Moving to the area! Your Opinions Please!

[PeterThePhotographer]

Hello Everyone! I'm (prospectively) moving to the neighborhood. Moved to London in April 2012 and landed in Clapham Common. Now, alas, have I ever missed the ball on this 'buying a house' thing! I planned on buying now but the Help To Buy + general economic optimism has spread through the city like a cold at a school and now everyones got mortgage fever!

I doubled my deposit in the last year but now with all these prices rises I can afford exactly what I could 12 months ago but or ?100,000 more! I'm looking at ?400k ish and so far I've seen some rather nice properties off Lordship Lane in ED.

I'm afraid if I don't buy now I probably wont get the chance with the way this market is going so buy I must. I'm moving from Clapham Common and am used to conveniently being able to get into London city proper and the many bars and restaurants around the area. It can be said though that the area is a bit insular and I've heard some great thing about Dulwhich in that its full of smart, friendly, and community focused individuals.

Was looking to get some local insights to the area as I've only got the estate agents bulleted highlights and know little else.

I've seen prices on Zoopla for some of the properties I'm looking at 50% less than what they're being advertised at but I suppose thats the way things go...

[Alex K]

You might get a two-up-two-down in the St Francis estate, sandwiched between the everlasting car boot sale and the railway station, downhill from Sainsburys Megastore, for ?350K. Twenty-five years old and most need exterior paintwork. Kittings-out, well, that depends.

[indiepanda]

?400k sounds like nice 2 bed Victorian flat territory. Might find a rare 2 bed modern house in that price range, but there aren't many of them in the area.

I live in a row of terraced houses and a number of my neighbours sold this year - all got very near asking price so I would assume you are going to have to pay pretty much what properties are advertised for at the moment. (and they were all well over ?400k)

Prices might not be Clapham territory, but they have been rising fast here this year.

I fell in love with the area when I first came to look around over 5 years ago now and bought nearly 3 years ago. Wouldn't want to move anywhere else in London (well, ok, there are other areas I'd like, but way more expensive so not a realistic prospect!). I love the parks, good range of local shops, bars etc, easy connections to town albeit not via the tube.

Havign said that, if I were buying now I'd actually look closer at the south side of Peckham as Peckham Rye station is better connected than East Dulwich and you are still close enough to Lordship Lane to enjoy it, plus Bellenden Road is improving all the time. Not really much cheaper than East Dulwich these days though.

I've made friends via the forum and love the fact I can socialise here without having to head into central London to meet friends.

[PeterThePhotographer]

Alex K Wrote:

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> You might get a two-up-two-down in the St Francis

> estate, sandwiched between the everlasting car

> boot sale and the railway station, downhill from

> Sainsburys Megastore, for ?350K. Twenty-five

> years old and most need exterior paintwork.

> Kittings-out, well, that depends.

I'm not afraid of a challenge and happy to contribute to the area by developing a property, that said I'll try to avoid car-boot alley :)

indiepanda Wrote:

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> ?400k sounds like nice 2 bed Victorian flat

> territory. Might find a rare 2 bed modern house in

> that price range, but there aren't many of them in

> the area.

>

> I live in a row of terraced houses and a number of

> my neighbours sold this year - all got very near

> asking price so I would assume you are going to

> have to pay pretty much what properties are

> advertised for at the moment. (and they were all

> well over ?400k)

>

> Prices might not be Clapham territory, but they

> have been rising fast here this year.

>

> I fell in love with the area when I first came to

> look around over 5 years ago now and bought nearly

> 3 years ago. Wouldn't want to move anywhere else

> in London (well, ok, there are other areas I'd

> like, but way more expensive so not a realistic

> prospect!). I love the parks, good range of local

> shops, bars etc, easy connections to town albeit

> not via the tube.

>

> Havign said that, if I were buying now I'd

> actually look closer at the south side of Peckham

> as Peckham Rye station is better connected than

> East Dulwich and you are still close enough to

> Lordship Lane to enjoy it, plus Bellenden Road is

> improving all the time. Not really much cheaper

> than East Dulwich these days though.

>

> I've made friends via the forum and love the fact

> I can socialise here without having to head into

> central London to meet friends.

Thanks for your informative response! We're looking for a nice community to feel a part of as that seems ever rare in the transient nature of most of here today gone tomorrow London. Your spot on with what I've been looking at (2b Victorian) I've found some lovely properties but I was hoping for some garden space as am considering getting a dog - actually I've been wanting one for so long but renting doesn't permit such things.

Anywa I'm chattering. I'm going to view a few more places today and attend the market this Saturday so if you see a chap in a bright red coat thats probably me! Haha feel free to say hello :)

As for the transport links - thats very true and worth considering...

So far I've been looking in this area.

[red devil]

Have you considered areas closer to dog friendly Peckham Rye/Park, such as the Ivydale Road area of Nunhead? You'll get more for your money than ED, and the walk into ED can double up as exercise for Muttley...

[hpsaucey]

red devil Wrote:

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> Have you considered areas closer to dog friendly

> Peckham Rye/Park, such as the Ivydale Road area of

> Nunhead? You'll get more for your money than ED,

> and the walk into ED can double up as exercise for

> Muttley...

AND you get the wonderful Nunhead Cemetary for walking dogs etc...

And nearer to the park/common.

[fl0wer]

Generous: It's a rich corner of London, in many ways that makes it seem genteel and some shops are pricey along Lordship Lane. Many young couples/families in the area [nicknamed 'Nappy Valley'] and the facilities for new parents, infants and toddlers are excellent. This results in thriving maternity & childrens shops, books and toys and clothes, 2nd hand baby gear, keep fit clubs, playgroups and playgrounds, babysitting circles etc. yet I wonder how many cash in and move out when it comes to junior school age.

Travel: Overground is superb these days, from Peckham Rye into Clapham Junction = under half an hour plus lovely new rolling stock. Bus to Elephant and Castle frequent but tediously long, also there are westward routes worth discovering, [eg Horniman Museum 197 to E Croydon for the Gatwick train]. Always need to allow plenty of time to get into central London and I would not like to be travelling back or walking alone here later on in the evenings.

Problems. We get our share of street crime and burglaries.

Subsidence on more than a few properties. Some worsened by ill-chosen ornamental trees and ancient Victorian sewage systems beneath streets now crumbling, under strain of root systems and extreme rainstorms. Over Herne Hill/Brockley way, if a house seems cheap investigate the flooding history.

Also be careful if you take on somewhere which was next to a bomb site in the Blitz: clue = a sudden change in the architectural style. Every timber and door or window frame in an older house will have been set awry by the blast.

[Loz]

Alex K Wrote:

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> You might get a two-up-two-down in the St Francis estate, sandwiched between the everlasting car

> boot sale and the railway station, downhill from Sainsburys Megastore, for ?350K. Twenty-five

> years old and most need exterior paintwork. Kittings-out, well, that depends.

Most of St Francis was built in the mid to late 90's, so sub 20 years old. You do generally get a nice little garden and off street parking. The big bonus is that, as they are houses, they are all freehold.

Not too many come onto the market. Last 2 bed went for about ?375k,