Is South Croydon a nice please to live?

amanda123456

Hello,

I am thinking of buying a house in South Croydon and any advice on the area would be appreciated. Its being marketed as 'Sanderstead' and is right next to Sanderstead railway station yet I have been told its not part of Sanderstead? Any clarity on this would be great too. Thanks

ps i meant to say place not please, sorry.

thelawnet

Why not spend a day there, and see (hotel for the night?)

Purley is not great, and Croydon worse, but that area I think is pleasantly dull.

amanda123456

Well the area looks pleasant and has seemed that way the few times I have gone there but I thought to ask as croydon does generally have a bad reputation,

@thelawnet, I wasn't playing hide and seek, was asking a question about the area. Great detective work though

duchy

I know Mayfield Road - a classmate at school lived there.

Technically (according to some) Sanderstead doesn't have borders so you get daft comments like a road is or isn't in the area. It doesn't really matter (as a local I would call it Sanderstead but some would call it South Croydon). What are you looking for in the area you buy though ? I think it's a good area for families-less good for older people as some of it is quite steep-excellent for commuting. If I was moving back .. it's a road personally I'd consider-but I'm not you -and don't know what other areas you've looked at and why they appeal.

"Croydon" as in central Croydon - or West Croydon I wouldn't consider -basically everyone living there aspires to move south to South Croydon/Sanderstead/Purley etc if that helps.

I grew up in that area (Purley) and returned to raise my son there til he was ten .

ndf9876

South Croydon / Sanderstead is the "nice" part. My perception of Purley is that it's quite an industrial area but this is totally because of the Purley Way estates (great shopping!).

My collegaues and I (when I worked in Croydon) referred to West Croydon as "The Bronx" and East Croydon isn't much better. Consider that the Croydon area experienced some of the worst rioting during that dreadful month or so last year.

Just my honest and frank opinion based on working in Croydon for ~10 years.

amanda123456

Hello, Thanks you for your responses. The reason for my question is that all my life I have lived in Wimbledon/Raynes Park in a house with my parents, this is the area I am accustomed to. Now that I can finally afford to buy something - in my own area I can only afford a flat, which I don't mind, but as buying and selling a property can be an expensive thing, I felt buying a bigger house somewhere further out would be more of a long term option, somewhere I can raise my children in the future, somewhere I can retire in.

Without offending anyone, I really dislike the central part of Croydon, I used to go there for college and it really wasn't my thing, saw some very scary things happen. So I am a bit afraid in that sense about it being a long term option to raise my children. The area around Mayfield Road is lovely and I could never afford something of this size in Wimbledon. But I am worried the crime may still come to this area of Croydon, even though it looks like a lovely place.

Cornucopia

The further out you go, the better it'll get. So it'll depend on where you need to commute to.

abankerbutnotafatcat

ndf9876 wrote: »

South Croydon / Sanderstead is the "nice" part. My perception of Purley is that it's quite an industrial area but this is totally because of the Purley Way estates (great shopping!).

Purley Way Retail Park i.e. Ikea etc. isn't in Purley, it's West of Central Croydon.

Purley the area is South of Central Croydon and is a relatively leafy, pleasant residential suburb.

sterl1ng

thelawnet wrote: »

Why not spend a day there, and see (hotel for the night?)

Purley is not great, and Croydon worse, but that area I think is pleasantly dull.

I wouldn't say all of Croydon is worse, as with any place you get your good and bad. South Croydon and Purley are actually quite nice, lots of green space. Great advantage of Croydon is East Croydon station which is commuters paradise if you work in City or Victoria plus if you fancy Brighton during Summer very easy to get to. As for the bad parts stay away from central and west croydon, also known as the 'old town'.

kwmlondon

I must admit that round that way I'm keen on Norwood and Streatham, but not so much Croydon.

sterl1ng

amanda123456 wrote: »

Hello, Thanks you for your responses. The reason for my question is that all my life I have lived in Wimbledon/Raynes Park in a house with my parents, this is the area I am accustomed to. Now that I can finally afford to buy something - in my own area I can only afford a flat, which I don't mind, but as buying and selling a property can be an expensive thing, I felt buying a bigger house somewhere further out would be more of a long term option, somewhere I can raise my children in the future, somewhere I can retire in.

Without offending anyone, I really dislike the central part of Croydon, I used to go there for college and it really wasn't my thing, saw some very scary things happen. So I am a bit afraid in that sense about it being a long term option to raise my children. The area around Mayfield Road is lovely and I could never afford something of this size in Wimbledon. But I am worried the crime may still come to this area of Croydon, even though it looks like a lovely place.

You shouldn't worry about something that hasn't happen yet (or may never) and whats the say Wimbledon won't become a social eyesore??? Noone can tell the future otherwise I'd have win the lottery by now! But seriously, if you are thinking longterm I suggest you look more into the areas first before parting with your cash. I too had a similar mindset as yourself with regards to Croydon but after actually spending time there in places like Shirley/south croydon and around Addiscombe it isn't AS bad. Also, you get much more for your money there Vs Wimbledon as you already notice.

Oddly enough frined of mine is looking in Wimbledon but frighteningly expensive and places go like hot cakes!