Looking for area suggestions for a long-term family move (South London)

[Ally345]

Hi everyone, I’d love some thoughts from people who’ve made a similar move.

We currently live in Tooting and are looking to buy our forever home. This will be our third time paying stamp duty, so we really want to get it right and not move again.

Our criteria:

• 4-bed house with a garden
• Decent living space, ideally a sitting room plus a kitchen-diner that can also fit a sofa (so 2 sitting areas for when teenage years hit)
• Budget £1.1m (we can push to £1.25m, but it's a stretch)
• One toddler and a baby on the way
• Outstanding or very strong state schools are a must
• Walkable secondary school strongly preferred
• Both parents work full time and commute to central London 1–3 days a week (Camden and Embankment)
• We value calm, safety, and a strong family community, but also want some atmosphere: cafes, parks, a bit of life nearby

We have found Tooting to be just okay (maybe that's the best-case scenario in this budget and with these requirements), and are considering nearby pockets of Streatham/West Norwood, and we also like the feel of places like East Dulwich and Forest Hill.

I'm not from the UK, and my partner has family & friends in SW London, so we aren't too keen on leaving the broader South London area.

You could try Crystal Palace, Sydenham or Penge

Yes, Forest Hill, Brockley (although your budget might not stretch to a house), Ladywell, Crystal Palace, Penge. Blackheath is nice (SE3) with good primary schools. There is a good secondary school at Blackheath Standard.

I’m a Forest Hill-er. I love it here, and whilst £1.1m probably wouldn’t get you what exactly you’re looking for in the most desirable streets unless you were prepared to do reno, there are pockets where it would, particularly on the south side of the station towards Crofton, around the ‘Perry Village’ area, and towards / just across the Sydenham border. There are several Outstanding primary schools; secondaries I think are somewhat mixed in terms of how people view them depending on their wants.

I also don’t dislike Penge, it’s slightly more affordable and the highstreet is steadily gaining a bit more niceness. I considered but rejected Crystal Palace as it’s on that dogleg of the Windrush and trains are less frequent (also I cycle to commute and the SE23 hills are bad enough without another uphill!) but that may concern you less.

Have you looked at the Sutton area? 30 mins into London Bridge. You’d get a bit more for your money although it doesn’t feel quite so ‘Londony’ which might be a downside. Some good schools.

Have you looked at Beckenham, and bromley, outstanding primaries Clare House and Highfield, green spaces, lots of parks, good trains to victoria, cafes, shops, sports centres, you'd get a lovely house for £1m

Thinking about calm, safe, parks, a bit of life nearby, good schools, family and friends in SW London, a budget of around £1m, and an okay commute, places like Teddington come to mind for me personally.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/170581763#/?channel=RES_BUY

Surbiton or Berrylands might be two more to look at.

I’d highly recommend West Norwood. Excellent primary and secondary schools in walking distance, and a good community without the yummy mummy sanitation of Dulwich

With that budget I would stick with Tooting and aim to be as close to Graveney School as possible. 15 minutes walk to either Tooting Bec or Broadway tubes on the Northern Line.

Are you sure you want to stay in London? That kind of money buys an amazing house with land everywhere else. There are good jobs outside of London too. I recognise your wants for your family but the pictures being posted are something I’d want to pay £300k for let alone over a million

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/170647166?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Yes, @hohahagogo, our jobs are limited to London and sadly, no opportunities outside for our fields. My partner's role is also heavy on the client-facing side, which involves frequent evening entertainment in Central London, so he would rather be able to get an Uber home when needed.

Thanks @DaisyMayBojangles, we are definitely seeing good house options popping up in West Norwood. But we are concerned the secondary schools aren't great, and may need travel etc.?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/167488913#/?channel=RES_BUY Near Richmond Park and between Richmond Station and Kingston Rail

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/169291193#/?channel=RES_BUY Near the river and very good schools

Blackheath or Brockley IMO

Can you start by identifying secondary schools and work back from there?

That is by far the toughest of your criteria.

Absolutely agree with this. We are in Furzedown, great sense of community, brilliant schools, safe, near the common, good transport links.
Only other place I’d consider living is Teddington (as mentioned above).

I agree Furzedown is a great bet for you in the circumstances you have described. I would also look at Old Merton Park in South Wimbledon where you can get a four bed for your budget. Excellent schools and transport. I think it fits your requirements. Roads like Bournemouth, Mina, Branksome Rd.

There are several good secondaries.. Dunraven, Elmgreen and Norwood. Also not far from Kingsdale.

I would definitely look in Surbiton.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/170850833#/?channel=RES_BUY Here's a house that might suit you within walking distance of the mainline station (way nicer imo than the Berrylands area, which is a bit dead. There's a playpark just minutes away, and also a gorgeous farmer's market, very nice restaurants, loads of shops etc all within 5-10 mins walk.

The area is very very safe and friendly. Loads of cafes, shops, restaurants, riverside walks. It is walking distance or a quick bus ride/drive into Kingston for even more shops, theatre, cinema, great markets and outstanding music scene. Richmond and Bushy Park are nearby for long weekend walks among wild deer.

I don't know the schools so well these days but the details say outstanding schools nearby. But it is a short bus ride from Hinchley Wood secondary school which has a good reputation and I don't think catchment areas are as tight as they used to be. Loads of good private schools and also Tiffin state grammars if you want to explore those options.

Loads of fast trains to Waterloo - walkable to Embankment - takes 15-20mins. Then Northern Line to camden. Or change at Vauxhall onto Victoria Line.

As DC get older, there is so much to do in the area. Kayaking on the Thames, loads of sports and social clubs, orchestras, youth theatre at the Rose. Lots of part-time job opportunities too. It is a great place to grow up. They won;t be bored and you won't be worried.

I also like New Malden, which is way cheaper, but a slower commute and definitely more urban.

Clapham South/Balham

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/167105444#/?channel=RES_BUY

For West Norwood you'd have to make sure you were close enough to Dunraven or Elm Green- it can be a bit of a secondary blackspot, so not the Streatham side. Kingsdale doesn't use distance as a criteria, but the flip side of that is it's really popular so no guarantee of getting in even if you live next door.

I'd definitely look round Forest Hill, Sydenham and Penge. The secondary options are quite good (better if you have girls, Sydenham is a lovely school but Forest Hill boys is on the up as well).

If you could access Penge East, Sydenham/Penge West stations and are close enough to the line that goes via Catford and Lewisham you've got tons of transport options. The pocket between Sydenham high road and Penge is very nice. Or what about this, near Forest Hill? Or you would get more space towards Beckenham but it's a bit more suburban.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/170954555?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

I live on Forest Hill and it definitely ticks your boxes. Sydenham girls and Forest Hill boys are both good schools, I know lots of children who have done really well at both.

I'd also look at West Norwood, good housing stock and nice community

I would look on surbiton too - great fast train line, good schools , the river and very easy and quick into Kingston and Richmond ( on bus) for good shopping, nice riverfront food places, good schools and holds its money - kind of place that’s decent to live with both little ones and teens - and in zones! The other thing about that area is it’s easy to ‘get out of London’ if driving and easy for getting to both airports. Surbiton also isn’t on the flight path. I find some areas of south London are fine but do take forever to get out of if driving. Some areas of north London the same,

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166328519#/?channel=RES_BUY what about something like this? Lovely area

I am going to be very cheeky but does anyone know where the picture in the bedroom in Latchmere Close Richmond might be from ? It was the house @Okayfenokayposted.