Where to buy our first family home in London?

[househunter93]

Looking for recommendations on where might be good to buy a house in London. We are a couple in our early thirties looking to find a family house with at least 3 bedrooms and a garden.

We love areas like Hampstead, Richmond, Chiswick because they are leafy, family-friendly with good schools, and crucially, connected by tube as we work centrally. However our budget is £1.1m which probably wouldn’t stretch that far.

We’ve explored Ealing and are quite fond of Northfields / South Ealing especially around Lammas Park but it’s a bit boring - not many independent shops or nice high streets.

Any tips for where else we could look that ticks our boxes would be much appreciated!

We joined propertyheads and used their ask the neighbours function. We search for houses and then there's box where you can ask the neighbours. Found out a lot about the local areas we were looking at. So glad we did as one place we really wouldn't have liked..

What are your priorities - the upmarket area, the style of house or the proximity to the tube? You're probably right in that you can't have all three but for instance you definitely can get a 3 bed in Hampstead for that price, it will just probably be an ugly house or a small 3 bed. Or if you are prepared to be Hampstead-adjacent rather than in the village itself but technically in Archway or Tufnell Park or Belsize Park you'll get a better house but be within walking distance of shops etc there. Or other similar feeling areas but probably slightly cheaper would be Highgate, Muswell Hill, Crouch End - the latter two not directly on the tube but only a short bus ride to Highgate or Finsbury Park respectively. Stoke Newington and parts of Hackney are very trendy, also probably reachable within your budget and is on the overground which is fine for travel purposes these days.

But in general you will always get more for your money south of the river and if the house is the priority and you aren't attached to north london particularly I think it would be worth your while exploring the branches of the overground to the South East -Greenwich areas around the park and Blackheath are really nice and then places like Honor Oak Park, Brockley, Forest Hill are much more fancified than they ever used to be (not sure re schools but it's easy enough to check).

Souths typically cheaper. Think about your priorities and where you need to commute to. The Tube isn't great in south but there's the Overground and other train lines into mainline stations. You'll get a lot more house for your money if you looked at areas like Crystal Palace, Herne Hill, Dulwich.

South Wimbledon

You should be able to find the type of property you’re looking for in West Hampstead for that budget. Great amenities and transport connections and only a 20 min walk from Hampstead. Similar vibe as well, just a bit less upmarket I guess, but still very gentrified. I think it’s a much better option than pretty much anywhere in South London if you value easy connections into central London.

Wimbledon. I live in a three bed plus study/office (officially a bedroom but tiny) terraced house. Garden ok size for city and there are some bigger. Two 'excellent' and one 'good' primaries within walking distance. Two good parks, one with nice playground. 15 minutes walk to tube/train, five minutes walk to Thameslink. Price around £1.1-1.3m. Lovely family neighbourhood but not so much you feel out of place (my neighbours don't have kids and mine are grown).

Dulwich, Forest Hill or Crystal Palace. But I'm biased.

I've heard good things about Earlsfield, though I don't know the area.

Londoners will tolerate a small house with a postage stamp garden if close to a tube station, or if they want something bigger/better value, will put up with the bus or national rail to get about. It really does depend on priorities.

Another vote for Wimbledon/South Wimbledon/Raynes Park. Great transport links, so much green space, great schools (both state and independent) and a good diversity of shops, restaurants, etc. At the weekend, Wimbledon Village and the common are lovely for a walk, or you're close to the A3 if you want to get out of London by car. But you're also still in easy commuting distance for London, whether for work or for going out.

As the poster above said, it depends on priorities (location vs house). There might be something in Chiswick (we have moved here recently and love it!)

For example:

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/65327058/?search_identifier=3643aceaa5664b0c198cc5ba396461f0413c18cab7f662dd3f966412d7121708 (more towards south acton)

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/65421476/?search_identifier=3643aceaa5664b0c198cc5ba396461f0413c18cab7f662dd3f966412d7121708 (2 bed but can be extended in the loft)

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/65327058/?search_identifier=3643aceaa5664b0c198cc5ba396461f0413c18cab7f662dd3f966412d7121708

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/64374708/?search_identifier=efa28b5cd34b58e0673dad4b373ec01d3aaf697ee3fe59633468a5ef76b74cd9 (but this is in Grove Park by the railway station)

this is quite central but a project for 900k https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/66015264/?search_identifier=efa28b5cd34b58e0673dad4b373ec01d3aaf697ee3fe59633468a5ef76b74cd9

my view is if you like west London, you like west London….
And you aren’t going to end up in Stratford or the east end of the central line no matter how nice the house is…

for your budget I would take a look at Hanwell.
its on the Elizabeth line. Super similar to Ealing
also maybe Twickenham. You can get a 1600-1800sq foot 3-4 bed for 900k or so nearish the station

I personally rate Wimbledon and Crystal Palace (they are very different though!)

