Nice areas in London for first time buyer

jussterr

Thank you all for your replies! I am absolutely open to anywhere in Greater London that's got good links into the central area and a decent park. I've looked at Ealing/Acton, Wandsworth and Walthamstow but don't know too much about London so haven't branched out too much from those areas.

I get the feeling buyers get a little bit more for their money south of the river but maybe that's not true. It does need to be a safe area as my OH works abroad and I am alone for most of the year. Coupled with the fact that I would be out twice a day every day walking the dog, dodgy areas really just won't do because of the time I spend outdoors.

I don't need an area with good nightlife. Most friends would live elsewhere anyway so no doubt we'd all have to travel closer into the city to socialise and that's fine by me. Outside of work and university I lead a mostly quiet life anyway so a largely residential area wouldn't be boring by my standards.

hazyjo

Often get more for your money in areas where there's overhead trains rather than tubes. Hence SE London's often cheaper. Tube lines are in some areas there now. Definitely think about Westcombe Park as I mentioned above (see 2 links). I lived there for a while and loved it. Greenwich Park is walkable, as is Blackheath! Won't get so close to another lovely London park on that budget I wouldn't have thought Greenwich and Blackheath are both lovely. Would much rather live there than Peckham.

The 2nd link I gave is next to a pub so not to everyone's taste. I literally used to live round the corner. First one is nearer Blackheath Standard. Handy shops, pub, etc.

Jx

Jowo_2

jussterr wrote: »

...I get the feeling buyers get a little bit more for their money south of the river but maybe that's not true. ...

It may well be true but perhaps this is the typical market response because it is seen as less desirable because of perceptions (or truth) about limited transport infrastructure and higher crime compared with the North of London where there are significantly more tube stations.

Huge swathes of south east London were flattened during the war and then subject to terrible social house building programmes, the construction of huge council estates (Southwark council where SE15 is has the highest number of social housing units in London I believe).

Social housing allocation is now based on need which means people with social and health problems (i.e. needy people) now mainly get the tenancies which means that the deprivation is embedded into those communities. When people say 'don't live north of the peckham road' what they actually mean is 'stay away from the big council estates'.

Some areas south of the river are astronomical in price because their reputations and amenities are a lot higher.

jussterr

Ah, thanks for the info Jowo. That's the kind of info I'm not seeing on maps and haven't been able to dig up myself on the net.

Had a look over in Nunhead as many have suggested. Found a nice terraced 2 bedroom cottage going for £335k. It seems to need a bit of TLC but the location seems solid enough. Equal distances between Nunhead overground and Brockley undergroud/overground. The house is on Lanbury Rd just south of the cemetery grounds. Is that a nice area?

I'm having a look at Blackheath right now Hazy. There wasn't too much choice on findaproperty but I will have a more thorough search a bit later. Found a £350k mid-terrace 2 double bed with garden and conservatory. Really nicely decorated and located right next to the RFC.

I really appreciate all this info. Seems the SE London area isn't necessarily dodgy if I'm careful.

My budget is £350k. Would most agree that Blackheath/Greenwich is nicer than Nunhead considering Nunhead is still a SE15 code and its close proximity to Peckham? After all the conservation area is rather small right?

westv

jussterr wrote: »

The house is on Lanbury Rd just south of the cemetery grounds. Is that a nice area?

I used to live round the corner from there (Borland Road). Was ok but that was 15 years ago so irrelevant now probably.

westv

jussterr wrote: »

Found a £350k mid-terrace 2 double bed with garden and conservatory. Really nicely decorated and located right next to the RFC.

And if it's the location I'm thinking of, I used to go to the school that's right behind the rugby club!
We sometimes walked through the club grounds to get to school even though we weren't officially supposed to!

Incyder

I've done a bit of research on Peckham and it seems that it went downhill when this lot moved out.




and this lot moved in.

jussterr

How on earth do I change the title of this thread? Seems SE15 is becoming irrelevant as I branch out into the Greenwich area.

hazyjo

Don't rule out Charlton too. Parts are okay. Not as nice as Westcombe Park (IMO), but still several nice houses. Better than Woolwich (I think). Still very pricey in Blackheath and Greenwich, but might be worth looking at conversion flats with gardens (check if they allow dogs! Unlikely to find a purpose built flat that will).

Jx

jussterr

hazyjo wrote: »

Don't rule out Charlton too. Parts are okay. Not as nice as Westcombe Park (IMO), but still several nice houses. Better than Woolwich (I think). Still very pricey in Blackheath and Greenwich, but might be worth looking at conversion flats with gardens (check if they allow dogs! Unlikely to find a purpose built flat that will).

Jx

I wish these 'luxury apartment' complexes would listen to their own BS every once in a while. If I fork out extortionate amounts for their poorly built and badly managed properties I will bloody well have an elephant in my flat if I want! I live in in a purpose built flat right now and the management is lenient, allowing residents 1 dog per property. Never again though. It's like being at boarding school. I half expect to be told to tuck my shirt in when I leave in the mornings.

Will check out Charlton too. You're quite an invaluable source of knowledge! :T