Where to buy a house in London with a 575k budget?

[bluebellwoods9]

Hello I would be so very appreciative of any suggestions!
My boyfriend (26yrs) and I (29 yrs) are looking to buy our first home in London, I am from Stoke Newington but have been very much priced out!
We are looking for a 2 bed house with a good size garden (I have a side business making homewares so would need to build a studio in the garden & I love gardening!) but we're struggling to find areas we like within our budget. Ideally we want a period house. We would be so happy to take on a house that needs work.

Friends of mine that have grown up in Stoke Newington all seem to be buying in Tottenham... but I personally can't stand totts! Feels too hectic and not particularly green/pretty.
My dream area since I was a little girl was Muswell Hill, I think what I like is the gentle pace, tree lined streets and village feel. I also love the feel of ally pally. (maybe when we are 40 we might be able to afford!!)

Areas we have been looking at are:
Highams Park (but I think we have been priced out unfortunately),
Manor Park conservation area (If you go out the conservation area its very affordable but not so nice)
Palmers Green (visited today and loved all the Georgian houses but they all begin at 700k apart from the auction house we visited which we had to be careful about where we stepped because of the risk falling through the floor haha! we will try for it just encase we get lucky).
Wood Green - I have seen some houses that are in our price range.
Leyton - I feel this area is really going to go up in value as it would be natural progression from surrounding areas, but Leyton doesn't seem to have good size gardens in our price range.

Although we are youngish we are not fussed about being in a young trendy area, I don't like pretentious feeling areas. Walthamstow feels a bit too trendy for me I am afraid.. (I say this and I know I am one of those trendy types but would like somewhere that feels comfortable & down to earth).
Would love an area where there's a nice community feel that I can get involved with. My partner likes mountain biking in Epping forest, I did have a look around Chingford but it felt a little suburban to me... maybe I'll have to go again. We still want the London feel so not too suburban.
We looked at Eastham (central park estate area) as its affordable but we just didn't like the feel of the area unfortunately.
We haven't been looking at South London as I think it will be too much of a change of what we are used to.

Any suggestions of areas that might be within our price point? any areas that may not have a good reputation but have pockets of beautiful houses and are friendly neighbourhoods?

I know Dalston well, it's great in parts and definitely very lively! Changed so so much over the years, I remember back when I was away at uni every time I would come home Dalston would seem so different. Unfortunately I'm looking for a house with a good size garden so Dalston won't be in my price range! Thank you so much for sending this, really kind of you :)

You know what, I think I know what you mean. Enfield is London lite for people who want to move to London and try it out without experiencing any of the real London. It’s never really been lo

@IrisVersicolor I hadn't ever considered those areas as they are quite far from the areas I know/spend time in, will have a look into it - 20 min on the tube is very quick though. Thank you for bringing to my attention and thank you for sending, certainly get the kind of garden I am after with those properties you sent!

Posted too soon, I came to Enfield (don’t live there now) from Tottenham and I would move to Palmers Green in a shot.

Second what other posters have said, 575k is a good budget for 2 bed in Highams Park! The issue is more that houses come up relatively infrequently, people tend to move here and then stay because it's so nice! But if you want green space with great links to London and a few nice cafés then it's got that. Chingford Mount is bit grubby and no station so transport links are poor.

@Jealousofchiliheeler ahh I'm so glad you're all saying this! I have noticed barely any houses come to market for 575 in HP - I just assumed it is because our budget is too low.
There was an auction house we went for on Silverdale road but missed out on it, there was so much competition for it and went for so much more than we expected despite the amount of work that was needed! Yes I just loved how Highams Park felt a bit out of the way, although still quick to get to places - felt very peaceful and relaxed. Well we can only hope!!

@bluebellwoods9 the transport is great in HP, into Liverpool St or you can get the tube at Wstow central. If you’re thinking of a family in the future it’s a great place for it. You’d also not be too far from where you are currently.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/122401979#/?channel=RES_BUY
this is North Chingford, it’s a nice road. It’s a bit over your budget but has been on for a while so you could negotiate.

Don't know London really well so have no information on the areas but found these:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123562982#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123662060#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115508111#/?channel=RES_BUY

What about Woodford? You’d be able to get what you are after there. Like this

What about Eltham? It's really green and very close to royal arsenal on the dlr or there's mainline trains

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/122959982

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119109239

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123090122
Last one doesn't have a massive garden but a huge garage you could convert into a workshop

Penge www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123048083

South East London. Loads of parks and brilliant community.

Just to say I'm from a busy part of London but moved to Highams Park when I got married as DH grew up in N Chingford. Lived there for 8 years and lived it.
Bought a 4 bed house in N Chingford a year ago for more space and larger garden for 560k (couldn't get that in HP). Epping Forest 30 seconds from door and nature reserve can be seen from back garden. Easy to get into more lively places if you desire but Station Road has nice eateries. Not villagy like HP but I prefer the space for two DS (6 and 3).

