Hello, I'm a long time lurker, first time poster - it's been really helpful to read through your advice and experiences here!
I am a FTB looking for a terraced house to buy in London - 2x bedrooms is fine, the main thing is I'd like a garden with some sun and space for a little lawn. The top end of my budget is £650k (though I could probably stretch a little higher, say to £675k, if I really loved a house/area). I really want to buy freehold and am willing to save longer if I had to rather than compromising on leasehold / share of freehold now.
Obviously London is so expensive and it seems I'm very much at the low end there for a freehold house budget. I'm getting really disheartened because houses around this level are still flying off the shelves if they are in halfway decent condition and that supposed price decline is definitely not making itself known to me (one house I offered on recently went for almost £70k over the OIEO price, and £80k over what an almost identical house sold for last year). I'm on the brink of giving up.
Does anyone have recommendations for nice/safe areas with convenient transport links that might suit my budget? I think I'm probably priced out of Walthamstow; I've been looking on the central line out East but might be priced out there too. I tried Hanwell which initially seemed nice but didn't feel overly safe in the town centre (it didn't help that some guy yelled at me when walking back to the station). I'm flexible on which side of London.
Thank you!