Anyone have any insights on property market in central (ish) London for flats?

[Tikityboo]

We are looking to move back in to central London as our DCs have now all left home. We will have retired so dont need to be close to a tube station or inadvertently pay ££££ for a school catchment we dont need. We want to live somewhere green and leafy and have a budget of £1.3m for a 2 bed flat. We want to be a 20 min walk max from a large green space and we dont want to be committed to a hefty annual service charge.

We are thinking maybe Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Primrose Hill, Belsize Park works for us as easy access in/out of London for visiting friends and family in that direction.

Does anyone have any market insights on whats been happening in the market for flats recently in these areas.

And if anyone can recommend any property market analysis sites which compare areas and trends that would be great.

I agree with @TizerorFizz about maybe starting with which parks meet the grade and working from there? I'd also really think about what you want in your neighbourhood other than centrality and a park - It's good you're getting advice from others. We lived in a very nice part of Chelsea for quite a while, very convenient, and walkable to Battersea Park and Hyde Park/Ken Gardens, but I disliked it as a neighbourhood. Lots of tourists but very few other permanent residents. Everything around us seemed to be mostly unused second (or third or fourth) homes.

@ocs30 Yes. Some areas can be quiet. I’d also look for pubs and restaurants. Look for life! The joy of London is having everything relatively close. You will not just want a park. We like all sorts of activities and like a shortish journey to access them. DD uses stations a lot for work and likes decent links to them. So I would evaluate all you want, not just a park.

"I’d also look for pubs and restaurants".....but thats just you...we are teetotal vegans - so not interested in alcohol or eating out. Or shopping.

"You will not just want a park."....yes I will - we are keen runners and I will need my nature fix.

We are moving back in again to access more culture and history and plan to walk/cycle as much as possible rather than use public transport.

I lived off Queensway for years. Straight access to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens and walkable to loads of places.

Yes too many tourists or Air BnB in a block would be a concern and something we are conscious of.

@Tikityboo I would look for vegan restaurants then! My suggestions were just ideas for social interaction not what you must do. Anyway, enjoy your move.

Do vegans and non-drinkers never eat out?

The pp didn’t say you would “just not want a park” it said “you will not want just a park” i.e. not only a park.

Obviously you know exactly what you want but the poster wasn’t trying to contradict you, just suggest some wider considerations.

I spent quite a bit of time in the Barbican over the summer and was surprised at the size of the park within the grounds (not the waterfall area by the restaurants but the large key garden area in one of the fully residential parts. Appreciate it’s not a patch on RP or HP though. Have you thought about Highgate, for Highgate Wood/Queen’s Wood if you are on the Crouch End/Muswell Hill side? There is also the Parkland Walk linking Crouch End, Stroud Green, Muswell Hill and Highgate. There are some nice 60s/70s apartments on Shepherd’s Hill that I have my eye on for when I downsize! Highgate also not that far from Hampstead Heath.

@JollyHollyMe I think this may be the most useful information I've ever got from Mumsnet thank you so much ! We've been searching for a while and I've just started looking at the links you've sent and this is perfect - a huge and massive thank you ( and it's not been my thread)

Have you considered Victoria Park? Lived there for years before moving a few tube stops away and literally cannot wait for the kids to leave home so we can move back. Your budget would get you a good house there…

Another vote for Westminster. It's 20-odd years since I lived there but it was great fun. The area behind Tate Britain is much more peaceful than you might expect - I think because a lot of people don't live there full time. You can get to St James's Park quickly and from there walk up through Green Park to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Then you can stroll along the South Bank for hours as we used to do often at the weekend. Everywhere is within walking distance. It was fabulous to go out to the theatre or for dinner and then when everyone else was facing a long journey home to be able to walk home within 30 mins. Being next to Victoria train station is great for day trips to the coast or getting to Gatwick for holidays.

Westminster is within walking distance to theatreland and many of the bigger museums, but there are a lot of cultural attractions across London which aren't within walking distance - well they'd be a long walk. The Barbican, Guildhall Art Gallery, Sadler's Wells in Angel or the new one in Stratford, V&A East, British Museum, the Greenwich museums, Whitechapel Gallery, London Museum, Freud Museum would all be quite a stretch to visit on foot from there. Many of the arts institutions are spread out enough across the city that there isn't one location that would put you within walking distance of everywhere.

I would want to be within walking distance of Hampstead Heath.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/155782874

You can do a short stay in a Dolphin Square apartment to test out Westminster living.

www.urban-stay.co.uk/serviced-apartments-westminster-london-dolphinhouse

The Lissenden Garden house is lovely, although it’s very near the secondary schools, I’m not sure if there would be a house price premium attached. Not too near any tubes, yet near the farmers market. I’m not sure I’d want to retire somewhere with so many stairs but I’m sure people do.

My DH is v keen for us to move there especially as he is a season ticket holder for WHU. I want to be more central for the cultural activies I enjoy and west for access out of London and to some family and friends who are more in that direction.

This was our reason for including Belsize Park as its 15 mins walk to HH and 15 mins walk to Regents Park.