Where in London to buy for 900K for an international family of four?

[internationalfamily]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for yet another where to buy thread, but we could really use your help and insights.

We are planning to buy a house for our family of four. We have been exploring some areas and viewing houses over the past few months, but really struggling to make our mind up..

Here are the key factors...

Budget:

• Ideally somewhere between 750K-850K, but we can stretch to 900K.

Location:

• Needs to be relatively easily accessible to City (to both London Bridge & Strand)
• Excellent primary schools for our DD (who will start reception in 2023).
• Safe
• International community: both my DH and I are Europeans, we would like an open-minded and welcoming community
• Access to green space
• We currently live and like SW, but are (especially DH is) open to move other parts of London.

House:

• Three bedrooms
• Ideally a house with some outdoor space (one of the areas we disagree with DH who prioritise location over house and is fine with a flat too)

Our shortlisted areas are: Wimbledon Town (esp. Dundonald/Chase areas), Balham (Hyde Farm/Nightingale Triangle), Colliers Wood, East Dulwich.

Where would you buy from if you were in our shoes? Are we missing some other suitable areas? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts/suggestions...

I now want to move to Surrey. That seems a bargain!

What about Kingston?

This is an excellent buy @ 850k. You can’t see from the pic but it has lovely views over a golf course. There’s another on the same road for 950k which needs less work, so there’s potential to make money on it.

Norbiton station (which is round the corner) > Waterloo is 29 mins.

Good state schools, leafy, lots of shops, Richmond Park 5 mins walk.

Granted it is nearly a decade since I lived in Streatham, but it has definitely gone up in the world since I left, and I think the schools are well regarded. Anything within the triangle between Streatham Hill, West Norwood and Norbury ought to be fine, I think? Unless someone with more recent knowledge thinks differently.
Lots of sweet little victorian 3 bed cottages around the Sunnyhill primary area, like this:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119679962#/?channel=RES_BUY

If you genuinely would be ok with a flat then maybe rather than Balham look at the area just north of clapham common. A 3 bed Victorian conversion flat should just about be doable for 900k, the Belleville primary schools (there are 2) are rated oustanding and the Wix site has a bilingual French programme so lots of Europeans, Clapham Common is a big green space and there are good transports links from Clapham Common tube or Clapham Junction mainline.

I don't live in Streatham but know lots of people who do. It is very much on the up and full of people who have been priced out of Balham. Its pretty green as there are two commons - parts of the High Street are still tatty but the middle section is pretty nice these days. The big downside to Streatham is that it isn't on the Tube so you need to factor in a walk or cycle or drop off to Balham.

This looks like quite a nice ground floor flat with a garden:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124874531#/?channel=RES_BUY

You don't really need the tube - trains direct to London Bridge (from Streatham / Streatham Common / West Norwood / Tulse Hill), and for the Strand you can walk or hop on a bus from Blackfriars.
We worked in the Holborn area, and either took the Thameslink train line, or in fact often came back on the bus in the evening.

Not London as in very different to the more central areas and not what people think of as 'London'. Still a great place to live though

The problem is that most of the trains from Streatham are Southern which can be dire, and the buses can get snarled up in traffic in Brixton.

I would also consider Streatham.

Bromley isn’t very international.

If you are looking at Wimbledon, what about Raynes Park?

on a road with 2 parks and between 2 great primary schools

Streatham Hill - the other side of the High Rd to where you looked previously. Especially the so-called ABCD roads between Wavertree and Amesbury and surrounding roads.

Stuffed with excellent and much loved primaries: Hitherfield, Streatham Wells, Dunraven.

Transport - quick 10 min bus down the High Rd to Brixton tube, walk to Tulse Hill for Thameslink and London Bridge trains, or Streatham Hill station.

Very community-orientated area.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123719714#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85528713#/?channel=RES_BUY

Or up towards West Norwood for the excellent Julians primary (trains from West Norwood), or walk or cycle to Tulse Hill)
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124518662#/?channel=RES_BUY (done up, bigger garden)
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124518662#/?channel=RES_BUY (looks v good value)

All areas of London have pockets of potentially less safe areas, the vast majority of London is pretty safe.

Herne Hill area and North Dulwich....great local schools, Judith Kerr, Dulwich Village infants ( check catchment , but always has church spots too if you fancy going to church on a sunday which many do) The East Dulwich end of north dulwich gets you in the catchment for those schools too.

Put se26 into rightmove. Overground into LB. Great area

Another vote for ladywell and surrounding, I’d concentrate on area around Pendergast girls school, consistently outstandingly secondary with good local primaries. From ladywell station fast trains to London Bridge and Charing Cross. Your budget will buy a decent house. More international in feel than further out areas like Bechenham and Bromley to me.

Beckenham - not the most international (yet) but I think it is moving in the right direction and ticks the other boxes.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125224796

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124277033

@HolidayPleeease I actually never been to Blackheath, but heard good things about it. Sounds like I should pay a visit. Also good to learn about what "City" actually refers to :)

@FallingAlong @TheWayTheLightFalls @Arpeggiator @LostMySocks @MyAnacondaMight thanks for all the SE London suggestions... It is becoming increasingly clear that I should do some exploration in that part of the town :)

@SuperCampwow really liked the houses in Streatham Hill. Following recommendations here (thanks also @TeaandHobnobs @londonmummy1966 @Equalityumber), I asked my DH to to visit Streatham today, and he liked the Streatham Hill ABCD area (but not the area around Streatham station).

We have considered the area but my perception of north of Clapham Common is that it is a bit too young / less family oriented. What do you think?

We really like BTC, but priced out unfortunately...

Come and have a look in Ladywell/Brockley. You'll get a nice house and it's international and diverse. Safe too, as much as most places in London. The Horniman museum up the road has just won museum of the year and there's loads of artsy stuff going on in the area. Primary schools are great and secondaries are either v good or getting there.

Crystal Palace or Sydenham would work! Both nice areas and safe

@IrisVersicolor thanks for the links. Oxted & Kingston (albeit beautiful) are a bit disconnected for us. Agreed re South Wimbledon. BTW, do you know Colliers Wood, one stop after South Wimbledon? What do you think about it?

We used to live near Blackheath - hither green. Can get a good terrace house for that price. Blackheath and Greenwich are stunning

BUT what about surbiton - it has a fast train to waterloo and is only one stop from wimbledon. In reality surbiton/berry lands - can get a 3 Bed house with a large garden, great amenities, access to the city for working - and close enough to the countryside for day trips.

Streatham's transport is shit, don't bother. If something goes wrong with Southern you're stuck. Try and get somewhere near a tube line.

Clapham is nicer than Streatham as well as being better connected to tube lines but it is a lot more expensive.