Where to buy near Imperial College with 500-600 budget?

Linton

A major problem with your requirement of 15mins by tube or on foot is that IC is about half a mile walk from the nearest tube station. This would take 10 mins of your 15 which doesnt leave much for the tube journey.

[Deleted User]

You're better off looking at a 30 minute commute - or the poor darling will never understand why people look so grumpy on the tube.

In terms of the 'student experience' it might make more sense to live in halls of residence - it's where most people met their 'uni mates'. From a financial perspective, you could always buy the property now and rent it out (maybe also to students) for the year.

You'll then probably find out they want to move in with a load of people and have that house sat as an investment rather than a 'tiny student hovel'

gingercordial

When I was at university in London the commute from my halls was an hour. That's about normal for working in London too, give or take a bit. He should be prepared to do that - or else what makes him so special?

When I was in those same halls the drop out rate in the first term was pretty high. However, in the second term those rooms all filled up again as my classmates from the London/surrounding area who had chosen to live at home realised they were seriously missing out on the social aspect of being at uni, so they moved to halls. If your friend's son is living in his own flat he is going to feel excluded. Even worse if he's singled out as "not one of us" because mummy and daddy bought him a flat whilst everyone else is living on baked beans.

I understand your friend's urge to buy because my own parents bemoan the fact that they didn't do that for me back in (ahem) 1999 when London property prices were much lower and they had the cash spare, given I still can't afford to buy anything myself now. But if they had, I'd have (a) hated living in it in the first year as above, (b) had an awful time in my second year when I fell out with my flatmates (as all students do at some point!) but thankfully could just walk away from rented rather than fighting to evict them from my own place, and (c) probably lost it in my divorce. So it's for the best that they didn't.

[Deleted User]

My son is hopefully going to university in London next year. We were planning for him to commute (we are about an hour away). We went to one of their open days and although he'll need a little bit of extra support, the idea of living in was so appealing for him that its under serious consideration. I lived out when at uni myself and know full well I didn't get to know other students as much as I would have done if I'd lived in, it was lonely, and of course, social life was limited. I didn't join a single club. There are so many at the uni my son is considering, I will do a lot to enable him to live in.

p00hsticks

LeagueOfWolf wrote: »

It needs to be:

Near to Imperial College <— most important

Many moons ago when I was an undergraduate there, IC was situated purely in South Kensington, but there have been several mergers with other colleges over the years since then and from the alumni magazines I get it sounds as if there are now several different campuses around London - so if proximity is important make sure that for the course he will be doing he will actually be based around South Ken.

caronoel

For £400k, you can buy a 2 bed in the low rise flats in the Falcon development just next to Clapham Junction station which is a 20 minute cycle ride to Imperial:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42543255.html

The flats in the Falcons are share of freehold (lease of 999 years or similar), with security and an on site gym and swimming pool.

Service charges are high at £3.5k per annum

The whole area around Grant Road is being redeveloped, and will be in even more demand if and when they give Crossrail 2 the go ahead.

silvercar

ringo_24601 wrote: »

.....

There's a few at this price range, and location. But when I was at uni I lived in a 7 person house share in Toxteth next to a crack den..

If OP had done their research, the son could have gone to Liverpool university and then OP could have bought the whole street!