East Finchley vs Balham

[DontBeShy]

DINK couple (ttc)

We are FTB looking to buy in zone 2/3 in a safe area with good access to tube/Central London and good primary school options. Don't care about secondaries at this stage. We plan to be in this home for at least a decade

We like 2 very similar homes but in very different parts of London: East Finchley (EF) and Balham

Price - Both will cost approx the same incl all renovation works

Home - Both homes are approx 1400 sqft with no kitchen extension and loft conversion done. Will all types of extensions neighbors have gone up to ~1.9k- 2k sqft in both cases. We dont plan to extend right now as the current home is big enough for us. EF one is setup as a 4 bed and Balham one as a 3 bed. The EF one has a slightly bigger garden but not by much.

Schools - Both have good primary schools within a 7-8 min walk and the house is within catchment (Martins Primary - EF & Ravenstone Primary - Balham). EF also has good secondary schools in catchment but not something we want to prioritize for right now as it is at least a decade away and things can change

Connectivity to Central London - Both are in zone 3 at different ends of the Norther line and will be about 20 min on the tube to Central London. Balham has the additional option of Rail which will be useful but only occasionally. The Balham one is about a 6-7 min walk from station and the EF one is about 10-12 min walk

Friends/Family - We are immigrants so no family in London. Our friends are a little bit scattered across NW, SE and SW London

We like both areas, Balham feels busier than EF but EF has access to parts of London which we love (Muswell Hill, Highgate)

Any suggestions ?

I know zilch about East Finchley but in Balham’s favour:
Don’t discount having the mainline with all the flipping rail strikes on at the moment. Thankfully tube and national rail strikes are mostly different days so you usually have 1 workable transport option. I also like all the shops and proximity to the commons. I know secondaries not really on the radar but I think Chesnut Grove Academy has a good rep if it’s nearby.

@InTheRainOnATrain - Thank you for your inputs and good to know that having both makes a different. We rent pretty centrally right now now so don't need the tube or rail on weekdays and hence havent been exposed to the true impact of strikes and hence likely underestimating the benefit of having both. Agree with you on the shops, we like the Balham high street much better than the EF high street for sure. To be honest, standalone we like Balham better than EF but we are struggling to decide primarily because of the surrounding areas, Muswell Hill, Highgate, Hampstead that we love visiting and are easily accessible from EF

East Finchley is quite a lot further out physically than Balham, tube-wise there may not be much difference but if you ever want to get a cab back from work or the west end or need to take a bus (eg tube is down) it will take a fair bit longer. On the other hand, that does mean more large swathes of greenery around, Balham has several commons close by but nothing the size of Hampstead Heath.

There are other areas close to Balham too that you might enjoy visiting - Abbeville, Northcote/Clapham Junction, Clapham Old Town, Brixton. Abbeville and Northcote Rd have nice shops, delis, etc. But not the olde worlde feel of Highgate.

agree having two transport modes is very helpful.

If it’s surrounding areas that you’re interested in- as well as the areas mentioned by PP nearish Balham you’ve also got Battersea Park (2 stops on the mainline) which is nice for adults but also amazing for kids- I reckon it’s the best children’s playground in London. The Battersea Power station redevelopment is also well worth an explore.

I agree that the train from Balham to Centrsl London and to Battersea Power station and park is a great option to have. Also to very quick to Clapham Junction for many destinations. Wandsworth Common and Tooting Commons both lovely and an easy stroll from Balham, Tooting Lido.

I don’t know anything about EF but if I had the ££ I would happily live in Balham.

Oh of course Clapham Junction too! Day trip to Brighton, easy to get to Gatwick airport etc. So long as they’re not striking that is…

Personally I'd go Balham. Very convenient, lots of transport options, nice parks and commons etc nearby.

Another one for Balham. EF to me seems quite suburban and not much in the way of shopping in EF itself (from a quick google.) Balham has better shopping and more of a buzz.

Lots of young people in Balham and more transient population. Like Clapham next door. EF seems more suburban and older. Positives and negatives to both.

I think that depends where? Some of my DC’s classmates live in Balham and we went round one’s for Halloween last year and it was like something from an American movie with all the decorated houses and packs of kids roaming. I think on the streets that are more houses and less flat conversions you get less transient young people and more families.

Thank you everyone for your inputs, good to know that almost everyone unanimously likes Balham. Will update this thread once we've made the decision to serve as a reference for anyone who is in a similar boat in the future

I used to live in central/north london and then moved to balham. I loved it! A lot of south london is hidden gems and less on the map than Hampstead Heath etc. There are so many lovely parks and commons and characterful areas- and generally a slightly more relaxed vibe than north london? Or maybe that has just been my personal experience! I definitely recommend Balham

Another vote from me for Balham.

I live in EF and if family ties aren't an issue I'd go for Balham. I like EF and need to live in north/west London for travel to family. EF ticks all the boxes but it's fairly boring vs Balham being a bit more vibrant.

EF is also Barnet Council which is dreadful.

That said, it's pretty much a matter of preference, both are decent areas for young families.

Also, another plus: Balham is in Wandsworth so cheapest council tax in the country