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Original poster

To buy in Morden?!

12 replies

Kay94 · 10/08/2023 00:07

My husband and I are first time buyers (28) and we have a daughter who is one. We are renting in Wimbledon and love it but keen to get on the ladder. We've been looking at Morden but a property we progressed on in a nice area fell through with a bad survey. We've found a nice house with a big garden and drive near Malmsebury Primary School (2 mins) for £423,000. However, I'm really getting cold feet as I've heard the area isn't the nicest now. Anyone know the area and what would you suggest? Should we hold off til we can afford more?

Hubby earns about £98k as a barrister and I earn £40k but now 3/5 as I work part time due to childcare. We have help to buy ISAs but feel if we don't do it now the cap is too low if we look again in a few years. Thanks!

OP posts:
JohnnyM · 10/08/2023 11:37

No, the area is not great, in my opinion. It will feel nothing like Wimbledon.

Personally, I would wait. All house indexes are suggesting prices have further to fall due to interest rate rises (and also see the RICS report out today).

However, most sellers/Estate Agents are still in a bit of denial at the moment. But having owned through the last two major property downturns, it is inevitable, in my view, that the current stand off can only end with significant price corrections.

Other than primary schools, what are your main requirements e.g. how many beds (and if 3 could you do 2 for a few years instead)? Also, in terms of where commuting into, etc.

With a bit more info am sure some posters could offer better alternatives, whether you you wait or choose to go ahead now.

Original poster
Kay94 · 10/08/2023 14:47

Hi, thanks for your response.

This property is 2 bed but has a large garden and drive for 2 cars and has a conservatory.

Our main requirements are:
-access into central London stations/temple for my husband's work as he travels to various courts, good transport links
-good primary schools

  • a small garden/patio for our little dog
  • 2 double bedrooms minimum
  • ideally still accessible to St George's hospital

My husband's income will likely increase over time as he's doing well. Mine will increase slightly as I move to 4 days a week in October but we will have nursery costs and want to have another baby next year.

Do you think it's worth waiting for a better area? Can anyone suggest nicer and affordable locations to look at nearby. Thank you!

OP posts:
Svalberg · 10/08/2023 15:31

Malmesbury is St Helier rather than Morden. Look to the south-west of Morden underground rather than the south, somewhere like Lower Morden is relatively cheap with big gardens but I'd think £500k is more of a ballpark figure, and would need a bit of work doing.

Svalberg · 10/08/2023 15:32

And Lower Morden is easy for access to the tube or cycling to St Georges

waverleywitch · 10/08/2023 15:52

We bought our first house on the St Helier estate in the late 90's ( just across the road from Malmesbury school) Similar to you we had been renting in Raynes Park and it was a choice between a flat in a "nicer" area or a house there. I don't know what the area is like now but we absolutely loved it there. It's definitely had a very different feel to Wimbledon but there was a lovely sense of community and we had the best neighbours we've had anywhere.

dramoy · 10/08/2023 16:05

I assume you like Morden for the tube?

What about Raynes Park/South Wimbledon? Or going further west eg New Malden/Worcester Park

dramoy · 10/08/2023 16:07

Is there a reason you allowing borrowing a small amount vs your salary (I've assumed you have a 10% deposit)

NonmagicMike · 10/08/2023 16:34

Used to rent in Raynes Park and know Morden well as lived there too for a while. Nothing inherently wrong with it - again another one of those places that people I think like to turn their nose up at without any actual reason. I was very happy there - lived in a flat on Martin way first, and then a house just off that. No issues, I problems, tune just up the road and Wimbledon for when I was feeling posh. If you can afford to buy now go for it. Who knows what the future holds but if you can weather a bit of a storm then should it arrive who cares!

Tomrrowandtomorrowandtommorrow · 10/08/2023 16:37

We were happy in Colliers Wood. Have you looked there?

LadyWithLapdog · 10/08/2023 16:39

Morden is great for the Tube.

Personally, I would go for a smaller garden as they are a pita in maintenance, though a larger one means more space from your immediate neighbours.

Original poster
Kay94 · 10/08/2023 22:10

Hi all, thanks for the replies!

We went back to look at the area again and it felt much rougher than the first time we looked around. It just doesn't seem like the right fit for our family.

We have a 10% deposit but because I'm only working 3 days a week we have been told we can only go upto £430k which was unexpected for us, as our mortgage in principle was much higher. We also want to utilise our help to buy ISAs which has a budget of 450k anyways. I think we would be happy with a flat in a better area at this rate.

Morden nearer to the station seems much nicer than the st heliers side

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