Clapham/Balham/Brixton

[Fibrepills]

Hello Mumsnetters,

thought you might be able to help. Dd is moving to London with her girlfriend. They’re going to be young professionals. They have looked around lots of London and like the feel of Clapham the most. Young people and going on. they’re looking to establish some friends etc

They really loved Clapham old town I think, but it’s out of budget. From speaking to local agents apparently flats are going for above rental asking prices.
They looked at Stockwell and that seemed fine. Balham is meant to be ok? And Brixton?

They have a budget of around £1600 before bills. They only want a one bed, but need somewhere decent as dd is going to be working from home.

Any ideas of areas?

I think they should look in Tooting, but no idea of prices anymore tbh.

Clapham is full of young professionals who have a very lively nightlife. DD says everyone continues to pretend they are at university and she wouldn’t buy her first flat there. She felt she was too mature to live there! At 26. So if they want a lively nightlife (not sure it’s entirely recovered) and a common that’s rammed on summer weekends, it’s a good place to go. DD lived there with friends for a bit before her flat was vacant.

Stockwell isn’t quite the same and should be cheaper. We know a young man from our village who’s been in Brixton for years. It’s got a different vibe from Clapham but he’s happy there. More comp school, less independent school if you get the drift. It also should be cheaper. Balham is good too and a DD of a friend lives in Tooting. Clapham is the cream of the crop though for young people with good jobs snd spare money.

Clapham will always have properties that walk out of the door! It’s an absolute honeypot for young people. They could maybe look at Wandsworth. It’s close. They won’t have difficulty meeting similar aged people in Clapham. That’s why they are all there!

Brixton or Clapham North. Really lovely, vibrant place to live for a young professional. Less going on in Stockwell, but it's not far from Clapham.

I was in between Brixton / Clap North / Stockwell in my late 20's and loved it. Loads on my doorstep. Easy to get into town etc.

I’d actually go between Clapham and Brixton as the Northern line is a nightmare to get on (busy) so being walking distance to Brixton (Victoria line) is better.

I lives in that area in my early 20s and loved it. Mostly I lived in sw2 technically in Brixton which made it cheaper but actually I was equidistant from Clapham North and Brixton tubes as between the two. Really convenient.

And yes Brixton tube is far better in the mornings

It's been a few years since I got the morning northern line but you struggled to get on at Clapham Common or north.
But plenty would get a bus to Brixton from clapham and get on there.

And Clapham North is near the overground train to east London.

Tooting popular with the students at st George hospital.

Balham is lovely but maybe a little quieter for a young couple. I doubt it's much cheaper than Clapham though. As others have said north Clapham/ brixton would be a good choice. You can get to buzzing brixton or leafy Clapham easily.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123247412

Brixton Hill is lovely, as is Herne Hill - clise to Brockwell Park.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123197669

If they want to go further south Earlsfield is popular with young couples. www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123192944

???? @Frazzled2207 @burnoutbabe They are working from home!

Look at My London “15 Things guaranteed to happen on a night out in Clapham”. Pretty accurate!

@TaraRhu
Have you been been to Clapham on a Saturday night? Leafy isn’t what young people want I can assure you! It’s party central.

I grew up in the area & Clapham is a a total cliche. Does anyone ever move to London after uni & not move to Clapham? 😆 Balham is less studenty. Brixton & Tooting cooler with more stuff for younger people I would say.

Clapham and Brixton are both fun for new grads but expensive these days (though I would have thought £1600 for a 1 bed was doable but yes definitely not in the old town!). Balham is a bit older generally, more mid-late 20s plus, and also getting expensive. Stockwell is a very different vibe and I suspect they might find it dull. Tooting should be more affordable and is more buzzy.

Well the op daughters is working from home but I assume girlfriend is not, hence the tube comments.

And most working from home will taper off soon, particularly for young professionals who really don't learn well stuck in own bedroom. (Ie lawyers, etc)

Ah, happy memories! Yeah anywhere along Acre Lane between Brixton and Clapham North is the dream tbh as it gives you northern line and Victoria. I love Balham but we decamped there at 27+, post Uni was all about SW2 & SW4.

I live in Clapham.

They will definitely find something on spareroom (whole flat to them self) at budget or even under budget. I have seen quite a few on there in the past.

I am 25 by the way and love Clapham and often go out parting or to the many restaurants. I love
going to the common in summer

3 in/around Clapham Balham

@Pebblee
Everywhere gets let pretty quickly though. You have to be quick snd make friends with the agents! Also the underground isn’t as busy as it was. Anywhere.

I agree that working from home isn’t great. My DD had to do it (and is a lawyer) and even in a 2 bed flat if was hard. She had been used to travelling to courts all over the place and working from home was challenging. A one bed flat will be claustrophobic but I guess some jobs won’t ever go back to offices.

Any of those would be absolutely fine - i lived in Stockwell for nearly 5 years before i bought my house and moved to zone 3. I liked it because it was cheaper than Clapham and Brixton but you could walk to both in 10mins. Also, the tube is much easier to get on at Stockwell than Clapham as people change between lines.

A pret is also about to open in Stockwell - a sure sign its on the way up! 🤣

We had a very nice few years in a flat in a converted victorian terrace. There are loads around that area.

We now live down past Tooting, which is also a good shout, but does add a bit onto the commute. But you could prob get a 2 bed, which would be a 100000x better if DD is wfh all week. Working in a lounge / diner / bedroom gets old very quickly. Its great having even a box room that you can shut the door on a friday and not open until mon.

DD looked at Stockwell. We thought it was very limited regarding what to do in spare time. There was a powered go cart track near the flat she considered buying. In a converted school I think. However DD moved into what is now Zone 1. Although it has everything it doesn’t have the same vibe as Clapham. But she didn’t want that and wanted an easier commute to mainline stations and chambers. Young people with spare money do like Clapham though!

They should find something in Clapham for their budget. Someone I know has just signed a lease for a 2.5 bed (.5 bed being mezzanine being used as an office) for £2000 on the High St.

@TizerorFizz i just meant Clapham is a different scene from brixton really. I just moved fro Clapham after ten years near abbeville road. It also depends where you are. Clapham high street is carnage on Saturday night I agree. Elsewhere is quieter and it’s mummy central midweek. Brixton is far cooler. I actually wish we lived there when younger. Now moved out to Streatham.

Has Stockwell massively changed? I'm from south London and Stockwell was a literal no go area. Don't get me wrong, I still wen there. Had a gun pulled once a knife another, cleared a club out a guy bringing a knife onto the dance floor of The Swan (probably not there anymore). Guy threatened to kill us outside my friend's council flat. Someone tried to grab me into an alleyway as a teen. Stockwell Park School just a breeding ground for criminals. Stockwell Park Estate gangland.

The Swan is still there

It's much safer @noborisno but like anything will still be some dodgy pockets.