden.

I spent a lot of time looking at Ealing - with crossrail it will have excellent transport links (you can be at Bond Street in minutes), connected to Heathrow and can cross the whole of London easily but I just couldn't find a house in a location that I was happy with. I would also look at Clapham/Wandsworth though you may need to be happy with the train rather than the tube.

Couldn't find anything in Wimbledon surrounds (Southfields/Colliers Wood/Wimbledon itself).

There's a fair amount in the areas around Richmond - I didn't want to go further south/west than that. Also look at places near Gunnersbury tube.

Good luck!

In your place, I'd pick somewhere which is on a direct tube/train line for your work and is a 'place' in its own right, with lots of shops, cafes and plenty going on. And lots of groups to join to make local friends.

Putney/East Putney might be good - fairly central, leafy, safe (though the High Street is very congested these days). Direct train to Waterloo and East Putney tube (District line) direct to Westminster. You'd probably be able to find something that meets most of your criteria for £800k:

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/60795486/

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/60721787/

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/59860931/

But only one of those properties is within the OP's budget!

Agree. I am just waiting for someone to suggest Bromley or Beckenham!

Beckenham’s already been suggested, and all its surrounding bits!

Surbiton? 15 min train into Waterloo. Walking distance to all the shops you could need in Kingston but still has a high st of it's own. Good restaurants, pubs, cafes.
Close to the river and not far from places like Hampton Court palace, Bushy Park and Richmond park if you wanted outside but not countryside.

[quote Gonnagetgoing]@BovineJuice - I agree with you re Penge. Not sure it’d be my preferred place but the high street nearer CP station has got better with a refill eco store, Craft beer bar and even the other end of the high street is gradually getting better. I prefer Clock House or Kent House myself which are much the same with cafes/shops etc. Clock House just wins for me just past station (where Shotsmiths cafe is) but don’t discount streets near Cator Park.[/quote]
Totally love Clock House and Kent House so not talking about them (though Cator is above £800k I suspect). It depends on what the OP wants.

Transport: I have within Kent House (6 mins) , New Beckenham (9 mins), Penge West (14 mins) and Sydenham (17 mins) within walking distance. That's a lot of different connections into London, Croydon, Bromley, etc. Plus numerous buses and a night bus.

I also have Penge High Street (6 mins) and Sydenham High Street (11 mins) for shopping within walking distance.

Craft brewery taprooms, gastropubs and bars: the Alex (5 mins), Goldsmiths (7 mins), Southey (7 mins), Craft Metropolis (10 mins), Dolphin (12 mins), Br3wery (8 mins), Bridge House (13 mins), 3 Hounds (18 mins)...

Loads of cafes and restaurants...

All to live in a 3 bed Victorian house with front drive and back garden for under price the OP has. I also still feel like I live in London rather than Beckenham's fake tanned geezer/WAG lands.

Many people are suggesting random places or suggesting they are somewhere they are not. No point suggesting East Dulwich and then points at a flat in Honor Oak...

@Doodar

I would look a bit further out with good transport links, you may be out to museums etc in the first few months of retirement but surely it won't be more than once or twice a month when the novelty has worn off? Maybe travel abroad more or other places in the UK. Theres only so many to see. I'm a SAHM with teen kids, nothing to tie me down, pop to the theatre once every 3 months, exhibitions, 4-5 times a year.

I don't think the 'novelty' of something that's been my main hobby for 40 years is going to wear off any time soon. There really are different things to see every single day of the year.

If I only wanted to go to something every few weeks, it would be cheaper to live in another part of the country and visit London for a couple of days every so often. That's great if that's what suits you, but really not the kind of life I want.

@passionfruitpizza

Surbiton? 15 min train into Waterloo. Walking distance to all the shops you could need in Kingston but still has a high st of it's own. Good restaurants, pubs, cafes. Close to the river and not far from places like Hampton Court palace, Bushy Park and Richmond park if you wanted outside but not countryside.

@passionfruitpizza - I'm sure I mentioned this a page or two into this thread but a friend has just bought a 3 bed house (not sure price) in Surbiton and she's just turned 50 for her and her 20 year old DD.

She's very happy with the area, has her own business and DD at college. It also has good train links which are essential for her work plus her DM is on south coast.

Anywhere east of Stratford on the central line

@PrimroseTheSmooth

I would look a bit further out with good transport links, you may be out to museums etc in the first few months of retirement but surely it won't be more than once or twice a month when the novelty has worn off?

Based on the older people I know in London, this is really terrible advice. My MIL lived in Islington in retirement and loved it - walking everywhere, galleries, events, plays. London is a great place to retire as there is so much happening and lots of it is free! Honestly you could fill a lifetime and not see everything.

Obviously if OP isn’t interested in galleries, she won’t go much, but given that she’s said she is interested, she probably will.

I suspect we all bring our own preferences to a thread like this- I’m planning to buy a shoebox in zone 1 when I retire so I can be right in the middle of everything .

I agree.

@elementalprimary Based on your requirements and desires I think you could aim for zone 2.
However you may have to make some compromises to be this close into central.

You can get a period conversion flat in quite a lot of zone 2 for £800k but I think you might either have to accept no garden, reconsider if you definitely need 3 proper bedrooms or accept somewhere with quite a few flaws.

If you are happy with an ex-council property (although be careful with this if it is leasehold as it reduces your rights) you will have a few more options, but might have more work to do on the property. Also be aware that different estates can have very different vibes. Some are lovely communities… some… less so…

For zone 2, if you want reasonable transport options the north east or east seems to be a bit cheaper. Eg. Finsbury Park, Manor House, parts of Hackney etc.

Alternatively, if you are happy to go more suburban you should be able to buy a 3 bed terrace house with a garden in zone 3 or zone 4. Although at your budget it may needs some work done or have flaws.
Places like Nunhead, Norwood, Streatham in the South or Harringay on the North may work.

Eg. www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119802770#/?channel=RES_BUY

@BovineJuice

Many people are suggesting random places or suggesting they are somewhere they are not. No point suggesting East Dulwich and then points at a flat in Honor Oak...

Was that to me? All the links I provided were East Dulwich flats.

@doubleraspberry - you are an example, yes. But it apples to all naming expensive areas that don't realistically have property under £800k. It's just not helpful for the OP.

I think you might have to compromise on one of your wishes. Clearly a safe area is the main thing for you, followed by 3 bedrooms so your sons can visit/live. I reckon you need to choose between being near town and a private garden/outside space. I looked on right move in Hampstead for flats with communal gardens and you can buy one for under 800k but there are other areas like putney etc where you can probably do the same. Otherwise further out like Beckenham etc - but these do not feel like Central London. I'm a SE Londoner and love it, and live in a 4 bed with a garden worth less than 800k. It os great as a family with kids at school - but it does not feel like I'm in the middle of town by a long stretch (and doesn't have that soft sort of refined feeling you get in those posher places).

Hanwell (w7). Example: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/60423174?utmsource=v1:5bWFDybfWx7C7AGpeagt7mP3PgcqjuqJ&utmm_medium=api

Nearest stn to this is Castlebar which goes into Paddington. However, circa 1 mile is Hanwell station which is on the crossrail
Route which is due to open later this year.

[quote BovineJuice]@doubleraspberry - you are an example, yes. But it apples to all naming expensive areas that don't realistically have property under £800k. It's just not helpful for the OP.[/quote]
But all the links I gave WERE to East Dulwich flats, and there are plenty there for £800k and under. The OP doesn't want a family house - there are some lovely flats for that price.