Bored: Young & in London, time to move?

[Spinke]

We moved to London three years ago for grad jobs. Moved into a small but perfectly nice rental flat in Hampstead. It’s very nice and leafy but boring and we don’t really feel like we fit. We get a great deal on rent however.

I would like to move but my dp does not. I’d like to either be within walking distance of work so live super centrally in Zone 1, or move to somewhere with a younger crowd and more going on e.g. Clapham/Stockwell or London Fields/Hackney.

Is being bored of an area enough reason to move? Currently feel like we live in a very staid and naice area. Moving would mean we’d pay more rent and less value.

Personally I think you'd be crazy to give up on a good flat with a good deal in Hampstead of all places. It's not like you're living on the moon - the places you've mentioned are easily reachable via tube and bus. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

I lived in London for a looooong time, think safety, some of places that you mentioned I wouldn’t consider, from a safety and noise POV.

I've lived in Soho, Bloomsbury and Spitalfields, and I get what you mean about Hampstead. It's not somewhere I would have chosen to live although it's affordable to me. There's less going on there and the general vibe feels less fun and diverse. Personally I value having interesting things on my doorstep and an easy walking commute to work. I guess it depends on how good the rental deal is, and what its value is to you.

If you're mid-20s, I would move to where your friends are. When I was 23, I was living in West London when all my friends were in South London. Getting home from a night on the tiles was a nightmare, and I missed out on a lot of casual last-minute brunch type hangouts. I moved - it solved the issues. So I sympathise. You have your whole life for nice and leafy, but the period when everyone wants to have fun is short - shorter than you think.

On the other hand, what are your future plans? Does your current flat allow you to save for a deposit?

This. I had similar, except I lived in south London and all my friends lived in Hackney/Harringay. Ended up discovering that there is such a thing as postcode based friendship.

Like others, some of the most fun times I had in my 20s and 30s in London came about because a bunch of us lived in the same area. At one point, on the same street. Spontanous fun for the win!

I also find Hampstead a bit dull. Fine for a visit and a walk on the heath, but I wouldn’t want to live there. London Fields is good, easy access to the city, nice bars and restaurants, I live near there so go to the park a lot. I used to live in Shoreditch, which was great, but I worked there too and felt like I needed a break! I enjoyed living Highbury/Barnsbury way, good transport links and near to KX which has changed massively and has a nice vibe especially in the summer.

Hampstead would be a bit dull for someone in their 20s, I get that. But reasonable rent is very valuable in London.

In your shoes I would probably stay put and travel to livelier places at the weekends.