London areas for 2 bed, 200k budget

zagubov

sarah3585 wrote: »

Firstly I'd like to thank everyone for their replies.

We really are looking for a 2 bed, the area would have to really knock us out to consider a 1 bed. I plan to be working from home so really need the second room as a study and I think I'd go mad in a really small space.

E.Croydon travel links do look better than the South. But the South seems to be just 8 mins more, not as frequent but still v good. We were thinking somewhere between Purley Oaks and S.Croydon station so my OH can walk to S.Croydon to stay in zone 5. 23 mins to London Bridge then 15 min tube to the Angel.

From looking on Rightmove I got the impression we could get more for our money in S.Croydon than the East? 2 bed with garden maybe.

We have a house rabbit, so I'd love to be able to introduce her to some grass, if we could squeeze some outdoor space into our budget.

We will visit both places regardless, but it's good to be as clued up as possible.

You could get something decent for your money for that price. A friend just bought near there and it's fairly affordable for London and he had the choices of more houses as well as flats, unlikie in E Croydon. There's too many foxes about for a rabbit to be outside!

If you drive check the cost of insurance as crime's high the further into Croydon you live.

totallybored

sarah3585 wrote: »

Firstly I'd like to thank everyone for their replies.

We really are looking for a 2 bed, the area would have to really knock us out to consider a 1 bed. I plan to be working from home so really need the second room as a study and I think I'd go mad in a really small space.

E.Croydon travel links do look better than the South. But the South seems to be just 8 mins more, not as frequent but still v good. We were thinking somewhere between Purley Oaks and S.Croydon station so my OH can walk to S.Croydon to stay in zone 5. 23 mins to London Bridge then 15 min tube to the Angel.

From looking on Rightmove I got the impression we could get more for our money in S.Croydon than the East? 2 bed with garden maybe.

We have a house rabbit, so I'd love to be able to introduce her to some grass, if we could squeeze some outdoor space into our budget.

We will visit both places regardless, but it's good to be as clued up as possible.

I'd do a trial commute before making any decisions. The train and tube may only be 23 minutes and then 15 but at rush hour it could be a train that you squeeze on and have to stand and always runs a few more minutes over schedule (yes, that would be you Southern Trains and the London Bridge train I took that always took 5 minutes more than it was supposed to every day for the couple of years I got it). Then you've got to get onto the Norhern Line which is very busy at that time of morning.

Soundgirlrocks

aliama wrote: »

I think the OP mentioned considering a one-bed in Crystal Palace, so perhaps it's something they would be willing to compromise on. Rather than South Wimbledon though, I'd suggest Colliers Wood. I lived there before moving to Coulsdon and while I love the area I live now, I do miss the easy links to shops, the proximity of the hospital, Wimbledon town centre, and the Northern line. Lots of expansive green areas, Dean City Farm, easy walk into Tooting for the shops there. It's a nicer area than South Wimbledon imo and it has its own library.

It would have to be a 1-bed, I think, but the area is due for a regeneration so could be a smart place to buy.

:rotfl:We lived in Colliers Wood when we rented it is lovely round there, I love Deen city farm I have friends that work there and fantastic curry in Tooting but we wouldn't have got any where near as much for our money as we did in Croydon

sarah3585

@totallybored A trial commute is a good idea. He would be getting the train at about 7:15 returning 5pm. It would be of useful to find out how stressful that might be for him

@zagubov I do have a car, so insurance will be a consideration for me.
She would remain a house rabbit but I'd like to put her outside in a run while I'm home, I'll make sure to keep an eye on her. Thanks for the foxes tip.

I'll be going to London next weekend to check out both East and South Croydon. Might check out the Norwood Junction area too that's been mentioned.

abankerbutnotafatcat

Hi Sarah, have you done anymore area visiting?

I realised I'd forgotten to add some links to restaurants in the eatery strip west of South Croydon Station, here's a few.

http://www.littlebay.co.uk/
http://www.galiciarestaurant.co.uk/
http://www.bagattis.com/

aliama

abankerbutnotafatcat wrote: »

Hi Sarah, have you done anymore area visiting?

I realised I'd forgotten to add some links to restaurants in the eatery strip west of South Croydon Station, here's a few.

http://www.littlebay.co.uk/
http://www.galiciarestaurant.co.uk/
http://www.bagattis.com/

Wait, there's a Little Bay in Croydon? That's good to know, thanks!

abankerbutnotafatcat

aliama wrote: »

Wait, there's a Little Bay in Croydon? That's good to know, thanks!

I just picked a few to illustrate the point that there's quite the little eatery strip west of South Croydon Station.

There's also supposed to be a very good Thai at Coulsdon South - have you been to that Aliama?

We tend head out of town (Reigate/Guildford/Crawley/Brighton) to eat out so I don't frequent these places myself but I've heard about them.

sarah3585

abankerbutnotafatcat wrote: »

Hi Sarah, have you done anymore area visiting?

I realised I'd forgotten to add some links to restaurants in the eatery strip west of South Croydon Station, here's a few.

http://www.littlebay.co.uk/
http://www.galiciarestaurant.co.uk/
http://www.bagattis.com/

Heading to Croydon this weekend! Fingers crossed we like it.

Thank you very much for the links. My OH is a Celiac so we have limited options when it comes to eating out.

Dippypud

Woolwich is an up and coming area with good transport links -

mainline - DLR - and Crossrail (this year)

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/house-prices/woolwich/

sarah3585

We visited East and South Croydon yesterday. Overall quite impressed. The main town seemed to have all the usual shops we could want. I like that we wouldn't have to go into Central London just for a bit of shopping, or a bite to eat.

We didn't use one but I liked seeing the trams going around. I wondered how you pay for using them, as it seems like you just get on and off as you please.

My OH seemed more drawn to the East than South, for easy access to the station, shops and restaurants. We walked down Lower Addiscombe road. Saw some nice side streets, I guess each street will vary. Some streets down South way looked a little better kept to me. Will maybe go again in a few weeks time, start viewing places depending on developments with our sale.

I wonder if street parking might be an issue. We walked down St Peters road (whch seemed nice) just under thr South station and I noticed the cars had permit badges, with no road to spare.