London - Areas

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I would love a second property in London (we live up north but visit regularly).

I have looked and dreamed and Googled but I need some local insider knowledge - can anyone recommend areas to look at?

criteria would be

1. on the tube line
2. safe area, I like a bohemian vibe - Notting Hill, Portobello Road, Camden Market, Covent Garden, South Bank are the areas I spend time although I am well aware they’d be way out of budget (hence the struggle, I don’t know anywhere further out).
3. house rather than apartment to remove service charges
4. in an ideal world under £700k

Am I living in a dream world to think this may be doable? Can anyone suggest areas to look?

Freehold house in Kentish Town, Z2. Not quite Camden but walking distance.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145485605#/?channel=RES_BUY

3 bed freehold house in Bermondsey SE1 - looks like ex-council
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149088914#/?channel=RES_BUY

3 bed Victorian house in Camberwell. Quite a creative vibe due to the art school. Tube is a bit of a walk but still within a mile, and there are rail stations closer.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147452453#/?channel=RES_BUY

just what the journey is once there

but as I said the advantage of the tube is not waiting 10-15 mins plus for the next one & having to time your journey to line up with the fast trains. And the tube often takes you into your end destination eg lots of people will travel further on the tube from Victoria rail station. I have also found areas with tube stations tend to have a lot more condensed housing around the actual tubes whereas outer zones with rail stations will have bigger housing plots & the actual terminals often take up more space so it’s harder to live a 5min walk away.

East Croydon to most places central 15 ish then

which isn’t 12 as I said. It’s fine to love the train, I just found it odd that you labelled the OPs preference for a tube which isn’t unusual as tube romanticism 😆

if you list ‘London’ as your search area and just specify you want a house and your budget and number of bedrooms it’s quite easy to find some really interesting properties in your budget, particularly modern infil properties:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149300717

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149226473

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148834721

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143300630

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145122116

I finally sold my London flat recently - it had been on the market for months and I took a hit on the price too. London flats are good value right now - lots of people selling up but no landlords buying in.

If you’re coming from the NW, trains come into Euston. From NE it’s King’s Cross. So look along the corresponding tube lines and don’t disregard bus routes which are often quicker. Don’t have a second home in Kennington if your main home is in Manchester, for example. It will add at least 45 mins to your journey.

As pp said, I would stick to north London if you're coming from up north. Getting through central London can take ages especially by car. But from a north London location you can hop on the tube to most central locations pretty easily. Look at Mill Hill, Highgate, East Finchley, Crouch End.
I would avoid Camden tbh, lived around there for many years and still have family ties there. Most surrounding 'bohemian' areas have been taken over by bankers, property extremely over priced and it's lost its bohemian edge it's just kind of irritating now, albeit pretty in some parts. Camden itself is grotty, horribly crowded at weekends. I would avoid purchasing property in this area unless money no object and you can afford a large house with garden for a few million in Primrose Hill (and even then the area has got an odd energy about it these days)

From getting off an LNER train at Kings Cross to walking through my flat door in Pimlico is 20-25 minutes depending on the time of day.

Driving from Westminster to the M1 takes 35 minutes early or late and up to 50 at other times.

Morden certainly isn't, Colliers Wood is more so. This maisonette is 425k and doesn't have a service charge (I know someone in this road!) and it's within walking distance of Tooting Broadway

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/67469830/

South London is your best bet, but there aren't many tubes down here.