I also LOVED Richmond but my DH hated it and we both agreed the transport wasn’t great for our jobs.

Thank you! I came across a house I really liked in Wimbledon Park, but I’ve found it really difficult to get to know the different areas of Wimbledon. Eg Wimbledon village, Wimbledon town, Wimbledon park and South Wimbledon all seem to have totally different vibes! Where in Wimbledon are you?

Oh wow this is fantastic! @EleMar! Thank you so much. When I’ve looked at chiswick I’ve tended to keep my searches to Turnham Green and Stamford Brook, these area around Acton/Chiswick Park is less familiar to me but those houses look really lovely. Thank you!

If you like Richmond have you looked at Sheen/Twickenham/Teddington/poss Isleworth?

@EleMar found this around Chiswick which I adore the look of… and it’s 0.2m to the tube which is very appealing! https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140484812

Garden backs onto a railway line though. Hope you are a deep sleeper!

I'm very close to Chiswick Park station (and 10 min walk to Turnham Green station) and the high street - so that end of Chiswick and we love it! I work in the City so proximity to the tube was a big factor for us. As well as proximity to the high street / shops. Also easy to get to LHR so also a bonus point!

@househunter93 South Park grid. Holy Trinity school is the jewel in the crown but The Priory is good too and at the far end you have Garfield primary, houses are ever so slightly cheaper near there. My neighbour has a child there who loves it plus that's the park with the playground.
You even my find anything in your budget near the Village, that is £££. Raynes Park is good and Dundonald area.

@Eigen eek, got excited too quickly! No wonder it’s in my budget, what with the train tracks right behind it!

@EleMar found some other houses around where you are! We have a bit of flexibility on budget - these are definitely a slight stretch, but what do you think of these locations?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139207568

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140917598

@mondaytosunday where in Wimbledon are you out of interest? I struggle to wrap my head around the different areas from village to town and south Wimbledon and Wimbledon park!

@Brownhairdontcare yes but none of those are connected to the tube which is a must have for me!

Honestly don't worry about train tracks! We back onto a train track and I was so worried when we bought 9 year ago, but honestly I love it! I sleep at the front of the house so can't hear the trains, but my son sleeps at the back and he doesn't notice them at all.

It's so lovely not being overlooked by neighbours at the end of the garden - honestly I can't recommend train track living highly enough!!

@maxelly great points. In terms of non-negotiables, it would have to be: near tube station (which rules out a lot of the South London places), safe, good state primary schools, decent high street, green spaces.

It would be nice to have a house with off street parking and curb appeal but it’s not necessary. I’d be happy with an ugly house if I meant I could live in Hampstead village, ha.

I don't know those streets specifically but it seems a great location! Chiswick park station 5-6 minutes walk (can go to Ealing Broadway for Liz line) and all the way to the City (via Slone Square and Kensington). Plus you have South Acton Overground station also 5-6 min walk, which takes you to Richmond (2 stops), Hampstead, Camden and all the way to Hackney / Stratford (for east London vibes by the canal in summer in Hackney Wick or London Fields and Broadway Market by Hackney Central). Notting Hill is 15-20 by Uber depending on traffic.

Op-Wimbledon town is well connected with the northern line at South Wimbledon (get to zone 1 in 35 /40 mins) and District line or mainline from Wimbledon station. Look around the south park gardens grid or just the other side of Haydons rd (houses a bit bigger and cheaper but slightly further from town). All good primary schools /parks nearby and a community feel. Restaurants, a theatre and cinema are I'm Wimbledon.

Wimbledon village is astronomically expensive and close to the common. Not many transport links or amenities up there really.

Wimbledon park is a bit more expensive than Wimbledon town but houses are bigger. It's a nice area, not as many shops , amenities right on your doorstep but they aren't far away. Nearby schools are good again. Transport wise -options are more limited as you have the district line which is slow or have to go to Wimbledon first.