Buying a house in Brockley as priced out of ED

[Isserlis]

I'm priced out of East Dulwich and am looking to buy a house in Brockley (probably towards the New Cross side rather than Hilly Fields). I'm a bit anxious about moving to a new area as I really liked ED.

There doesn't seem to be an online community forum for Brockley so I thought I'd try here for views and advice in case any Brockley dwellers are online.

Does anyone live in Brockley? Does it have a similar community feel to ED? Does it have any major upsides or downsides as compared with ED? I have a small child so views on nurseries and schools would also be welcome, although I appreciate that it's difficult to anticipate future waiting lists and catchment areas.

Can anyone recommend an architect and builder who is familiar with Lewisham Planning? A couple of the houses I'm looking at need modernising and have quite big gardens so a side return or extension would be an option.

[Louisa]

Hello Isserlis. Thankyou for asking this question. Brockley does have an online forum which is linked to this address; http://brockleycentral.blogspot.com/?m=1

Having had friends and family who have lived around Brockley and Telegraph Hill for decades, let me reassure you that is possibly one of the friendliest and most community spirited neighborhoods in London. There is a weekly market, and some great little independent restaurants, delis, coffee shops and pubs dotted around the station, which incidentally also now has two small Sainburys stores for other essentials. Aside from the great community spirit, fantastic housing stock (better than ED in my opinion), numerous parks and green open spaces - Brockley is also better connected than ED. you are on the Overground and just two stops to Canada Water. I think some of the neighborhood is covered by a conservation area too, being as it is one of the greenest and almost perfectly preserved Victorian neighborhoods in London. Get in quick before the rest of them 'discover' it.

Louisa.

[Sue]

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

Get in quick before the

> rest of them 'discover' it.

>

It's almost too late.

The bankers are moving in.

According to somebody I know who lives there ......

[Loz]

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Get in quick before the rest of them 'discover' it.

>

> Louisa.

Blimey. Louisa is encouraging blow in-ism.

[monkeylite]

Brockley and the surrounding areas has already been 'discovered'.

http://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/buying/london-house-prices-new-report-reveals-lewisham-is-the-capitals-fastestrising-borough-a100996.html

There's a great community forum on FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ILoveSE4/

I don't have a child, but a couple of friends of mine sends theirs to Hilly Fields nursery close to the station.

Upside of the area are it has good transport links (East London Line, DLR in Lewisham, national rail to London Bridge, Gatwick, Blackfriars from Crofton Park), a fantastic Saturday market, London Beer Dispensary, coffee shops, open green spaces (Telegraph Hill, Hilly Fields).

Downside is the lack of a proper high street, but Lewisham and New Cross are a bus ride away, and Canary Wharf is a couple of stops away on the tube.

Brockley does have better Victorian housing stock than ED. Even the modest 3 bedroom terraces outside the conservation tend to be larger than those found in ED, with slightly longer gardens.

As for extensions, you can try out Gruff Ltd, a local based architect firm http://www.grufflimited.com

[Jeremy]

Brockley is fine. There's not much in the way of a centre or high street, but there are bits and pieces dotted around. It might be a better buy than ED, as the houses are bigger, and all that area (Brockley, Crofton Park, Honor Oak, Nunhead) is all very up-and-coming.

[Isserlis]

Thanks for all your comments - really helpful. I'm going to put in an offer on a house tomorrow so fingers crossed!

[Loz]

Though, when you give your address, you will be always answering the question, "What? Like the vegetable?".

[Pelly8]

We are living in Brockley at the moment while our house is being renovated and we love it! So sad to go and want to move back at some point.

[Louisa]

Vastly underrated part of SE London.

Louisa.

[miga]

Is it underrated though? Lots of stuff going on, green spaces, great transport, nice houses...and commensurate house prices.

[DirtyBox]

I was going to move to Brockley but what put me off was that when the train pulls in you have very little chance of getting on in rush hour because it's so busy...it's standing room only at Sydenham so 3 stations later you have no chance (unless you are VERY thin). Obviously if you don't commute then it's irrelevant :-)

[DovertheRoad]

We lived in Brockley for 6 weeks whilst our place in ED had the builders in a few years ago. Really liked it. Def better connected, some amazing houses and agree better stock generally. And Brockley farmers market is a gem - one of the best in the country I'm told.

[DovertheRoad]

Makes you wonder what all the fuss is about round here/peckham tbh.

[Earl Aelfheah]

I'm not sure there is 'fuss' about round here, outside of this forum that is.

[DovertheRoad]

It's probably best measured as boast-ability by aspirational types. 20 years ago some people would claim to live in "Dulwich" rather than East Dulwich .Then when ED got gentrified they would make a point of mentioning the "East". Middle class types living in Peckham rye identified as East Dulwich for ages at dinner parties before Peckham got hip. Now you have people in East Dulwich saying they live near Peckham. "Cool".

I know...I know...none of you salt of the earth types are guilty of this. But many circles are.

[Jeremy]

I don't know... Brockley is getting quite popular now. It's not like it's some undiscovered secret - especially since the market started. And there are some pretty impressive looking houses around. It is a little bit cheaper than ED... maybe because it doesn't have much of a "centre", and is a bit spread out. But it's a decent area.

[*Bob*]

It's a measure of the low base that many places in South London start from that the arrival of someone daring to sell more than one type of olive is capable of whipping-up a frenzied furore on both sides.

Of course you can find an even wider variety of olives these days, but underneath all the olives the place doesn't seem that much different to me than it was ten years ago - and I'm happy with that.

[Seabag]

I like Brockley, I'd live there too

Nice houses nice market and good transport

Down side ? It's not quite as high streety on Saturday, if that's what floats your boat