Where to buy in London?

Ionkontrol

cupid_s wrote: »

Could you give me any more info on what Tooting is like? In particular any good and bad points. I have a friend who lives there and he really doesn't like it, and more to the point doesn't think I would. .

Tooting is very poor area with a massive immigrant population.
I grew up there and visit at least once a week, so I know what I am talking about.
My family house is on a road off the Broadway.

Plus points.
It has the Northern Line.
There is also an overground train.
Loads of cheap curry houses.
Lots of convenience stores open very late for booze.

Bad points.
Traffic – both main arteries through Tooting are constantly gridlocked day and night.
Roads – Most of the backroads are speed humped and are extremely poorly maintained. They are also rat-runs for people avoiding the two main roads. Pollution is bad. Parking is non-non-existant or expensive.
Rubbish – The place is filthy, Take a walk around any of the roads that run off the main roads or behind shops and see the carp left there by all and sundry. Nobody cares locally and neither does Wandsworth council.
Fast rood shops – More fried chicken shops than Louisiana.
Gangs and pickpocketing – Well documented and evident outside McD's.
Stupid house prices.

If none of the above worry you, then you'll love it.

Despite silly press articles and the Antic pub company buying up all the local pubs and giving them a lick of paint and charging £10 for mains, it is never going to be gentrified like Brixton. It doesn't have the architectural qualities or the facilities.

Hope this helps.

hazyjo

cupid_s wrote: »

It's definitely a new thing, only come out last year or so, and I was told by the socials workers who were assessing us for adoption. Looked after children always used to have priority, but adopted children weren't classed as looked after as soon as they were adopted. But now the law has changed and they are (as long as they used to be looked after by the council, so we obviously can't go and get a couple of kids from China and get them into whatever school we want!).

Thanks - interesting. Not sure I agree with that (from an adoptee's POV), but can see why they're doing it. Swings and roundabouts. I would HATE to have got into a school cos I was adopted only to find my (non-adopted) sister couldn't. I prefer to just be 'a member of the family' and all that entails.

Anyway, off-topic I know, but glad I asked. Thanks.

Good luck

Jx
PS definitely check out North Chingford (not South, Chingford Hatch, or Chingford Mount). Prices are rising at a ridiculous rate and there are some great schools around. It's not as 'TOWIE' as other nearby places like Loughton, even though people think it is (often mistaking it with Chigwell). It does have a couple of trendy young bars at the end which I avoid (and am not out partying at 1am any more so it doesn't affect me!). I love it there. Lots of independent shops and restaurants, Epping Forest/High Beach on your doorstep, Connaught Waters, etc.

cupid_s

Ionkontrol wrote: »

Plus points.
It has the Northern Line.
There is also an overground train.
Loads of cheap curry houses.
Lots of convenience stores open very late for booze.

This is not a plus point for me. I detest curry! It makes me throw up, and the smell alone actually makes me heave. Maybe Tooting isn't for me!

The others aren't that great either come to think of it. Northern line is my least favourite tube line, or at least joint last with Central. And I've never bought booze late at night from a convenience store and don't plan to start any time soon.

Thanks for the alternative view. Can you suggest anywhere you think is nice which is ~30 mins from Euston/Warren Street and in budget?

cupid_s

hazyjo wrote: »

Thanks - interesting. Not sure I agree with that (from an adoptee's POV), but can see why they're doing it. Swings and roundabouts. I would HATE to have got into a school cos I was adopted only to find my (non-adopted) sister couldn't. I prefer to just be 'a member of the family' and all that entails.

Anyway, off-topic I know, but glad I asked. Thanks.

Good luck

From a hopeful adopter POV I'm not sure I agree with it either, but I also want my kids to go a decent school if possible and there is no way we could afford to buy within the tiny catchment areas for ok schools here.

Thanks

[Deleted User]

ok.. how about Bushey? It's only 20 minutes on the train from Euston and is pretty nice. The schools around there are OK. I know it's not really 'London' but it'd be a pretty easy commute from a nice area.

hazyjo

A virtual google walk attached from Chingford station up Station Road (the high street). Golf course, forest and fields in the other direction for miles.

http://goo.gl/maps/5LWwL

Have a wander

Jx

isisini

I would put in a word for Walthamstow! E17 is teeming with couples in their early thirties with or without children these days.

It is still quite rough and ready but there are some pockets of gentrification and a lot of change - I can think of three artisan cafes that have opened in the past two months alone.

It's a great location if you're commuting into Euston or Warren Street. And it's still quite affordable compared to other areas.

My other suggestion would be Forest Hill, has a similar vibe.

MGCP

Another vote to look into Leytonstone. We started looking in Walthamstow but decided we'd get more for our money in Leytonstone (Walthamstow is having a "moment" and prices have gone a bit mental). Leytonstone had the advantage of being on the Central Line, which for me worked better.

We got a good sized 3 bed Victorian terrace with a garden and room to expand, 6 mins from the tube for within your budget (just!). Lots of big green spaces nearby, and some green shoots of regeneration/gentrification depending on how you look at it.

cupid_s

hazyjo wrote: »

A virtual google walk attached from Chingford station up Station Road (the high street). Golf course, forest and fields in the other direction for miles.

http://goo.gl/maps/5LWwL

Have a wander

Jx

I looked at your virtual walk and I agree it looks lovely. But citymapper and TfL think it would take 50 minutes to get to Chingford station (then obviously there'd be some walking the other end as well). You obviously do this journey a lot more often so I was wondering is that realistic?

I've been looking at rightmove and there seem to be some lovely houses for well under 400k, though I'm unsure exactly what constitutes "North Chingford". So the ones I'm seeing may well be in the not so desirable area.

isisini wrote: »

I would put in a word for Walthamstow! E17 is teeming with couples in their early thirties with or without children these days.

It is still quite rough and ready but there are some pockets of gentrification and a lot of change - I can think of three artisan cafes that have opened in the past two months alone.

It's a great location if you're commuting into Euston or Warren Street. And it's still quite affordable compared to other areas.

My other suggestion would be Forest Hill, has a similar vibe.

Thanks. I've only heard one person tell me not to bother going to Walthamstow as it's a dump. And he lives in Croydon!

I've noticed almost all the houses for sale are those Victorian terraces and both me and my OH love that type of house which is a plus point for that area as well.

ringo_24601 wrote: »

ok.. how about Bushey? It's only 20 minutes on the train from Euston and is pretty nice. The schools around there are OK. I know it's not really 'London' but it'd be a pretty easy commute from a nice area.

I'll add it to my list thanks!

Halle71

cupid_s wrote: »

Do you work in sales at all?! If not maybe you should. I'm convinced anyway and will definitely check it out.



I don't think we'll have problems there as we will be adopting and "looked after children" have priority over anyone else, even people living in the catchment area who already have siblings at the school. One less thing to worry about at least (though if we weren't adopting we wouldn't have to be so fussy about what we bought in the first place)

Haha - I work in advertising :rotfl:

Basically we got a lovely house in a scruffy but up and coming area, at a time when we could not afford enough bedrooms in areas we wanted to live in. We maxed our budget and managed to get the only house we liked within that budget.