Advice with moving to Chingford area

[Taybz]

Hi,

We're a couple with a young baby and are considering moving to Chingford. We don't know the area well but are considering it as it's sort of a middle point between our families' homes (Islington, Hackney, Enfield). We've seen some lovely houses and shoddy ones too. We're after an area with low crime rate, close to great schools and plenty of amenities.

If anyone could share what it's currently like living around there that would be great! Are there specific neighbourhoods we should avoid? Also, are there other potential close by areas we could consider? We're looking for a 3 bed with a budget of 550ish K.

Don’t do it. But taste is personal.

You can buy my house

North Chingford is v nice but more pricey and on the train line. Nice cafes/restaurants round there and of course Epping Forest is a treat. All the area is fine really, Chingford Mount itself is a bit run down but residential roads very nearby are totally fine. It can be a bit little Englander if you are used to inner London but probably no more so than many other places. Lots of buses but the roads can be a bit problematic. Primary schools are fine and secondary state are mostly decent nearby too.

Friends in N Chingford..near the forest....very happy there...shops near the station and the train etc.....The South is cheaper...from billet roundabout....lots of 30's houses....you could think also about highams park...tho prices have gone up a lot there due to people cashing in from walthamstow etc.

There's quite a bit on RM at the moment within your budget. As pp has said N. Chingford nice and lots of access to Epping Forest which is vast and very nice. I can see the forest from my back garden and walk to it and a nature reserve within 30 seconds which is great with 2 young DS.

It is down to personal taste as someone else mentioned. Not for everyone. My DH was born and raised in Chingford and property was cheaper and greener than buying in the bit of S. London that I'm from.

Good luck.

Also used to live in Highams Park which was also very nice. But more pricey but lots of cafes and restaurants and local amenities.

Highams park is lovely but not much comes up there and more expensive. I’d upsize there if we could but we can’t get the right thing. For your size you might be in luck though!

Think 3 beds in HP a push at that budget. Not impossible though. We own one of the new builds there with small gardens and even that's nearing 600k.

Thanks everyone! It's sounds like North Chingford and Higham's Park are the better options. Does anyone know about neighbouring areas like Woodford? Would it be a better option?
@Thoosa interested to know why you say don't do it! Any horror stories to share? 😀
@Alexahelp are you selling?

Consider the “villages” on the central line too. From Epping to Southwoodford. Search postcodes: E18, IG8, IG9, IG10, CM16.

I think Woodford is a touch cheaper..especially South Woodford. We live in Walthamstow. i agree that Higham's Park is nice, but not much comes up for sale there.

There's this in Woodford. Also quite a bit in Chingford for your budget. There are also a couple of houses in Walthamstow in your budget too...and Walthamstow is a fantastic place to live. We sold a 2 bedroomed terraced in Walthamstow for £475,000 last year. So it's worth keeping an eye open.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E85302&maxPrice=550000&propertyTypes=&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=

It’s just grim, and surrounded by better, greener, areas. I realise budget is a constraint, but @Empressofthemundane is making good suggestions.

@Taybz

Thanks everyone! It's sounds like North Chingford and Higham's Park are the better options. Does anyone know about neighbouring areas like Woodford? Would it be a better option? *@Thoosa* interested to know why you say don't do it! Any horror stories to share? 😀 *@Alexahelp* are you selling?

i think s woodford dearer than chingford.....waitrose...m and s etc......also parts of woodford are very pricey..monkhams estate etc...big 30's houses....s woodford has smaller victorian terraces but holds its money.

Loughton, IG10, might be better value.

Very safe, good high street.

@Empressofthemundane

Loughton, IG10, might be better value.

Very safe, good high street.

And there's a Wimpy Bar :)

Great suggestions @Empressofthemundane. Unfortunately Loughton is too far out for our requirements.

Re: Walthamstow - has its reputation changed ? I know there are some lovely houses but I've heard of nothing but gang violence there. Is this not the case anymore?

Re: Woodford, is there are a nice part and an unpleasant part like Chingford? Also are the houses bigger than say Palmers Green and Finchley? They were other areas we were considering but nothing took our fancy so far and also budget issues in some cases.

Woodford Green/South Woodford/Woodford Bridge all have their own distinct character but they’re all perfectly pleasant.

Walthamstow is mixed but has gentrified a lot.

I’m really surprised to see a PP suggest S Woodford is more affordable than Chingford. I really don’t think it is! People priced out of Wanstead seem to be buying in large numbers in S Woodford. Woodford is also pretty pricey, especially Woodford Green side which has better access to the tube. Woodford Bridge is more affordable but not as nice.

All the way up the central line from South Woodford to Epping, the “nicer” neighbourhoods are west of the tube line.

I've lived in Walthamstow for 35 years and never had a hint of trouble. It has definitely gentrified a lot. It's all micro breweries and artisan bakers these days. I love it. Amazing transport links too, with the Victoria Line and the overground into Liverpool Street.
We moved in January and I thought we might get priced out of Walthamstow but we managed to stay.

I can recommend Walthamstow too, if you can find something in budget.

Walthamstow has a very different vibe to Highams Park and Chingford, which are quieter, more laid back and closer to the forest. Chingford is quite white and the constituency unfortunately has IDS at the helm, but with the influx of families from walthamstow and Hackney that is changing fast. I personally am not a fan of Walthamstow as it has the much fabled "village" area which is where all the white middle class people live, and then the rest of it which is much more diverse but also noisy and busy. HP is lovely, but beware of school catchments- with the demographic shift there are now black spots where when if you live 5 mins away from you local primary, you might end up having to travel down to walthamstow or up towards Chingford

I’m ‘white middle classed’ and don’t live in the village. My road is also nice and quiet

@Howeverdoyouneedme yes that was a bit of a generalisation, but it can be a bit of a culture shock walking from the village to selborne walk!

@Taybz

Thanks everyone! It's sounds like North Chingford and Higham's Park are the better options. Does anyone know about neighbouring areas like Woodford? Would it be a better option? *@Thoosa* interested to know why you say don't do it! Any horror stories to share? 😀 *@Alexahelp* are you selling?

Ha yes - although not on the market for a couple of weeks! We’re north of Chingford Mount.

The neighbourhoods up the central line are again, nice but a sniff of the tube and the price goes up. Which is how we ended up here, it was very affordable without being rough.

I love Walthamstow but also have a young child and wouldn’t choose there now, too crowded for this stage of life for me.

you wont get a 3 bed in HP with your budget or better parts walthamstow....we are in walthamstow village...paid 64k..selling up next year for about 750- 800k easy....small 3 bed terrace..... the dodgy part of chingford is chingford hall estate...also there is a council estate in woodford...no idea how it is etc or if its dodgy....avoid james st in walthamstow...cheaper but plagued by dealers and mugging around the station....higham hill is cheaper and now safe area...used to be bad.