Just came on to put in a word for Tottenham being green - Downhills Park and Lordship Rec together make up an area of green space bigger than Finsbury park with a beautiful mix of formal gardens/lawn bits/ponds and wilder bits. Then at the North end of Lordship Rec you're a short walk from Bruce Castle Park with some amazing ancient trees so in total you can walk a big loop around the 3 parks for well over an hour with barely any time on a street. I would look in the areas around there - lots of nice quiet streets with trees and period houses. There's also the marshes and canal on the East side of Tottenham (although in general Tottenham Hale is v built up and doesn't sound like what you're looking for - but the canal is another area for long walks). You asked about pockets of nice cafes etc - look at Phillip Lane and the West Green Road - Perkyns, Forks and Green, With Milk, Eat Pasero opening soon, Ten to One, Blighty, etc. The main advantage of Tottenham over the other areas mentioned in this thread is it's massively quicker into central London - about 20 minutes to Oxford Circus from Seven Sisters. Do you need to commute? If not, that might be less important.

@theshellhouse Hello, Thanks so much for you message, which is all very helpful! Funnily enough we are always keeping an eye out around Phillips lane - actually I had always considered W Green Road & Downhills park to be more Turnpike Lane rather than tottenham as it is so linked to green lanes.
When i think of tottenham I think of more tottenham hale & bruce grove - friends and people I grew up with have all bought around Bruce grove which I'm not really keen on. Can't say I go down Phillips Lane much so I will check it out, sounds like it has changed a bit. Thank you :)

@theshellhouse * I mean we are always keeping an eyeout around West Green Rd - not Phillips lane, don't really know phillips lane

A nice bit of Enfield?! 😂

@bluebellwoods9

North Wood Green would fit the bill, or Bowes Park, Arnos Grove, New Southgate. All on the tube or overground.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/120104105#/?channel=RES_BUY

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Forest Gate - it's a bit stabby but no more so than other suggestions (especially Tottenham and I grew up there!) and you get all of the benefit of Wanstead Flats without the house prices of Leytonstone/Wanstead. There are enough little cafes/restaurants/pubs to keep you going and with Crossrail finally opening the transport links are pretty good. I reckon you'd get a 2 bed house with a garden easily for £575 if you're willing to buy in one of the less nice parts, slightly further away from the flats.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/122374535

This is under offer and obviously needs renovation but you could do that with the 50k you're saving on the price!

Hi, have you found anything yet? I'm another one for revisiting Eastham E6. That incident was very much a one off.. and the cafe in the park is wonderful! Sourdough bread baked daily! Along with the red lion there's also The Boleyn which is a beautiful pub and The Denmark Arms is now back open. Also the links are great.. jubilee, district and now Elizabeth line all not far away.. and you'll be able to get a house with garden for that money.. and a potential to make a little investment. It does have downsides, it's a heavily populated in a deprived area after all.. but the community is second to none! Look at The Red Door Studios.. lots of cake clubs, community gardens, life drawing classes and mums groups.. tbh it's a bit of a hidden gem so a stroll around might not show these.. Highly recommend to go to Central Park cafe on a Saturday and chat to the locals.The schools are also really good.. the secondary with the most students off to oxbridge.. I've lived here for 9 years and before that lived all over London and this is miles above for community.. as I said depends on if you can overlook the gritty to enjoy the positives :)

I doubt your budget would get you anything around Ridgeway Park in North Chingford. I love the houses on Mansfield Hill. They must have an amazing view of the reservoir.

South Chingford and Chingford Mount are very up an coming. I like Leyton too. I agree with you that it will become a sought after area.

What about Ilford and Chadwell Heath?

Hi @Gabbykat and @Sheenqueen
Thank you for your suggestions! In the end we put in an offer which has just been accepted so in that stressful phase of getting everything in place in time!!
Its a 3 bed house in Leyton with just about a garden big enough to put a studio in. To me in all the areas I've visited Leyton feels most like home - like Hackney back in the day (which is where I'm from).
I got a new job so was able to go quite a bit over budget into the 600s- the house needs everything re-doing - plastering, electrics, knocking down walls! But it will be fun, fingers crossed nothing falls through! Really appreciate everyone's insight in this thread 😀thank you!!!

Leyton, nice parts of leytonstone and walthamstow are now expensive..3 bed wrecks in leyton go for over 700k now.......we live in these areas and own a few properties....so little for sale that prices are stable and not dropping...bank of mum and dad are keeping the prices high here....young couples with kids all moving in....skips everywhere....all spending money on big renovations etc

south chingford is a bit white van man territory....working class that have made money and left walthamstow....the mount has hoodies and weed smoking etc...not much to do there....avoid....north chingford is very different and of course more expensive...attracts teachers etc.....

you might find something around south leytonstone but still rough in parts although changing slowly....but desolate....on way to stratford along the high road....dont like east ham....never have....also manor park....both these areas are cheaper....you will find something there....but not sure its for you....