Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Ealing/Chiswick/Grove Park and Thoughts from people who live/lived there?

18 replies

Oscariana · 26/02/2025 17:26

Hi - We're looking to buy a house. Budget up to 2.1 mil but ideally 2100 sq ft+ with good transport access. We currently live in Chiswick, but we are finding it really hard to find a property here on that budget which doesn't have a major flaw( like a train track very close or on a main road). Just looking for people's thoughts who live in Ealing? It seems v busy to me compared to Chiswick, but what areas do you think are best (I've seen a house near Ealing Common for example) . Also, for those in Grove Park, is the lack of a tube an issue? I worry about nights I head into London and using the underpass to get back if taking the tube...
Just trying to widen my search a bit (I am already considering Gunnersbuyt St Brook, Rav Park etc.). Any ideas are much appreciated.

OP posts:
BadSkiingMum · 26/02/2025 17:43

I know that area and it probably will be tricky to find a house without some proximity to a major transport route, given that you have the A4, the Chiswick High Road, the tube and a rail line running through it!

Ealing is nice enough and some of the housing stock is a bit roomier than that in Chiswick. But are you sure about staying in London? You could get a little piece of heaven outside the M25 for that budget.

I don't want to say exactly where, but I today drove past a cluster of houses in a rural setting that was so gorgeous that I actually exclaimed out loud. That place was under ten minutes from a mainline rail station, then forty minutes into London.

MissMoneyFairy · 26/02/2025 17:55

What are your prioritites, which station do you need to get to, schools, shops, transport, green spaces. Do you want to stay in SW London, it's a completely different area and vibe to Grove park

Duchessofealing · 26/02/2025 17:56

I’m in Ealing, Northfields area. We love it, great schools, parks, the tube and a short walk to Ealing Broadway. Very family friendly some lovely local restaurants. What you won’t get is the shops and high end restaurants of Chiswick. It’s a very friendly area and a short tube or cab to Chiswick.
I personally wouldn’t live Ealing Common way, the fair and circus are there and it’s busy every year, and it often seems to come up on Next Door with muggings of teens.
Culmington Road has lovely houses backing on to the park, you don’t mention schools but be very careful of catchment for both primary and secondary. Poets Corner is meant to be nice but I don’t know it.
I’d suggest a Saturday trip to each area you’re thinking of and just mooch, my recommendations are Pulp coffee shop, Patri Indian restaurant, Mooch (two shops on Northfields Avenue), they should give you a good feel for the area and if you like the vibe.

BeMauveDeer · 26/02/2025 21:17

I don’t have any advice for the OP, but I’d love to follow this discussion. Like the OP, we’re also looking for a house in these areas. Our budget is around £1.2M-1.5M, and we’re looking for a property between 1,200-1,500 square feet with good condition. We’d like to be close to a tube station since we need to commute to Hammersmith.

We’re still quite unfamiliar with West London. We really like Chiswick, but it might be out of our budget, so we’re also considering Acton, Ealing, and Northfields. So far, our impression is that Northfields has some great restaurants, but shopping for groceries isn’t as convenient(I might be wrong) We’re also concerned that if the tube isn’t running, it could make commuting to work and school more difficult.

MissMoneyFairy · 26/02/2025 22:15

What about Richmond, Clapham, Chislehurst

Duchessofealing · 26/02/2025 22:40

BeMauveDeer · 26/02/2025 21:17

I don’t have any advice for the OP, but I’d love to follow this discussion. Like the OP, we’re also looking for a house in these areas. Our budget is around £1.2M-1.5M, and we’re looking for a property between 1,200-1,500 square feet with good condition. We’d like to be close to a tube station since we need to commute to Hammersmith.

We’re still quite unfamiliar with West London. We really like Chiswick, but it might be out of our budget, so we’re also considering Acton, Ealing, and Northfields. So far, our impression is that Northfields has some great restaurants, but shopping for groceries isn’t as convenient(I might be wrong) We’re also concerned that if the tube isn’t running, it could make commuting to work and school more difficult.

There’s a Sainsbury’s local by the tube at Northfields and a big Waitrose half a mile up the road by West Ealing tube, or a big Tesco at Osterley. If you want local there is a lovely cheese shop on Northfields Avenue, a fantastic bakery and a great butcher on South Ealing Road.
Yes if both the district and Piccadilly lines are down it’s a pain to get to Hammersmith but it can be done by bus if you leave plenty of time.

Original poster
Oscariana · 26/02/2025 22:46

BadSkiingMum · 26/02/2025 17:43

I know that area and it probably will be tricky to find a house without some proximity to a major transport route, given that you have the A4, the Chiswick High Road, the tube and a rail line running through it!

