Where to live with a toddler, Hampstead?

[Mikaeladev]

Hi!

We might be moving to London from Sweden this summer since my husband has been offered a job there. We have a daughter who'll be 1 year when we move. The question is of course, where in London should we look?

What we want:
3 bedroom
garden
max 1800 pcm
childfriendly
close to shops and decent restaurants

I have lived in London before, but without children. I then lived in Chiswick, which I liked a lot. But I would like to live elsewhere this time. Hampstead? What's it like, and where in Hampstead is nicest?

I'd appriciate every advice you can give me! Thank you!

/Mikaela

Hampstead/Primrose Hill both lovely and great for kids, shops and restaurants but I think you'd be lucky if you could find a 3 bed property with a garden for £1800 pcm in those areas. If you could lose the garden then you might be able to find something and as you would be so close to Hampstead Heath, Primrose Hill Park and Regents Park (some of the best parks in London I think) then maybe it wouldn't be too much of a compromise?

Thank you TwinkleToes76!
Yes, to lose the garden might be an idea. Or one of the bedrooms... We don't necessarily need the extra bedroom, but it would be nice since we'll probably have some guests coming over from Sweden quite often. We could also stretch to 2000pcm.
Is the whole of Hampstead ok? Or are there areas to avoid? When I look at gumtree for example and write Hampstead as a search word I get property suggestions in West Hampstead, South Hampstead, Finchley, Swiss Cottage, Belsize Park, Maida Vale, St Johns Wood, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Kilburn etc...

West Hampstead is actually a very small area. It is basically West End Lane running north up to the station and then a few roads above. It is a very nice and desirable area - much better transport as you are on the Jubilee line and also have London Overground and rail services.

South Hampstead is all the roads to the right of West End Lane over towards Finchley Rd. Very big houses, large gardens, leafy. More expensive by far than West Hampstead. Less good for transport as you only have an overground station.

Hampstead is very nice, expensive and desirable. However, it is on the northern line which is not a great line to be on. Hampstead is extremely hilly too, so keep that in mind.

Kilburn is to the North West of these areas. It is a much cheaper area to live, but a very mixed area. Some streets are lovely - particulary as you go along the roads that lead from Kilburn High Rd towards Queens Park. I would avoid anywhere near Kilburn Park station. There is an area just to the West of Kilburn station that is called Mapesbury - it is a conservation area. Big gardens, leafy etc.

Swiss Cottage is more central. It is just to the east of South HAmpstead. A mixed area - very nice expensive roads mixed with some council estates.

St John's Wood is closer in again than Swiss Cottage. Very expensive area. There is an American School there so you do get a lot of Americans living there. You are much less likely to get a garden there.

Hope some of this helps!

How long are you coming over for? If you'll still be there to educate then you'll struggle for decent schools in the state system, those that are good tend to be faith schools and you will most likely need to consider private where the fees are around £3.5 -4k per term. I personally would go for West Hampstead, it's not as pretty as Hampstead itself but there are lots of young families, plenty to keep a SAHM busy, loads of other nannies if you employ a nanny and generally a lovely place to be.

Another alternative would be Hampstead Garden Suburb, it's more suburban but very pretty, walking distance to Kenwood, East Finchley and the edge of Hampstead heath and there are 2 decent state schools, Brooklands and Garden Suburb school.

Thank you so much, IlanaK & fiveweeksandcounting! Very helpful.
We don't know for how long we're going to stay. We'll take 1 year at a time, but I think we'll probably go back by the time it's time for school for our daughter.
Sounds like West Hampstead is a good place to start looking, right? Good transport and hopefully some playmates for our daughter.
Hampstead Garden Suburb also sounds good.
Thank you!

Hampstead itself (as in Hampstead village) is a different kettle of fish to all the other areas you have listed. It is gorgeous, stunning, right on the Heath, lovely shops, so pretty, it does not feel like part of London to me. It is my dream area. However, because it is so desirable it costs much more to live there.

I would be hesitant about Hampstead Garden Suburb. It really feels like a suburb. Its nowhere near as exciting (or pretty) as Hampstead village.

Of all the places you have mentioned I would go for Hampstead village or Primrose Hill. But they are the two most pricey areas (for good reason).

BTW Chiswick has a very active Swedish mums network and is great for young kids.

Aubergines, thank you!

It sounds like I should cross Hampstead Garden Suburb off the list... And Hampstead for price-reason... But a girl can still dream, right?

So... Hampstead Village and Primrose Hill is where we should start looking. Or Chiswick you say? I really loved Chiswick and it would be nice with some Swedish talking playmates for our daughter. I had no idea there were so many Swedish mums there, then again I didn't have a child myself when I lived there... Worth thinking about...

Thank you!

Oh... I see now that Hampstead Village IS Hampstead... And it's expensive, right? But very nice. But transport is better in West H?

Hampstead (the 'village') and Primrose Hill both on Northern line (Primrose Hill is near Chalk Farm station) and both only a couple of stops from Euston and Kings Cross so very easy to get anywhere in London from there.