Flat purchase in London

Lola21_2

We are interested in purchasing a 2 bedroom flat in London; initially to rent out with a view to living in the property in about 3 years time on our return to the UK from abroad. Any ideas on suitable areas we could look at - ideally in a decent junior school catchment area - price range up to a maximum of 280K?

RHemmings

Lola21 wrote:

We are interested in purchasing a 2 bedroom flat in London; initially to rent out with a view to living in the property in about 3 years time on our return to the UK from abroad. Any ideas on suitable areas we could look at - ideally in a decent junior school catchment area - price range up to a maximum of 280K?

Normally I'd enjoy a question like this, and could scoot off to various websites to do some research. However, London is such a big city and there are so many schools, that I think only someone with much better local knowledge will be able to answer.

A quick web search suggests that the schools in Richmond upon Thames are good. If that's close enough to the centre of London for you. The schools in Richmod upon Thames achieved the highest aggregate score in the league tables.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4489858.stm

A look on rightmove finds that there are some flats available in Richmond upon Thames in your price range. However, most are out of your price range, and if you then look up the ofsted reports and investigate the catchment areas, it could be that the cheaper Richmond flats are not in the catchment areas for the best schools.

You might be better off going through the ofsted reports for London schools, finding a shortlist of schools that you like, looking up the catchment areas, and then looking for flats. Though you could try phoning a few estate agents in a place like Richmond upon Thames and asking them directly. I'd double check that any flat that an estate agent says is in a catchment area for a particular school actually is in that area.

Yes, you're probably waiting for someone with local knowledge of a good school to answer and I should have just shut up if I didn't have specific knowledge. But that never stopped me before.

izoomzoom

Sorry, I just have to add that being in the school's catchment area does not guarantee admission.

We are purchasing and the good school is 250m away and there is a place for my elder child, but maybe not the youngest, but we won't know for sure until we have exchanged.

Lola21_2

On reflection, as living in a catchment area doesn´t automatically mean that a place is given at a certain schools and as we can address this issue nearer the time, grateful for any ideas on suitable areas. Place of work will be in central London.

Mrs_pbradley936

Docklands post code of E14 3?? has some good buys as long as you do not want a view of any water i.e. river or docks (pay a lot more). Transport links are good. They are not so good south of the river. Have a look for something suitable on rightmove.com but make sure you visit the area before you part with any money. Beware of ex-council places because they are not a lot cheaper and the Council really sting you for service charges.

julesgr

you can find plenty of flats at this price range in the Enfield area, stick to EN1, EN2,N21 postcodes, has great access to central London , not far from the countryside , good shopping and some very good schools.

Liney_2

Muswell Hill N10 has very good schools and is a lovely area - not any rough bits. No tube though, the nearest is Highgate/Bounds Green and only a walk/bus ride away.

RHemmings

izoomzoom wrote:

Sorry, I just have to add that being in the school's catchment area does not guarantee admission.

We are purchasing and the good school is 250m away and there is a place for my elder child, but maybe not the youngest, but we won't know for sure until we have exchanged.

I think that this is one reason for looking at all schools in a local authority. If you can't afford to go private, then think what the worst case would be. I don't want to name London boroughs where I wouldn't want to be offered the worst school in case I offend anybody. But there are some to avoid.

lynzpower

Quite right too Rhemmings. IM not quite as shy.

From experience I would not place any of my kids in a secordary school in Westminster ( unless it were private), and thats my professional opinion.

Sorry to offend anyone in advance

Mrs_pbradley936

State schools in Docklands will not be wonderful either. Mainly because the developments attract singles or young professionals who care about cinemas, restaurants and shops but have not yet got around to the social fabric. If you take the Docklands Light Railway you pass super banks, office blocks, and flats then awful slums around Shadwell. Inner London will be good for adults who want to fall out of bed and into work with hardly any fares. For good schools you have to go for outer London and Redbridge is almost always high up in the league tables for school results. Fiona Miller (Alistair Campbell’s partner) holds Redbridge up as an example of good state education.

lynzpower

Your best bet as Rhemmings said is to look across the Local authority . IN saying that what is a good school now, can be a crap school in 5 years. I know I went to one that tumbled down the league tables afteR i left.