3 bed flat in london, 700k ?

[flate]

Where might I look for a good sized 3 bed flat in London (3 dc) for 700k absolute max, with decent state schools?

Would like to be somewhere with an urban london, but villagey feel (hence the focus on flats). Have a strong preference for purpose built flats rather than house conversions - either period or new. I've mostly lived in west london when I was younger, but never with family.

Atm considering Kilburn?

Oval. Kennington.

Waah! That Kennington one (Oval actually) is the next street over from where I lived for nearly 20 years. Only left as we moved countries.

God I loved it there. Beautiful mansion flats. Quiet area. Lovely community. Amazing transport links. Excellent pubs. Zone 2!

Interesting! Just read an article about it from 2020, fairly recent listing which explains why I didn’t know about it as we’d looked at flats there before that.

Looks like it’s the landscaping that’s listed rather than the buildings which might be the best of both worlds.

There is a great selection in SW14, excellent state schools and a village feel

Are rhe good secondaries in Oval/Kennington?

Not true that schools for boys are 'terrible':

Rutlish (boys' school) in SW19 is 'Outstanding'

Streatham, West Norwood, Crystal Palace, Penge (you might just about get a house in Penge still)

@BIWI thats true but thats literally the one and only school. Where would you go in the rest of SW thats not religious or competitive? As others have said Graveney is fine but only if you tutor for top sets

No idea! But just wanted to counter the assertion that all schools are terrible, when it's simply not true.

And @flate could buy a 4 bedroomed house for her budget, close to said school

I'd just considering the additional costs with a leasehold flat (which a purpose built flat will most likely be) - service charges and ground rent - which can be increased at the whim of the freeholder/property management company. be careful with anything that may have a cladding risk as well.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136133375#/floorplan?activePlan=1&id=media1&channel=RES_BUY

Here is an example of a house, in suburbia, close to a station and I think even the main station with fast trains is doable. Great primary catchment, good secondary catchment - it is the new boys school I mentioned linked to the girls school which is outstanding. Residential living. Close to shops etc. There is also a mixed comp, not too bad. Grammars in Bexley also reachable, if you change your mind. No issues with secondaries in Outer London.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/124771925#/?channel=RES_BUY

Very Central, good catchment for a great boys secondary, low service charges, I assume ex council. If you want urban living and everything on your doorstep. So I would keep an open mind on single sex schooling. If they live in Central London, surely they will meet lots of girls anyway and there will be tons of extra curricular opportunities.

No idea! But just wanted to counter the assertion that all schools are terrible, when it's simply not true

Obviously I don’t think ALL the schools in SW are terrible - but there were not great options where our house is.

@londonmummy1966 @meatbaseddessert

Oooh I love that! Do those mansion flats come up often? These red brick mansion places are like my dream home I've had in my mind since I was a child! I hadn't considered Kennington actually - I lived in elephant and castle for a bit as a student which seems terrible for families!

I love the one in Balham someone put up earlier.

Cranworth gardens would fall into the tricky area for secondaries I believe. I also used to live very close!

Its a lovely area isn't it - lots of mansion flats scattered around Georgian streets and squares.

No - they're actually closing one - but a lot of people send their DC to Pimlico just across the Thames or look at the selectives - London Nautical for boys and Greycoat/Marylebone for girls - the transport links are really good which makes them all easily accessible.

There's a small cluster of these properties in the streets between Clapham and Brixton Roads - likely to go on with an estate agent at the Oval. There are also a couple of streets of them to the west of Clapham High Street at the northern end but that is more of a party central/young professional vibe than a family one whereas the Oval ones are in a more family oriented area. Kennington also has quite a lot of largeish conversions which come up from time to time.

@londonmummy1966 but OP has asked for nice areas with decent schools i.e. not single sex and not selective, which does rule out swathes of London. like Oval and Kennington

Just want to chip in that Elephant and Castle has changed massively in the last few years since the Aylesbury Estate was demolished. The huge new estate replacing it is very different - probably extremely expensive, unfortunately, but from a brief walk through it recently I would say it's quite a family friendly/oriented place. No idea what the schools would be like. There's a C of E girls' school at Bricklayers' Arms - St Saviour's and St Olave's - which historically has been well rated. Don't know how religious it is.

“@londonmummy1966 but OP has asked for nice areas with decent schools i.e. not single sex and not selective, which does rule out swathes of London. like Oval and Kennington”

Everyone is looking for that though. If flats are selling for reasonable prices in great areas again, maybe that is more important? Maybe kids actually learn more living in Central London, accessing galleries, musical events, real life, diversity than in some mono cultural outstanding school somewhere? Maybe people should believe their own kids can make of school what they choose to make of it? The added advantage of Central London is potentially also easily accessible great unis and saving on rent then? Accessing internships further down the line? Etc etc There are pros and cons to everything.
These oversubscribed outstanding comps that everyone chases are largely overrated and people pay through their nose for them.

I agree that Central London can be great but the OP said schools are important. So maybe it would be easier to start with the schools and focus on which flats you can get. Having lived in zone 1 - my observation is that most people that I would associated with MN don't end up sending their kids to local schools esp. if they have boys - but go private or move. I also don't think many people are looking for a nice village feel and stay in London when their budget is 700k - they move out. That was our budget and we had exactly the same criteria and actually when we tried to bid for flats like that - everyone else were the classic young professional couple not families with kids.

From my search I would say Wimbledon, Northfields, Muswell Hill, Crouch end and Herne Hill would fit the bill.

@JustanothermagicMonday1

This is my thinking! We are currently an hours train outside London and want to move for a slightly easier commute, more job opportunities for me, but most of all for culture and lifestyle in a capital city for both us and the kids as they grow older. So it seems a bit counter-productive to be too far out, esp when budget would only stretch to a terrace cottage in the suburbs anyway...(might be different if could afford a big four bed semi). But as prices are, might as well be near the city and in a flat I think.

When I say good schools, I mean decent functional schools where kids will be happy.

might be different if could afford a big four bed semi

Did you look at the link I posted?!