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Original poster

FTB: Feeling nervous about moving to zone 3 London.

82 replies

Silksonic · 30/04/2024 12:15

I’m 30 and currently live in London Z2, no children yet but actively trying to find a partner as I would love to start trying.

All of my friends are similar age/ no kids/ no partner.

We all live in Z2 but scattered around N/E/S

My rent is going up another 25%. I'm tired of moving every year so I finally started looking to buy last year. I wanted to stay in Z2 SE but my budget of £400,000 hasn’t gone far. I haven’t managed to find a 2 bed that has the size I’m looking for.

I did find a modern 2 bed but the service charge was £3800 p/a.

I came across a 2 bed on Collingtree Road in Sydenham that ticks all my boxes. It’s SoF, needs some modernisation but good condition.
My friends are starting to make me feel nervous about being isolated and far from everyone as well as not having access to the tube.

I would have preferred to be in Forest Hill/ Honor Oak or Brockley as they have better restaurants/ independence stores, cafes, which is what I’m interested in but what I viewed in my budget were smaller or had short leases.

I think I just need reassurance that my social life isn’t going to collapse if I continue with this purchase and that there are actually things to do (eat) in Sydenham.

OP posts:

SD25 · 01/05/2024 11:14

Sydenham is a nice place to live... but location, location, location. Live where you want while you can and it's not dictated by jobs, partner, kids etc.

Growlybear83 · 01/05/2024 11:16

sweetpickle2 · 01/05/2024 10:48

If you've lived near there for 50 years @Growlybear83 and found it better to start with, is it not also to do with the fact that you're older and your perspectives change?

I loved living in Peckham in my early 30s- I wouldn't live there now because I don't want to be out all the time looking for a partner and seeing friends regularly but based on what the OP has said they're looking for Peckham is a really good option.

Yes that may be true to a point, but my daughter is in her early 30s and feels exactly the same. She has travelled extensively on her own around India, Indonesia, Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries and has always said that she has never felt as unsafe anywhere else in the world as she does in Peckham at night.

Original poster

Silksonic · 01/05/2024 11:35

Ginmonkeyagain · 01/05/2024 11:03

@KievLoverTwo yes it can happen very suddenly at that age and feel a bit of an upheaval. Without being patronising I think the OP seeks to be the first in her group to make that jump and is having a bit of a wobble. It's not actually about Sydenham.

Now I am in my mid 40s my we are all settled happily in our different lives. I have a gang of friends based around suburban SE London who I see a lot (we were actually out at the theatre in Bromley last night) and I see my other parts of London/out of town friends mainly in central London (seeing a couple of friends who moved out west of London at the Southbank on Saturday).

But I will concede the difference is most of us (including me) have been in long term relationships since our late 20s/early 30s.

Edited

@Ginmonkeyagain you really hit the nail on the head.
I am so grateful for everyone taking the time to answer and not making me feel too silly.

I think me and my friends are all approaching a very transitional phase, and if I’m honest I assumed I would be partnered and thinking about next steps by now!
I guess it’s not about Sydenham just being the first one to make a big change

OP posts:

kirinm · 01/05/2024 11:43

Growlybear83 · 01/05/2024 09:30

@WitchWithoutChips Yes, I live quite close to Peckham. It may have gentrified but it's still horrible and parts are extremely unsafe, particularly for a single woman. I think gentrification can also really ruin an area, East Dulwich being a prime example.

I don't think Peckham is extremely unsafe. I've lived in it and close to it for nearly 10 years and haven't had any issues.

Jackiebrambles · 01/05/2024 11:57

Sydenham is lovely! I live here. I promise you it’s not isolated due to no tube, the overground trains are very frequent and loads of buses. And as others have said there’s loads of pubs and places to eat both in Sydenham and forest hill. Transport into town is easy and I often go in on an evening to meet friends who live in n/e London, all on the ginger line (soon to be renamed the Windrush line!). It’s a very safe area too and loads of green space.

PrimalLass · 01/05/2024 12:05

25 years ago we lived on Mill Hill Broadway, which is zone 4 but it was 20 mins on the train to KX. If I ever had to live in London again I'd go back there. You'd get a 2-bed flat round there for 400.

KievLoverTwo · 01/05/2024 12:06

OP, are you aware that Jeremy Hunt did not extend the current FTB stamp duty relief in the last budget? These current discounts are due to end in March 2025:

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/discover/property-news/spring-budget-why-the-stamp-duty-cuts-need-to-stay/

However, the housing market is on its arse, and I think it’s fairly likely that he will do this before a general election, because it’s very unlikely a Tory government will have to swallow up the financial loss, and they think it is an easy vote buyer.

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