Ealing is nice enough and some of the housing stock is a bit roomier than that in Chiswick. But are you sure about staying in London? You could get a little piece of heaven outside the M25 for that budget.

I don't want to say exactly where, but I today drove past a cluster of houses in a rural setting that was so gorgeous that I actually exclaimed out loud. That place was under ten minutes from a mainline rail station, then forty minutes into London.

Hi. I don't mind some proximity to transport, but we've now seen two houses with train/tube lines literally at the bottom of the garden and two houses on major main roads. 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
Original poster
Oscariana · 26/02/2025 22:49

Duchessofealing · 26/02/2025 17:56

I’m in Ealing, Northfields area. We love it, great schools, parks, the tube and a short walk to Ealing Broadway. Very family friendly some lovely local restaurants. What you won’t get is the shops and high end restaurants of Chiswick. It’s a very friendly area and a short tube or cab to Chiswick.
I personally wouldn’t live Ealing Common way, the fair and circus are there and it’s busy every year, and it often seems to come up on Next Door with muggings of teens.
Culmington Road has lovely houses backing on to the park, you don’t mention schools but be very careful of catchment for both primary and secondary. Poets Corner is meant to be nice but I don’t know it.
I’d suggest a Saturday trip to each area you’re thinking of and just mooch, my recommendations are Pulp coffee shop, Patri Indian restaurant, Mooch (two shops on Northfields Avenue), they should give you a good feel for the area and if you like the vibe.

Thanks so much - some great advice here!
I was wondering about the common. I don't love parts of West Ealing either from what I've seen . We are sorted for schools already so that's not an issue.

OP posts:
Duchessofealing · 27/02/2025 08:04

Just remember @Oscariana catchment in Ealing is a big thing, and I know that when you’re buying the last thing you’re thinking about is selling so just something for the back of your mind. Good luck!

Original poster
Oscariana · 27/02/2025 08:58

Duchessofealing · 27/02/2025 08:04

Just remember @Oscariana catchment in Ealing is a big thing, and I know that when you’re buying the last thing you’re thinking about is selling so just something for the back of your mind. Good luck!

Hi -good advice, def but both my kids are in (private) schools already. All the areas Im thinking of are in commuting distance, with school buses provided in my DS case if not.

OP posts:
theadultsaretalking · 27/02/2025 11:54

Going a bit against the grain here. I lived in West Ealing/Northfields for about 8 years (moved away now), and to be honest, I never grew to love it. It just felt a bit too far and a bit too suburban for my liking. It is great for families, nice parks etc, but I think if you like Chiswick, you might struggle a bit - it’s just not the same vibe. The Picadilly line commute is not the easiest either.

In terms of Ealing Common, if you go towards Birch Grove, there are some beautiful houses and a nice community around them, so I wouldn’t dismiss it.

There are some super nice houses just north of Ealing Broadway station, but they will probably be out of your budget.

theadultsaretalking · 27/02/2025 11:56

Have you looked around Hammersmith? Surprisingly, there are still some good properties out there.

Original poster
Oscariana · 27/02/2025 16:03

theadultsaretalking · 27/02/2025 11:54

Going a bit against the grain here. I lived in West Ealing/Northfields for about 8 years (moved away now), and to be honest, I never grew to love it. It just felt a bit too far and a bit too suburban for my liking. It is great for families, nice parks etc, but I think if you like Chiswick, you might struggle a bit - it’s just not the same vibe. The Picadilly line commute is not the easiest either.

In terms of Ealing Common, if you go towards Birch Grove, there are some beautiful houses and a nice community around them, so I wouldn’t dismiss it.

There are some super nice houses just north of Ealing Broadway station, but they will probably be out of your budget.

Thanks, all this is really helpful :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Oscariana · 27/02/2025 16:05

theadultsaretalking · 27/02/2025 11:56

Have you looked around Hammersmith? Surprisingly, there are still some good properties out there.

I am looking at Ravenscourt Park which is close to Hammersmith. Not keen on Hammersmith proper tbh unless near the River or possibly Brackenbury Village.

OP posts:
theadultsaretalking · 27/02/2025 16:50

Oscariana · 27/02/2025 16:05

I am looking at Ravenscourt Park which is close to Hammersmith. Not keen on Hammersmith proper tbh unless near the River or possibly Brackenbury Village.

Show quote history

I know what you mean about Hammersmith proper, but (and I know because I have a couple of friends living there), if you go north of King Street, you literally need to look on a street-by-street basis.

coffee1986 · 26/01/2026 16:11

hi where did you buy in the end? looking at Ealing Common too

Wowzel · 26/01/2026 18:29

I used to live near Ealing Common and my car was repeatedly broken into. That really put me off, so I moved!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page