Where Is 'Leafy' in London? 800K Budget

[Cloud16]

Hi everyone,

DH & I are considering a move to London after the offer of a transfer from his work. My work have offices there and are happy to move me too so it all seems like it's falling into place nicely.

We've planned a week's holiday to London for early August. My question is...

What neighbourhoods should we check out? He is a remote worker, but I need to reach my offices in Covent Garden twice a week.

We quite like leafy, tree-lined streets and green spaces... budget 800k, happy with a flat. 2 beds is a must, 3 beds would be nice.

Thankful for any suggestions!

The Wimbledon flat is nearer south Wimbledon rather than the green parts near the village and common.

Penge. Particularly the bit closer to beckenham. Direct train from new beckenham to Charing Cross which is a short walk to Covent Garden.

Also good train connections to Victoria, Canary Wharf and London Bridge from Penge west, Penge east and Sydenham stations.

Leafy streets, great primary schools, family vibes but also got some edge.

Does your company have offices anywhere other than London or where you are now? And, if your husband can work remotely, why do you need to move to London?

Just a northerner horrified with an £800k budget for a flat or small house! You would get 3 properties up north for that! Plus, we have more leaves than London!

The pub is great (the flask) and there's some gorgeous little places around that area. It also has a very good teaching hospital on the doorstep and if you want a bit of urban then Camden is only 10 minutes walk -

Just like to point out some places have faster train lines to central london e.g. Wimbledon, Ealing than tube lines.

Anyway if you have no children and are unlikely to have them then try to live as centrally as possible as you can then walk or cycle everywhere. Be aware though you may have issues getting to a decently sized supermarket but they all do deliveries now.

Dulwich! Or Herne Hill.

Some ideas

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123891230

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85641579

Some of these suggestions are a bit odd. Nothing wrong with them but why would a couple without dc & a healthy budget chose somewhere like Penge! Are people trying to push up prices in their areas!

Because it's a nice area with bigger properties, easy connections, and if children do come it's a family friendly area.

I love the flat you posted. I would also look at Belsize park and Richmond.

Because it's a nice area with bigger properties, easy connections, and if children do come it's a family friendly area.

I haven't said it isn't nice but nonetheless why chose outer boroughs when you don't have too?

Covent Garden is also five minutes from
Charing Cross so look for places with train links to there if the central London areas don’t pan out

@LibertyBlues you make a good point about the leaves 😅

We have flirted with the idea of London for a while. It came before the transfer offer iyswim. He needs to transfer office to receive the higher London wage though so we wanted to make sure he could get it.

I only know North London but I would go for West Hampstead / Belsize Park

not Ruislip as a PP suggested! That’s total suburbia!

Personally I think it's different if looking at this bearing in mind schools and bigger houses to if you are looking at it with no children , wanting to be out and about with all night tube etc - if OP had 2 kids and desparately needed a 3 bedder I probably would be saying North Kingston, Wimbledon, chiswick, muswell hill, Crystal Palace etc - but as they don't that's why I've suggested Hampstead/Belsize park . Really depends if OP wants to future proof

You might like around Clapham Common and Wandsworth Common?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85698333
This flat is actually in Clapham Common! Although I would actually find the events/popularity in the summer months off putting.

Also nearby but quieter locations-

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123596825
This is between the commons, lovely leafy area. 5 mins walk from Clapham South tube, easy tube journey up to Leicester Square for work in Covent Garden.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/96615925
Little house/maisonette in similar area.

I think some places mentioned may be a bit suburban if you don't need extra space/bedrooms yet.

If you did want to be more central, you could walk from Angel to Covent Garden or it's an easy bus ride. Lovely area but less peaceful! Although some corners are quiet.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85666524
This is in a nice area v close to kings cross and angel.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123282002

Even though your budget is very healthy it doesn't go as far around Angel actually. Depends on what your priorities are.

I'd definitely recommend checking out Angel/Islington and around Clapham when you are over. Both well connected areas with nice pubs/restaurants etc but different feels.

I vote for Richmond if you’re only going in two days. It’s great for families and for freedom-people also. You don’t get much for your money here but it’s lovely. And it’s been fabulous since the Middle Ages! I’ve lived in a few areas in London—hands down best area. East Twickenham and St Margrets are great and close.

Covent Garden is only a few minutes walk from Embankment (across Strand) or Charing Cross so you needn't be restricted to the Piccadilly Line. Covent Garden tube station is best avoided imo...

Prices are nuts yea, but actually London is in 3rd place for leafiest part of the UK, after Surrey and Exeter, according to this... www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/aerial-mapping-reveals-where-in-uk-has-most-and-least-trees/amp/

Walthamstow village and around Lloyds park is lovely, I grew up there and it’s only gotten nicer since I left!

Id also vote for Turnham Green area. Currently out a bit further west and yes, its leafy but we don't have kids and its definitely kid central here. Embankment is about 25 to 30 minutes from Turnham Green on the Tube. I would avoid Barnes - terrible transport connections.

We previously lived in West Hampstead and it was... ok. Lots of students, though, so it was loud and busy all the time but it had really good connections. Ive also lived in Swiss Cottage/Belsize Park area and that was quiet and leafy once you got off the main roads.

That Little Venice flat is fab though - nice find! Never thought you could get something in that area for under 700K, although I wonder what floor its on!

Herne hill

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124306022#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123972992#/?channel=RES_BUY

You could look around Wandsworth Common - Earlsfield is lovely and leafy and still better value than Wimbledon. The train is twelve minutes to Waterloo, every 3-5 minutes at peak times. It's in the middle between Wimbledon, Clapham, Wandsworth and Tooting and people don't realise how pleasant it is because it's not on the Tube line. (But if I had a big budget and was looking for a nice flat you can't really beat Hampstead for lifestyle...)

One thing to mention about Richmond area (which was my 2nd choice) and I've lived there is that it's on the flight path- particularly north sheen side and parts of st Margaret's are a bit hefty too on flight noise. If you can hack that though it's another great area, but further out- still handy though as overground is 16 minutes to Waterloo - yes Barnes is lovely but poor connections