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.

Muswell Hill is another good place to look. A few fab flats come up in your budget when I look.

It strikes me that you'll get way more for your money if you stay away from popular catchment areas.

I like East Finchley too - you could get a cottage for your money there.

Have you considered Acton? It's zone 3, with lots of transport options. Some bits are horrible, but there are also some lovely areas. I live in a conservation area near Acton Town tube and it's incredibly quiet and feels very safe to me (and my flat has a garden). Also worth looking at the bit known as Poets' Corner (various roads called after poets) and other naice spots.

Depending on where you are, the tubes are either Piccadilly/District or Central. From Acton Town, it's 20 minutes to Piccadilly Circus.

I'd go for something like this in Hornsey - closer to beautiful Ally Pally and grounds, walking distance to crouch end, muswell hill. Trains to central from Hornsey/Ally Pally or bus to Finsbury Park or Turnpike Lane. Lovely safe community feel!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119209589#/floorplan?activePlan=1&channel=RES_BUY

@BovineJuice - I agree with you about one of Forest Hills high streets - the one with Sainsbury’s on is depressing but the other high street is better with nicer shops, cafes etc and Forest Hill pools. The road leading up from Kirkdale has some nice shops at the top end near Sydenham Wells Park. I do shudder when I drive down past the station going towards Catford though!

@mdh2020

You need to bear in mind that a day’s travel on tube/bus is over £9 per day from the edges of London but capped at something like £53 per week. Fares can add quite a lot to the cost of a day out. You should also think about being in the zone for a Freedom Pass when you get older (66 I think now) which covers bus and tube.

Pretty sure over 60s still get free travel in London, so I should get that soon after moving, but I'm currently paying from outer London, so anywhere I move will be cheaper.

I personally think, give it maybe a year or so and maybe prices will drop but I could be totally wrong

It will be a couple of years - I'm researching ready to move when my youngest leaves school. So I will just have to see what happens as I can't move before then.

Whether the buyer is happy with a flat or communal garden is not clear but with the info provided

I'd really like a private garden or outside space of some kind - terrace/yard would do, but ideally not shared.

Thanks for all the new suggestions - will definitely look at all of them.

You get an Oyster 60+ card - £20 for the card then free travel for everything except river services which are half price. Then £10 each year to renew it up til retirement when you get the Freedom Pass. Such a fab thing.

Highgate
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/116521034#/?channel=RES_BUY

Chislehurst

Bromley south. 15 mins to Victoria and orpington (under 20min to London Bridge)

Norwood junction - 10 mins direct to London Bridge

[quote ScribblingPixie]Highgate
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/116521034#/?channel=RES_BUY[/quote]
I'd love to live in Highgate, but I need 3 bedrooms and couldn't afford to refurb on top of the 800k. I've been thinking I might trade a garden for a large balcony, but even so I think realistically this area is out of my budget.

I don't think it's 100 per cent out of your budget - flats aren't necessarily getting their asking prices - though obviously there aren't bargains. I'd keep an eye on the Shepherd's Hill area which has purpose-built blocks with big balconies in between the houses all the way up from Crouch End (WWII bomb sites). The top is where Highgate tube and Alexandra Palace and Highgate Woods are nearby. it's nice and leafy but you can be at the South Bank in 30 mins.

Thanks @ScribblingPixie - I'll look at Shepherd's Hill. Once I've got a shortlist of places I really like, I will keep an eye on prices and availability to see what's realistic.

This one is an example of a more affordable block on the hill. I'm not as obsessed with your hunt as I appear ;) . My friend is looking here so we've viewed a lot. You won't do better than this sort of price unless it's ex local authority.
www.kfh.co.uk/north-london/highgate/n6/flats-for-sale/2221840/

Shepherd's Hill is great for the tube as well and easily walkable to Crouch End, Highgate village, Hampstead Heath etc.

[quote londonmummy1966]@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[/quote]
I used to live on Hambalt Road in Clapham and it is just the loveliest street. The little roof terraces are gorgeous and it have an amazing little high street plus the common plus Northern line 7 mins walk away.

My DH plans to retire back to those maisonette flats when he is old. They are great (although victorian housing stock so you know! can be money pits if not recently refurbished)

Petts Wood sounds like a perfect match for you, good rail links to London and in an out or Borough but also good to explore Kent and Sussex countryside. 3 bed semi with garden typically 700k ish. Very safe, lots of amenities, clubs and societies but no nightclubs

Wanstead. Great villagey feel with lots to do but easily accessible by tube. You’re well within budget. www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/120237335#/?channel=RES_BUY

@PettsWoodParadise

Petts Wood sounds like a perfect match for you, good rail links to London and in an out or Borough but also good to explore Kent and Sussex countryside. 3 bed semi with garden typically 700k ish. Very safe, lots of amenities, clubs and societies but no nightclubs

Some of the suggestions in this thread are crazy. The OP has stated that she would live in Zone 1 if she could and doesn't want to be on the outskirts! With a budget of 800k you can easily get somewhere within zone 2-3 and actually feel like you live in London.

@PettsWoodParadise

Petts Wood sounds like a perfect match for you, good rail links to London and in an out or Borough but also good to explore Kent and Sussex countryside. 3 bed semi with garden typically 700k ish. Very safe, lots of amenities, clubs and societies but no nightclubs

This is not very far from where I currently live and the same kind of distance out. I don't dislike where I live, but it doesn't suit the kind of life I'd like, with easy access to cultural facilities in central London, and I don't have a car, so it's not really practical to explore the countryside.

I'm currently around 35-40 mins train journey to central London and I'd like to cut that to 20 mins if possible.

A few people have suggested places on the Elizabeth Line - Hanwell, Acton, etc, which look promising. Does anyone know if tfl have published the expected journey times from those places to the central London stations?

I think they are still trialling it all, however this gives an indication OP

metro.co.uk/2022/01/30/elizabeth-line-journey-times-how-long-will-it-take-to-travel-across-london-16012219/amp/

They used to have a journey planner on their website <a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210717114258/www.crossrail.co.uk/route/stations/paddington/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20210717114258/www.crossrail.co.uk/route/stations/paddington/ but I presume they're currently refining it. You should also note that not all stations get a tube like frequency.

@elementalprimary - I used to live in west Ealing and was handy for circle and district lines. Acton has got trendier in past few years. I’ve got no idea if west Ealing is on Elizabeth line but if was nice there, more expensive towards the centre of Ealing.

I am in my early 30's and moved to Higham's Park (E4) from Hackney with my partner.
You are 25 minutes to Liverpool Street, or 2 stops to Victoria Line.
It is a beautiful area and the houses you can buy here are insane. I bought a 4 bed, 2 bath, big garden, 1600 sqf, large square rooms, original Edwardian features, for £726k.
The schools are good and there is a real sense of community here. It's the ultimate "urban suburban" spot I think and feels like a village.
It's getting better with things to do, Epping Forest and the park, for one, and there's lovely pubs with great beer gardens, a good, affordable gym and places for food.
It is hard to get houses here because the nice houses don't come up that often and the demand is high, but you could be lucky and I know many that have been. I got mine through posting letters into the letter boxes to all the houses, and got two people saying they'd be willing to sell.
Good luck.