SE London: East Dulwich like places but more affordable?

[BuriedTea]

Budget around 800k, house, at least 3 double bedrooms on residential street. Keen on local leisure centre/pool and library preferably walkable or quick bus, family friendly (tweens who will become teens). Not so fussed about other amenities.

Am not white and have no idea about SE london so want to feel safe. What's it like living in: West Norwood, Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye, Brockley, Nunhead, Forest Hill, Crofton Park? Anywhere I missed.

Chislehurst is very expensive.

I put “detached/semi/terrace” 3 bed under £900 in West Dulwich into Rightmove. There were a few options, it’s certainly doable: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E70448&minBedrooms=3&maxPrice=900000&propertyTypes=detached%2Csemi-detached%2Cterraced&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=

Any reason why East Dulwich is off the menu? There seems to be even more choice there: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E70441&minBedrooms=3&maxPrice=800000&propertyTypes=detached%2Csemi-detached%2Cterraced&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&keywords=

Crystal Palace has the sports centre pool.
West Norwood has a pool and a new library which is in the same building as the Picturehouse cinema, really nice.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/121969406#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123626546#/?channel=RES_BUY

Do you have to move now OP? The market is definitely slowing in the likes of West Norwood so in 6 months you could easily get a more house for your money.

I dont know why i assumed it's out of budget. Thanks! I know they're smaller but some of these are actually well laid out.

Will be around 9 months time actually I'm doing research now..

Hiya! You won't get a double 3 bed in Beckenham for 800k I don't think - and properties come up there very rarely.

How about Penge? I live here. It's deffo on the cusp of 'up-and-coming' but basically equi-distant between Crystal Palace and Beckenham, both 'naice' places with all the coffee shops and shops that sell cards and candles LOL. Leisure centres in Beckenham, a few gyms dotted around, Crystal Palace park just up the road, good primary schools and excellent links into London Bridge, East London (Penge West) and Victoria (Penge East).

And nicer than bloody Catford, the bermuda triangle of London

Plus libraries in Penge, Beckenham and Bromley - all walkable, short busable or short train-rideable

Penge is another possibility, possibly a little cheaper than some other places.
Beckenham is quite expensive.
Catford is the cheapest place suggested but not so good for shops/cafes/bars, though it has a library and very good public transport.
I'm not sure why the post further up said the area is 14% white as I think Lewisham is 41% white with large numbers Afro Caribbean and Nigerian.

West Norwood also seems to tick all the boxes!

Crystal palace sports centre is huge! Think it only has small Upper Norwood library branch. It looks edgier, trendier and therefore less family oriented than east Dulwich but I may be wrong.

Don't mind no cafes in Catford but can't see nearby swimming pool till Bellingham

Definitely recommend West Norwood.

Great community, leisure centre/pool and indie cinema.

Some lovely tree lined streets and a beautiful and historic cemetery.

@Davethecat2000 are there less and more desirable parts in West Norwood? I want good bad ugly and all :)

It's a mixed bag. Personally I prefer the end nearest to the cemetery than the Tulse Hill end which is busier and a bit more down at heel.

There are some lovely roads near both sites of Julian's primary school.

What I definitely do like about the area is whilst it has undoubtedly got better over the years, and it definitely has better facilities/shops etc now, it hasn't been completely'sanitised' into a homogeneous 'yummy-mummy' enclave like East Dulwich is.

It has a good mix if people from all different backgrounds, including folks who have lived in the area for many years.

West Norwood is on the up but I don't like the place at all.

Penge could fit your bill well, especially the bit pengingham which is between Penge and beckenham. You have a the spa leisure centre and a David Lloyd.

High street and very active community. Great train and bus links.

Lovely place all round really

I was going to support Forest Hill (Good swimming pool and community-run library) but now I've seen you're a cyclist. It would be a big old hill just before you get home so I don't know if that makes a difference.
Not as bad as Crystal Palace though.....

o/p why do you need pools?

Pools in london I found quite inaccessible. Lots of time given to local clubs mornings and evenings, and daytime is baby groups/aquafit type stuff. I found finding sessions for an actual swim quite difficult.

unless your kids are competitive club swimmers or you are flexible with when you want to go I wouldn’t necessarily base a housing decision on pools.

btw Crystal Palace sports centre is a shithole. it’s been in managed decline for decades and the place is crumbling. Only the 50m pool is in use I think, out of the 4 pools they have, due to lack of maintenance. The only reason it hasn’t been bulldozed is it’s a listed building.

I would base your section on schools first. Most are oversubscribed so you need to live close, some are good, some not so good. Find schools you like the look of then base your property search on those areas.

if you want a pool for swimming lessons then st dunstan’s school Catford have lessons mid week after school and weekend mornings. Agree public pools can be booked up for lessons when you would want to take kids.

From Catford there are pools in Sydenham, Forest Hill, Downham and Lewisham, nearest depending on which part of Catford you live, but none very far.

That’s why I like Forest Hill pools. Even when there are classes there still always seems to be a section left open for general and lane swimming.

Have you considered Charlton? Great Lido and also near to the Greenwich Centre for indoor pools and library etc. Loads of shops in walking distance too and plenty of ethnic diversity. You'd get a great house for your budget!

I would say Beckenham fits the bill. Pool, library, loads of parks and good transport links. Sydenham and Forest Hill also good. Personally I would avoid Penge and Catford. I know you’ve ruled out WW and Hayes as too suburban…I live there and don’t need to drive anywhere as the high streets are pretty good. Lots of green space and activities and more and more young families moving from zones2-3.

Another shout out for Penge. A more practical High Street than some other local places but enough nice little gems scattered on or off it to support teat nights/days. Transport links are amazing and depending on where you live you could be within walking distance of The Spa in Pengenham (aka Clock House), the Crystal Palace Sports Centre or two gyms in Sydenham. Plus as has been mentioned it has a library.

Plenty of period properties, mainly Victorian, and very good active community (I've just got home from dropping off posters for shops taking part in our free Halloween Trail on the High street at the end of the month).