Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Other areas we might like

28 replies

Calyco · 06/09/2022 20:22

For a while, DH and I have been looking to buy a house near where we are renting in Wimbledon. Our lease comes up in May, and we would rather buy than continue renting. We haven't found anything as of yet. I am wondering what other areas we should consider. We love where we live now, but think there probably are other areas that would suit as well that we haven't considered. Loads of places probably offer better value too. We are looking for a 4 bed house with a sizable garden, nice kitchen, and good sized bedrooms that is still convenient for transport. DH has to commute occassionally to Chelsea and less often to Farringdon. Would like to keep commutes to under an hour ideally--hour and a half max. We have a baby and a large dog. I don't have a UK license as I am an American and only moved here a couple years ago(DH is British), so I would like to be able to get around without a car still. That said we would like a parking spot still for future use. We have a budget of £1.5 million. I know that is a lot, but it doesn't get you anything that actually feels that expensive in Wimbledon. Any ideas of where else to consider?

OP posts:
Twizbe · 06/09/2022 20:25

I say this so often on here but seriously look at Penge / beckenham / Sydenham.

Your budget would go far there. Farringdon is quite an easy commute from Penge east (I used to work there) Chelsea ok too if it's not every day.

Some options

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126099878

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126645854

friendlycat · 06/09/2022 23:15

If you like Wimbledon just extend the search to the slightly cheaper areas of Earlsfield in one direction and Raynes Park in the other. But the budget will limit you.

Otherwise yes I would second Beckenham but it’s much further out with a very different vibe, but worthy of a look. Sorry for those loving Penge and Sydenham but I wouldn’t want to swap Wimbledon for either of them.

TheBeesKnee · 06/09/2022 23:17

Are you renting in Wimbledon, or the village? Very different vibes!

TurquoiseJungle · 06/09/2022 23:18

Clapham- <30 mins to Chelsea, tube lines, buses and overground for Farringdon. Lots of big green spaces with the commons and battersea park. You can get a decent terrace for 1.5k. Great schools too.

butterfly990 · 06/09/2022 23:43

Have a look at Surbiton

BoredOfGrey22 · 07/09/2022 00:39

Kingston, Surbiton, Hersham, Cobham, Guildford

You'll find many many people just like who have slowly made their way further out until they find somewhere they like that offers more house and space.

Closer to home... Raynes Park or new Malden

But if you find anything in Wimbledon that you like then stay there! It's fab.

Original poster
Calyco · 07/09/2022 06:27

Thanks everyone for the responses. Would love to stay put if I can find something, but always good to compare with what else is out there. Currently renting in the Dundonald area of Wimbledon near the broadway. Lots of great ideas. Will have to check out some of these places. Don't think Clapham works for me. Have spent a lot of time there and find it too busy and a bit grittier than I like. Great to visit for the day though. For context, I lived in Chelsea when I first moved here in a room in a house with others. Then we moved to Fulham. Then finally Wimbledon where we are now. Chelsea was great, but just way too expensive and a bit too central. Hated Fulham. We lived in Munster Village and it was so transitional and weirdly worse for transport than Wimbledon even though Wimbledon is a zone further out.

OP posts:
Eek3under3 · 07/09/2022 06:31

I agree with pp, Beckenham would be a good option. If you didn’t like Fulham, I don’t think Penge will be the right vibe. Sydenham maybe…high st is improving and between Sydenham and Penge East stations its quite well connected.

Lampzade · 07/09/2022 06:39

I was going to say Beckenham too.

TheNextChapter · 07/09/2022 07:07

You'd get a nice house in Herne Hill for that. Trains to victoria and farringdon. Close to dulwich village/east dulwich/brixton for shops and restaurants. Lots of green space around too.

brainstories568 · 07/09/2022 07:24

People just tend to go further out on the SW trains line as they grow. We've lived in Kingston and surrounds for the last decade after living closer to town when we were younger. I'd say if you don't drive then you should stay within TFL and a London borough if you can because the transport is better. We also didn't have a car until recently and I don't drive.

