East London

jamespetts

Thank you both very much: that is most helpful. Corelli: I do not have a car, preferring to cycle, walk and use public transport, so traffic congestion and parking are not of concern to me.

As to feelings about the borough, political failings aside, it seemed, as most London boroughs, quite mixed, but East Ham was pleasant enough, and West Ham Park was lovely. The parts that I viewed did not seem particularly run-down, although I have had that feeling before from the Manor Park area and the eastern end of Forest Gate south of the Romford Road. It interests me that one of the earlier posters put Manor Park above East Ham, and I should be interested to know the reason for this.

Motleycrew - your point about Upton Lane is interesting, as that is the road that runs on the Eastern perimeter of West Ham Park, just off Boleyn Road where one of the properties that I am considering is situated. Is that a potential issue?

I shall take note to avoid Maryland. I did view one house there (or rather, half way between there and Forest Gate, near a cemetery), but it was tiny and suffered damp (no doubt in part caused by a leaking butterfly roof: it was a very old house indeed).

As to Westfield, I have never been there, as I tend to prefer to shop on Oxford Street or online, but I suppose that it might be useful for some items, albeit that East Ham has easier access to central London than Stratford by train.

[Deleted User]

I was just reading that they are changing Stratford from zone 3 to zone 2 in January 2016. My little brother just bough one of those flats opposite Westfield... The area has a long way to go before it feels 'homely'

MARTYM8`

ringo_24601 wrote: »

I was just reading that they are changing Stratford from zone 3 to zone 2 in January 2016. My little brother just bough one of those flats opposite Westfield... The area has a long way to go before it feels 'homely'

Stratford will be on the zone 2-3 boundary - so in both zones.

In reality its more psychological than of monetary benefit - a zone 1-2 travelcard is only about £200 a year less than zone 1-3. And Canning town and West Ham for now are staying in zone 3 - so you will still need a zone 1-3 travelcard for the jubilee line (albeit not the central). Odd - I agree!

Compared to the cost of a £300k one bed flat in the Olympic park - its probably not going to affect your outgoings materially.

As for the OPs' decision - don't forget Crossrail is coming which makes Maryland, Forest gate and Manor park more attractive travel wise.

jamespetts

I made an offer on the house in East Ham; I expect to hear back to-morrow whether it has been accepted. The low price combined with the original features attracted me the most.

vw100

The reason why the E20 postcode has a high crime rate is simply because of the huge volume of people visiting the Stratford City complex, comprising Westfield Centre, TFL Stations, Olympic park etc. The Westfield centre attracts 38.5 million people a year, with a peak of 48 million in 2012. So of course the E20 will have a high crime rate in ratio.

Corelli

jamespetts wrote: »

I made an offer on the house in East Ham; I expect to hear back to-morrow whether it has been accepted. The low price combined with the original features attracted me the most.

Good luck!

Morglin

I grew up in the East End, when it was the EastEnd, and wouldn't move back now if they paid me lol

They may try and gentrify it, but it's still grim, and a high crime area (only difference between now and 50 years ago is the number of non indigenous cockneys/immigrants living there!)

Most born and bred there over 50 years ago cleared off to Essex and Kent.

Lin

slowcoachme

To all those reminiscing about the area, join Facebook group Memories of Manor Park E12 and East Ham.
Hope the house hunt goes well james and that your offer is accepted

jamespetts

Thank you all for your help. I offered £261,550 on the Caledon Road property, but was told to-day that there were offers of over £270,000. Although I could go that high, I am reluctant to do so on this property which would need major works in extending the kitchen.

So, I made an offer on the property near West Ham Park instead; I was told that there had been no offers so far, so I offered £10,000 below the "offers over" asking price. I am almost certain that this will be rejected (and especially since I read that houses in the borough of Newham have been going for 99.5% of asking price recently), but I have nothing to lose by trying, and I can always increase my offer to the asking price (perhaps in return for small concessions such as agreement to include the kitchen appliances or the vendor offering a cash incentive to the sitting tenant to vacate earlier to expedite completion).

That property, I suspect, has a greater potential for profit than the East Ham property: it is within walking distance of a Crossrail station (Forest Gate), it is close to Stratford, which is being developed rapidly with a great many new jobs, it is on a street that is evidently in the process of gentrification (the next-door neighbour's house has just been refurbished to what appears to be a high standard in keeping with the period style), and the kitchen extension is very spacious.

In the meantime, I shall book some more viewings for the week-end: I have spotted some possible bargains in the Plaistow/Upton Park area. Does anyone have any thoughts on either of these properties?

http://www.douglasallen.co.uk/for-sale/2-bedroom-house-in-plaistow/51311015/?utm_source=propertyemail&utm_medium=email&utm_content=propertyimage&utm_campaign=new_properties

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-45594307.html?utm_content=v2-ealertspropertyimage&utm_medium=email&utm_source=emailupdates&utm_campaign=emailupdatesinstant&utm_term=buying&sc_id=14168381&onetime_FromEmail=true

jamespetts

I viewed this one to-day in East Ham. It had a cornucopia of original features and no damp anywhere to be seen. The tenant, who was in the process of moving out, raved about how good that it was to live there and said that she had no problems. Despite the guide price being between £245-265k, there has already apparently been an offer of £270k.

Having made an offer for £275k on the property near West Ham Park, meanwhile, the vendor reverted to me via the agent to say that that offer was a little low and suggested £280k. I am minded to make an offer instead on the East Ham property, and leave the other one in reserve.

I should be interested in any views on the location of the East Ham property, which is in the vicinity of Central Park (and just outside a flood zone - a little furhter and more decisievely outside it than another property that I viewed in the area, which, at a similar size and with fewer original features, had an asking price of £280k).