Best areas to live in London

[Brandon7]

Hello people, I need advice. I am about to relocate back to London. I am about to start a family. Please I have narrowed down my areas interest to these 4 neighbourhoods. Please choose 2 in order of preference. Budget is not a problem. Mostly interested in parks, schools and high street.

1. Hampstead
2. Primrose hill
3. Holland Park
4. Chelsea. Thanks...

You don't sound bitter at all 👍🏼

Whats wrong with asking mumsnet? I dont believe circumstances matter, were all mums (and dads) here, were all here to solve some dilemmas.

Indeed.

Thanks for your reply, I work from home. I don't need to commute regularly.

Thanks....I am still confused lol!

Thanks

Hahaha....thanks.

Thanks...

Thanks

Thanks...

Nothing odd about the post. I have professionals advising me already. But I also like to hear from people with experience.

I lived in Primrose Hill for a few years and adored it, if we could have afforded to buy there we'd never have left. As well as being extremely pretty and very well-served by shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and public transport, it also had a surprisingly lovely local community. People were friendly and warm and in no way snobby or stuck up.

I loved Hampstead too, and the Heath is glorious. Don't know the other two areas so can't comment on them.

What a wonderful decision to have to make!

I do have an agent handling and advising me.But I also value people's experiences.

Thanks

Have you personally visited the areas? Go at different times of the day, have a wander around and imagine what it’s like when crowded or pouring with rain and cold. Could you stay in a local (luxury) airbnb for a few days?

What areas have you lived in and loved before? What do you hate and avoid?
Talk to your friends and contacts - do they know anyone who lives in these places who could give you inside advice?

Oh ok...I have don't really know much about those areas. I would discuss with my agent...thanks

Thanks alot

Hahaha...I have an agent advising me already but I value people's experiences. Thanks 😊

Hahaha...sounds like a plan 😊

Thanks 😊

The areas you have suggested are nice. My preference would be Hampstead, but only the village itself or the Garden suburb. That does not include marketing spiel from estate agents of "West Hampstead" etc.

I work with and come into contact with many high net worth individuals. The type would like pay £8m+ on a home, rather than the middle class teachers who lucked the system with a £2-3m home.

None of these people are interested in purchasing property in London. They all rent. Why? Because the cost of renting somewhere is significantly cheaper than purchasing somewhere when you take into account that the capital sum saved from not purchasing can be invested in order to create an income stream. Many people essentially live for free.

If you are taking out a mortgage (in which case money is an issue), you would still be better placed to take out a longer lease on a property. Perhaps 5 years. With interest rate rises, renting is significantly more attractive in monetary terms.

The period of making money in London has long passed, unless you are willing to live miles out, and let's face it, those who have earnt the money to afford a house in these 'up and coming' areas are probably professionals, highly educated, and quite frankly uninterested in living amongst those who bought many years ago.

Yes 😂

Chelsea has a reputation of being full of the ultra rich, but it has council estates with high levels of deprivation too.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/nov/13/worlds-end-estate-exemplifies-fault-lines-of-dramatic-inequality