Kingston/Teddington/Hampton (ie: around Bushy Park) might work well for you, particularly with a dog and a baby. 4 bed semis here are around the 1 million mark, but with compromises such as lack of drive (but plenty of free on street parking) but for a slightly higher budget then you could likely get more of what you are looking for, particularly in Hampton rather than Teddington or Kingston. You should also look closely at school catchments as the KT2 area is so popular with families that a lot of them then realise that they can't get into local state primary schools unless they live right on top of it. We haven't had that issue over the river, which was one of the reasons we moved to this side.

brainstories568 · 07/09/2022 07:25

Or Surbiton. Regular fast trains to Waterloo but less links to Richmond than in Kingston.

sarahb083 · 07/09/2022 14:16

Dulwich/Forest Hill
Kingston
Earlsfield
Teddington
Twickenham (though maybe not cheaper than Wimbledon)

bravotango · 07/09/2022 16:12

Already been mentioned by PP but would second Herne Hill - about the right budget for what you're after plus good train links to Farringdon and Victoria

Vikingmama79 · 07/09/2022 22:52

We rented in Wimbledon , then in Kingston upon Thames before finally buying in Hampton Wick. Going back a good few years now but found it a really lovely area to live.

Houseplantmad · 07/09/2022 22:53

Southfields is lovely and in budget.

Rainallnight · 07/09/2022 23:06

I am properly lol ing at the idea of gritty Clapham.

Crikeyalmighty · 08/09/2022 01:47

I would say kingston, surbiton, hampton wick or st Margaret's or there are some nice ones in Wimbledon/Southfields - I just looked

How about this one?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126831065#/?channel=RES_BUY

Original poster
Calyco · 08/09/2022 09:51

Crikeyalmighty · 08/09/2022 01:47

I would say kingston, surbiton, hampton wick or st Margaret's or there are some nice ones in Wimbledon/Southfields - I just looked

How about this one?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126831065#/?channel=RES_BUY

Thank you for looking. That house looks like a slightly nicer version of the one we are renting with a smaller garden. It is nice, but ideally we would like something a little bigger (2000 sq ft +) with off road parking. I don't have a UK license (only a US one), so I don't drive here, but DH does. That's why we are considering moving further out, even though we like it here. Love Wimbledon Park though. Good ideas on other places to look. Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Calyco · 08/09/2022 09:54

Twizbe · 06/09/2022 20:25

I say this so often on here but seriously look at Penge / beckenham / Sydenham.

Your budget would go far there. Farringdon is quite an easy commute from Penge east (I used to work there) Chelsea ok too if it's not every day.

Some options

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126099878

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126645854

The one in Beckenhem looks just like what we are looking for, but much cheaper than here. Will have to go check out the area. Never been to that part of London before.

OP posts:
Twizbe · 08/09/2022 11:14

@Calyco kings hall road is a very desirable road. It's between Penge and beckenham. Close to several train stations. It's the catchment for a couple of very sought after primaries. Easy to walk to shops and transport.

Really nice area.

OP posts:
Crikeyalmighty · 08/09/2022 18:40

@Calyco hope they help give you an idea- to be honest if I was paying over 1,2 million plus, I would want 2000 sq ft plus, off street parking, a really good garden and not much work to do too . It can be done. Thing about that area is it holds it's money and if you like Wimbledon then I'm pretty sure you would like this area too as a 'proper' big town centre (really big in fact) with good shops, a nice waterfront with good restaurants and pubs, and lovely Richmond Park and riverside walks on the doorstep- surbiton has a better (ie quicker) train line but is only just under 2 miles from Kingston- you can get cheaper areas it's true, but I don't think you would like them as much

Original poster
Calyco · 08/09/2022 20:16

Thank you for your help! Looks as though there are lots of areas to consider. I will have to go check them out.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread