Where next to live? ED too pricey

[Hickory]

A year ago I pondered this, but now as we think about selling, I'm racking my brains as to where in London we might go. Is there anywhere left that's affordable? We would love to stay in ED but it's gone waaaayyy too pricey for mere mortals.

We earn normal salaries and want to upgrade from a 1 bed flat to a 3 bed little house. Isn't that a fairly ordinary aspiration?

But I don't know of where that might be; unless we compromise hugely on neighbourhood safety and amenities.

(My friend is in a similar position, albeit as a first time buyer. With a lucky deposit of ?60k, they're finding even Walthamstow is out of reach..!)

[klove]

This thread says it all really...

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1402558,page=1

[Loz]

Use a site like Rightmove, plug in "London" and your budget and it will show you where to look. E.g. I did a search on London, 3+ bed and budget of 200-300k and found 163 properties, mostly east London, Brent Cross/Edgware and down towards Croydon.

[Cyclemonkey]

Without knowing your budget it's tough to tell. We couldn't afford what we wanted in Peckham so moved to Forest Hill and we are very happy there but a house was still out of reach. We decided a large flat was a good compromise. You can get some houses in Catford for under ?500,000 but you'll have to be quick. Bromley is worth a look as is Beckenham.

[The Minkey]

There are some wondrous character properties to be had: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50998072.html?premiumA=true

[The Minkey]

Fancy a life on the water http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-46595761.html

[ednewmy]

Having just been through this and seen numerous flats in numerous areas I would probably say the following (though most of this is said in greater detail in the thread I started last year, posted above):

Penge (Where I'm currently proceeding on a flat) - Useful high street, couple of nice pubs, good stations (17 mins to Canada water from Penge West, 17 mins to Victoria from Penge East) and buses, good mix of housing stock for most budgets, bit rough round the edges but feels fine.

Sydenham - long and useful high street with anything you could really need, station and buses again decent.

South Norwood - Feels pretty run down right now, high street isn't up to much at the moment. Probably has the best transport though in terms of trains, with the overground and incredibly quick trains to London Bridge. Housing stock probably the best priced of the areas I've seen.

Croydon - Not half as bad as I thought it would be. Rapidly changing + improving + increasing in price, but prices are still (relatively) affordable. Good trains from West and East Croydon.

[NewWave]

I had a friend who lived in South Norwood and had a number of issues with Crime.

I'd recommend Forest Hill, Sydenham or Penge.

But we live in Forest Hill and love it, you can walk to ED and Dulwich Village, theres Sydenham Woods, Horniman Gardens, the Farmers Market on saturdays, good coffee shops and lovely neighbours.

[New Girl]

Me and my partner laughed at this property in our search. Seriously considered it. Then laughed again. We'd probably get sea sick!! There is an awesome looking one in Canary Wharf though. Beckenham, Penge, Anerley and Clock/Kent house for us. ED is just too ridiculously expensive.

The Minkey Wrote:

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> Fancy a life on the water

> http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope

> rty-46595761.html

[monica]

New wave it depends where in South Norwood. I have a property just by Norwood country park, with the nature reserve.

Nearest tram link Croydon Arena. They are regenerating South Norwood, in the next year, then watch the house prices go up. 3 bed terraced houses are going for about ?300-?350.

I live round the corner in Shirley, prices again around the same, tram links from Elmers end. This area of Croydon is really up and coming, I would not dismiss it.

[Take Note]

Even Penge is v pricey. When I was looking all you could get for ?325k was a beautiful but tiny one bed garden fat. Mind you that was right off the high street, so prime location.

parts of Thornton Heath borders SE19 (Crystal Palace) and properties there are far less pricey. I agree with previous post about Rightmove. I was on there every day researching every property in every postcode I could afford/could bear to live in, and just became an 'expert' in what was out there. Go and see as much as you can and you'll find it.

[Otta]

Take Note Wrote:

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> Even Penge is v pricey. When I was looking all you

> could get for ?325k was a beautiful but tiny one

> bed garden fat. Mind you that was right off the

> high street, so prime location.

No idea where you were looking, but there areds of flats in Penge for way less than ?300k.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/map.html?locationIdentifier=OUTCODE%5E2321&insId=1&minPrice=200000&maxPrice=325000&minBedrooms=2&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on

[miga]

This old chestnut.

We moved to Catford. It's not as bad as people (including me) sometimes say it is. "Probably not the worst suburb in London".

Pros: space for ?, transport, some decent primaries, Sapporo Ichiban, Catford Constitutional, massive green space in Mountsfield and Forster parks (great for kids who scooter, dogs, semi-permanent accomodation etc.), TFC on Bromley Rd (with sensational prices on Kalamata olives and a strong bakery selection), Aldi, Lidl, Homebase and a myriad of warehousy DIY shops, a lot of long time residents who look after their houses. Quite suburban. Much handier to 2 (two) branches of Waitrose than ED (Beckenham and Bromley North).

Cons: concretey ugly town centre, nowhere to buy a decent coffee, bit stabby (allegedly). Quite suburban. Lewisham Council pretty useless. Some locals feel obliged to drive their "worked" Corsas playing urban hits at ~140dB with windows open. Bit of agg round the train stations. Massive gardens = massive garden labour required....flipping weeds.

[JohnL]

miga Wrote:

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> This old chestnut.

>

> We moved to Catford. It's not as bad as people

> (including me) sometimes say it is. "Probably not

> the worst suburb in London".

>

> Pros: space for ?, transport, some decent

> primaries, Sapporo Ichiban, Catford

> Constitutional, massive green space in Mountsfield

> and Forster parks (great for kids who scooter,

> dogs, semi-permanent accomodation etc.), TFC on

> Bromley Rd (with sensational prices on Kalamata

> olives and a strong bakery selection), Aldi, Lidl,

> Homebase and a myriad of warehousy DIY shops, a

> lot of long time residents who look after their

> houses. Quite suburban. Much handier to 2 (two)

> branches of Waitrose than ED (Beckenham and

> Bromley North).

>

> Cons: concretey ugly town centre, nowhere to buy a

> decent coffee, bit stabby (allegedly). Quite

> suburban. Lewisham Council pretty useless. Some

> locals feel obliged to drive their "worked" Corsas

> playing urban hits at ~140dB with windows open.

> Bit of agg round the train stations. Massive

> gardens = massive garden labour

> required....flipping weeds.

And the old Catford Bridge Tavern re-opening sometime in 2015

I think :)

[stringvest]

CATFORD ... friend moved from 2 up 2 down in Nunhead Village ?? :-)(cottage ?? :-) Got large three bed with dining room in Catford and quite a bit of money of leftover !

[poppet27]

Norwood?!

[poppet27]

Is it safe?

[Ellie78]

An amazing 4 bed flat - split level, feel of a house, beautiful views- went for 500k on Pepys road near us in beautiful telegraph hill (better transport links than eD - although like Ed London Bridge is disrupting things)

There might have been something wrong with it (asking price 775) but maybe it just shows that you shouldn't be put off by asking prices and there are still bargains to be had...

[ratty]

West Wickham. Check it out!

[miga]

I don't think you sound petulant. It's hard coming to terms with how little you get for your ?. Sobering to remember that being able to afford a family home anywhere in London is something of a privileged situation.

FWIW Catford (and Crofton Park, Nunhead etc.) are on a direct train line to Farringdon and Kings X in less than 30 minutes.

[Cyclemonkey]

It does sound a little petulant I am afraid. At your age most people in London are still renting and haven't managed to buy their first place let alone their second.

Yes you have a reasonable budget and yes it does not seem fair that you can't buy a house where you want for that. However that is the reality of the situation. You now have to decide what is more important location or space. East Dulwich is not the cheap and slightly dowdy suburb it was 15 years ago. I expect if it still was you wouldn't be living there.

On your budget you can get a nice house in Catford or Bromley. Or you can stay where you are and upgrade to a larger flat. Your choice and to be honest be thankful you have the choice. Many of my friends a good few years older than you are moving out to areas you dismiss just to be able to afford a small flat.

[Otta]

You'd probably still get a house in Sydenham for that budget, and definitely a nice house in Penge.

[miga]

Cyclemonkey Wrote:

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> It does sound a little petulant I am afraid. At

> your age most people in London are still renting

> and haven't managed to buy their first place let

> alone their second.

It can be hard to come to terms with the idea of moving to a neighbourhood you wouldn't have even contemplated. I know this is probably awfully shallow, but for a lot of (most?) people, the kind of area they live can feel like a reflection on who they are - isn't this why different clusters of people (ethnicity, class, sexual preference, age etc.) form in different areas of London? It takes some re-training of neurological pathways to accept that ultimately a house is "a machine for living in". And on these boring, practical grounds somewhere like Catford ticks the boxes (Kings X, green space, even somewhere to go out and eat), but it requires a big shift in thinking if you've got a sizable budget and are used to living in ED.

[Take Note]

.

[Take Note]

Otta Wrote:

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

> Take Note Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Even Penge is v pricey. When I was looking all

> you

> > could get for ?325k was a beautiful but tiny

> one

> > bed garden fat. Mind you that was right off the

> > high street, so prime location.

>

>

> No idea where you were looking, but there areds of

> flats in Penge for way less than ?300k.

>

> http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/map.h

> tml?locationIdentifier=OUTCODE%5E2321&insId=1&minP

> rice=200000&maxPrice=325000&minBedrooms=2&includeS

> STC=true&_includeSSTC=on

Raleigh Road. They turned down my offer of ?324,950 - it was hugely over-priced and very small and i'm so glad they turned it down, now!