Moving to Petts Wood Orpington - why this house not selling

[olivia117]

Hi everyone! We are considering moving to the Petts Wood, Orpington area for our 2-year-old child to attend Crofton Infant School in a few years and Darrick Wood School for secondary school in about 9 years (we do not plan to push our child for the grammar schools). We have started viewing properties, but so far haven't found anything within our budget of approximately £700k that we like.

(1) There's a large detached bungalow on St Thomas Drive that seems spacious and pretty, catch both schools, although it is slightly over our budget and requires some renovation. However, what's holding us back is that it has been on the market for several months and hasn't sold, despite being marketed by multiple agents (rightmove listings). So it's possible that there are something wrong that everyone sees that we just don't.

Could anyone with local knowledge help tell us some possible reasons why this property hasn't sold yet?

We have identified some potential drawbacks, but we're not sure if they are significant enough to prevent the property from selling:

• Possible surface water pump controller/alarm mounted on the house front wall (photos)
• Priced a bit high
• Medium surface flood risk
• Close proximity to Kyd Brook
• Close proximity to Crofton Woods
• North facing garden
• Require some work/redecoration

(2) Additionally, there are some other houses on Nightingale Road and Crescent Drive that fit our budget. However, we are concerned that these areas may not be within catchment for Darrick Wood School for secondary. We'd prefer not to move again in a few years due to the stress involved. Does anyone know if there are good secondary schools for children living on those roads, excluding grammar schools? Or most of them would have to move again for secondary?

(3) Also there are bungalows on Derwent Drive and Greenfield Gardens which are quite small and require a lot more work/extensions. Still, the main concern is they seem to be on the edge and can fall out of Darrick Wood's catchment. Does anyone know if children living on these roads can attend Darrick Wood School?

We would appreciate any comments or advice you can offer. Thank you!

Thanks, @Baddaybigcloud We'd assume you mean "rewire"? Do you know how we can find out early if the house needs a full rewire, and how much would that cost at the moment, before committing to it?

I’m no electrician and I would have no idea what to look out for but years ago my dad told me to have a look at the fuse box. If it looks old then it probably is.

@igivein Indeed there's a brook ~30m to the left from the house. As far as we know it doesn't run through the garden. Possibly there is a small pond in the garden instead.

@PuttingDownRoots This house as far as we can see doesn't back directly on to the wood, but is next to a house that does. So this might be a factor.

Indeed this house looks like an elderly couples home, but somehow we find it lovely, seem to have enough rooms for us, and seem to guarantee the schools for our DD.

@PettsWoodParadise We have seen on other threads that you seem to know a lot about the area, so we'd love to hear your opinions as well!

@olivia117 I wasn't meaning it was bad it looked like an older person's home, just more the practical hanging on rather than quick sale perspective.

Have you seen it in person yet? I'd take a walk around the woods also, its a while since I've been around there so do t know if its a popular hang out/route now. I know Petts Wood (the wood, not town) and Poverest Wood can be popular hangbouts for teens judging by the rubbish and left over fire remains.

@BorisJohnsonsPhysique Thanks for pointing this out, we probably have underestimated the costs... Both myself and DH haven't had any experience in this, we only got some figures for London/South East from the internet for our estimates, and we heard the reality could be really different.

I have a relative that lives in Grange road.

She loves it there.

Is this any good? It needs modernising!

www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/67728440/?search_identifier=f86e13c5f5e5aa1321523eeb9886a717

@PuttingDownRoots

> Have you seen it in person yet?

We had a viewing 3-4 months ago, and have watched the listings in the area for over a year now. We now just accept the fact that there is very limited supply of houses in this area that fit our requirements, so we are reviewing everything we have come across and seeing if we can compromise on something and commit. So we want to make sure the house doesn't have anything that's obviously wrong to a lot of people, especially things that can't be changed, that can make our life difficult and make the house itself unsaleable in the future.

We did have a walk into the woods a few times now and felt totally safe. But we understand your concerns, so far we have not seen signs of that, but it might just be that we were just not there when they happened. We are not local and always have to make a long trip to get there.

@TheHuntSyndicate Thanks for sharing! We did see this on the listings but have not viewed. It seems to be a nice property but would probably be a stretch for Crofton, and it does require a full renovation, very likely including a new kitchen, which has put us off...

I wonder how many of the people saying it is very small live in the London area. I think it is quite a decent size. It's much bigger than any modern house and does have a decent size garden. The work needed is mostly decorating, Kitchen and bathroom are ok. It is a pretty good price for detached and is in walking distance of stations which is not always the case in the outer suburbs.
If you are not sure on this one, waiting for a semi or investigating other schools that might suit you might be the answer.

