Talk to me about Hampstead….

[MontevideoTrip]

We are looking to move house and it seems Hampstead ticks all of our boxes! Any suggestions of particular roads or areas? Or just general views!

Awesome area!
I've rented here for 8 years. I love the many cafes nearby, the close proximity to the Heath, fantastic transport links and basically everything about the area.

Unfortunately I can't afford to buy here so I'm moving soon 😪

I can't really advise on specific streets other than to say I don't think you can really go wrong from the experience I have walking around and generally living in the area.

It’s lovely but nb estate agents call all sorts of things Hampstead that aren’t really Hampstead. The village is lovely, especially towards the heath. As you go west towards Finchley Road it gets a bit less nice. The area to the south of Hampstead Heath is also referred to as Hampstead but has a very different vibe and poor transport connections.

North towards the heath extension and HGS- different again.

what is your budget?

Where are you moving to?

As a PP said - where exactly do you mean by Hampstead?
personally I don’t love the village to walk around - find the pavements narrow and crowded and it’s too hilly for my liking!

I dislike the village for the same reason. And the traffic can be appalling.

I love the village but agree about the traffic- beautiful 18th century streets not really designed for 21st century cars!

West Hampstead is one of the best connected bits of north London for public transport. but not as posh as Hampstead proper.

South East London.
Very different. Hoping I don't regret it, but limited budget means I couldn't be too picky.

Ahh, good luck! We month from SW London to Sutton and that's been a shock to the system, 5 years and counting...

I agree with the comments about the huge area that estate agents call Hampstead, although I think that's partly because a lot of the area used to be the borough of Hampstead and NW3 covers a lot of space. I also have reservations about the village, I'd go for Belsize Park or Primrose Hill

I mean, it depends what you’re looking for - a house, a flat, a mansion? Do you drive? It’s one of the most expensive areas in London so do you have lots of money? How many bedrooms? You certainly won’t get value for money.

So many of the roads are so narrow they’re a complete nightmare to drive around. During term time the traffic is insane at rush hour. The public transport isn’t great. And there’s no signal on Hampstead High Street.

But if none of that is an issue there are some beautiful roads, beautiful houses and good schools.

Lots of places close to Hampstead are cheaper than Hampstead.

I would be looking at Dartmouth park/Tufnell park/the roads in Kentish Town near Hampstead Heath.

Hampstead is lovely to visit but not many people can afford to actually buy there!

Thank you all! Ideally we’d like to live in Hampstead itself or even Hampstead gardens suburb area. We have a healthy budget so would be wanting a house with a garden!

HGS isn't hampstead! They are very different areas.

Any insight into the differences? X

I’ve always wondered this when I look for my dream house near the heath on Rightmove, money seems to go much further in HGS

Have you visited both areas? Hampstead is more densely populated, shops, hard ti park, near a tube. HGS has a semi rural feel, lots of green space, conservation area, longer walk to tube

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/5023819-living-in-hampstead-garden-suburb

We have a very niche set of criteria regarding what we need to be near! We need to be able to get to Heathrow quite quickly for work and to Pinner and Stanmore quickly for family….

Thanks @Twiglets1 , we looked in lots of areas.
Freehold was important, so we had to move a lot further out.

All areas you've mentioned I agree are lovely, just not on a £400k budget.

Impossible to say really without defining the budget.

Look for somewhere close to the jubilee or metropolitan line if you plan to use public transport to get to Pinner and Stanmore.

HGS - the 1930s semi houses are very old, cold and draughty and planning permission to change windows is limited.

Around 1.5.

Really helpful about the windows! don’t want to be cold!!

For a budget of 1.5m you’re looking at a flat and not many have outside space in the area. Possibly no parking. Your money won’t go as far as you’d think but I’m sure you know that. I love HGS and think it’s under-rated but that’s for family homes and not flats. In that area a lot of flats are owned by downsizing older people which is fine if you’re one too. Otherwise I’d stick with the village.
With that healthy budget you’d get a house in other areas of north London.