Have I missed my chance to buy in London?

RoisinDubh_2

Cakeguts said:

Does it have to be SE London?  You wouldn't consider Wembley Park area?  Or Wembley? 

It doesn't have to be, but it's where I'd prefer to buy. I spent ages considering areas and SE (specifically Crystal Palace and nearby areas like Anerley, Penge, Norwood) seemed to be the best trade-off for price vs quality of life vs proximity to friends and family. 

bouicca21

According to local EA there are twice as many flats for sale at the moment than usual.  Whether they are in your budget is a different matter, but it might be worth looking at Penge and Clock House, possibly Elmers End. 

How about this one?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/72724284#/

bouicca21

Or this one in Forest Hill?
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/89626195#/media?id=media0&ref=floorPlanPage

GDB2222

Whether you have missed the boat depends a bit on what employers decide about working from home. 

There's been a bit of an exodus from London during the pandemic. After all, the night life was all closed, and most/many office workers were working from home.  There was no real reason to be in London, rather than say Yorkshire (which has seen a property boom).

The night life has largely reopened, although it may have to close again if there's a third wave of the virus.

A number of employers have said that they *will* want people to return to the office. I say will, because most of them have not actioned it yet. If/when they do, I expect the London market to harden. OTOH, if the virus returns in force, I expect the market to weaken.

hazyjo

There's this in Blackheath/Greenwich:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108472265#/

Chance to add some value.



Or I'd probably consider a one bed in Beckenham.

Ally_E.

Can't compare Wembley to Brockley, it's like night and day. Brockley is lovely area, we moved out as were priced out. Have a look at Colliers Wood/South Wimbledon tube stations +1mile, there's some good value properties around there and it's near the tube zone 3.

RoisinDubh_2

bouicca21 said:

According to local EA there are twice as many flats for sale at the moment than usual.  Whether they are in your budget is a different matter, but it might be worth looking at Penge and Clock House, possibly Elmers End. 

How about this one?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/72724284#/

Oh, that's interesting. It's not that there aren't any in my price range and preferred areas, but they're much fewer and further between than just a month or two ago. I remember one Wednesday lining up a bunch of viewings for the Friday and all of them were decent. Very nearly put an offer in on one of them but decided to hold off because it had a few things I think would have become a problem. 
That one is lovely and definitely the sort of thing I'm after, but trying to avoid ground floor for various reasons!

RoisinDubh_2

bouicca21 said:

Or this one in Forest Hill?
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/89626195#/media?id=media0&ref=floorPlanPage

Also nice but I would find the sloping ceilings very claustrophobic given how much time I'll be spending in there (I will be working from home quite a lot). I could probably tolerate it in just one room, but not in all of them

bouicca21

There are often posters on here discussing whether ground floor flats are a good idea.  I live in one and think it’s no different to being in a bungalow.  Plus I get direct access to the garden.  Many years ago my house was burgled. Never been without a burglar alarm since.

it’s a buyers’ market for flats in SE London (and I suspect in other parts of London too).  I’m sure you can get something nice - maybe even a 2 bed. Even if your budget is £300 tops, I’d be looking at stuff listed up to £325k and go in with an offer.

hazyjo

bouicca21 said:

There are often posters on here discussing whether ground floor flats are a good idea.  I live in one and think it’s no different to being in a bungalow.  Plus I get direct access to the garden.  Many years ago my house was burgled. Never been without a burglar alarm since.

it’s a buyers’ market for flats in SE London (and I suspect in other parts of London too).  I’m sure you can get something nice - maybe even a 2 bed. Even if you budget is £300 tops, I’d be looking at stuff listed up to £325k and go in with an offer.

It's often because of noise and top floor means no-one's above. Saying that, I would quite like having direct access to the outside!