Hi OP. It isn’t a bad road just a bit of no-man’s land. It is a bit of a walk to either Petts Wood or Orpington and also the shops. I know someone who moved to a bungalow nearby and had regretted it as they feel so cut off from having been ten minutes walk to everything in the past but that is a very subjective view and their personal experience and lifestyle.

Darrick Wood secondary just had its Ofsted done again and came out again as Good. It is seen as good and people move to the area for the school but it isn’t perfect and has a massive intake.

The woodlands were sold to a private investor about ten years ago, it put off a lot of buyers at the time but time having passed and nothing having happened I suspect it may be ok but with planning laws changing who knows it may give some people jitters. There is some low level nuisance in the woods, but nothing major.

The surface water flooding, I know a bungalow in Jersey Drive that has struggled to sell but that is high risk rather then medium, bizarrely just the other side of the road on Jersey Drive is low risk, so amazing what a few metres difference makes.

Thanks @fridaynight1! We had a very blurry photo of the consumer unit https://pastelink.net/tx5xhdfr Just by looking at this is do you know if it's possible to tell how modern it is and whether the house needs a rewire?

The woods are pretty safe. I mean, I wouldn't walk along the path in the dark (it's not lit) but I walk/run there a lot in daytime. They're lovely actually. I am always thankful we have them so nearby.

The stream does flood but more onto the path in the woods as the houses at the top end are raised up a bit I think? I live at the other end of the path through the woods and PWP is right that those houses have flooded in the past (not us - we're a bit further along) but they're at the bottom of what is a very slight slope up to the main Crofton Road whereas St Thomas is near the top.

I don't think you'd hear train noise from there - it's really quite far from the train line.

I think whoever suggested round Grange Road might be on to something, though if you're not fussed about being near the station I'd go nearer to Locksbottom as it's still a bit no-man's land on the other side of the main road, too.

Thanks @Hurdygurdygirl, what you said is actually our realisation after watching the area for a while as well. Initially our expectations were pretty much like what other commenters said, but now we know a house of this size in this area that catches good schools is just so expensive, and often more or less requires work...

We don't specifically look for a detached actually. We are open to semi as well but there're just none that fits our needs, which we found surprising as well. There used to be a few, but they are located on the busy roads which is a big turn off for us. Yes, as you suggested, eventually we might have to compromise more, or consider other areas if we can't find anything.

Just had a look on right move - there are loads of houses in better locations. A couple in Newstead Avenue - pretty sure you'd get Darrick from there plus near Tubbenden.

And lots in actual PW - Crescent Drive, Woodhurst, Crofton Lane.

It's so long until your child needs secondary school, for the sake of a fraction of a mile or having to wait for second round offers, I'd either go closer to a different primary OR risk it with PW. A lot can change in 8 years and I think birth rates have been falling?

@Groveparker01 Thank you so much, it is really useful to know, especially about where the house is in this area in terms of flood risk!

@PettsWoodParadise Thank you for sharing, these are all very useful info for us to know!

I think it is a perfectly nice house, without any obvious issues. You just need vision, like many houses. If you remove all the furnishings and decor, it’s a pretty good foundation. Remove some wallpaper and borders to repaint and recarpet is all you would need to create a lovely house. The bathroom and kitchen look quite new and are perfectly nice. Great garden. Nicely presented frontage.

@Groveparker01 Thanks for the suggestion! Do you know if parents in the area whose kids went to primaries like Tubbenden and Darrick Wood Junior are happy with those schools? How good are they compared to Crofton Junior? So far we have only heard that Crofton Junior is the top in the area for primary, that's why we wanted that for our DD😊

I wouldn’t touch Coopers with a ten foot pole.

Locations I would say are nicer and more community feel at roughly the same price are as below but not all likely to be in catchment for Darrick unless lower birth rate pushes it out. For boys Ravenswood is often chosen over Darrick and would be in distance. For girls it is more tricky if don’t want to do grammar but my daughter having gone grammar route there are loads of options and it is only as stressful as you make it.

St John’s Road: not that busy, more walkable:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147074426#/?channel=RESBUY

Willett Way
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/146350184#/?channel=RESBUY

Crescent Drive: likely to be in catchment for Darrick and has been recently, more likely to stay in catchment especially with lower birth rates:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/144845066#/?channel=RESBUY

Yes I know people with kids at Tubbenden who are v happy, and I knew a couple who went to Darrick Wood a few years ago and got on well.

(I feel the same about Coopers but was trying to be tactful!)

My kids are both at a grammar now. They didn't have tutoring or any extra lessons or anything for the test.

I am, though, very aware that they passed because they got such a good education at Crofton even though they don't prepare them for the 11+ specifically. Crofton is a lovely school but actually I think they're all good round here.

CSG is now under the Bullers MAT they are staff sharing and it will bring it up.

The bungalow is in a no man's land. Its neither PW or Orpington. You can get better for that money.

I didn't know that about CSG. That's excellent news for them.