In my 30s and in London - what do I do?

Martico

Weekly season ticket Reading - London is £126, £153 if you want to include a 1-6 travelcard

hazyjo

Less than £20 a day with a smartcard from Leigh-on-Sea.

tooldle

[Deleted User] said:

tooldle said:

I used to come in via train from West Sussex. Quite a long commute by some standards, although there were some on the train who got on at its start point in Portsmouth. Much easier now with hybrid working, i would think. Daughter is in Reading area and often uses the train into central London (around 30mins i think).  Plenty of properties at your price point or lower in Reading.

Thanks. I think it's around £60 a day to commute from Reading so I'd probably rule that out. I will look closer to London though. Unfortunately the extortionate UK train prices make commuting (and non hybrid work) a lot less feasible. 

I used to get a monthly ticket. Some employers will 'loan' the cost of an annual ticket which is the cheapest possible option. Employee pays it back monthly via payroll. Ask your employer if they offer any schemes for those using public transport. I would think such schemes are more common in London, given the distances and costs involved for many commuters. The beauty of a season ticket being it covers as many journeys as you wish (along the route), making visits to family and friends cheaper or even free. 

Helplesssheep

[Deleted User] said:

Helplesssheep said:

Here is another one that has been marketed for a while https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/58016042/?search_identifier=ee62313d5f1368fde2c125ee07fb0057

Thank you very much for this. Good tips. I'll definitely look into the area. Commuter links are good and not far from areas like Crystal Palace. 

Just FYI that that area of Thornton Heath and west Croydon are considered undesirable. But as a male in your 30s you might find it ok and it could be the compromise you have to make to get somewhere. Transports links to central london are definitely good, and Croydon itself has a lot of the big shops like Ikea which is handy. 

RedFraggle

Have you used the "where can I live" function on Rightmove? You can set budgets and times to multiple locations and it gives you areas based on affordability. 

[Deleted User]

Martico said:

Weekly season ticket Reading - London is £126, £153 if you want to include a 1-6 travelcard

I might just be a bit behind the times but I don't think £600 a month just to get to work and back is reasonable! I'd be better off renting in Westminster!

[Deleted User]

Helplesssheep said:

[Deleted User] said:

Helplesssheep said:

Here is another one that has been marketed for a while https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/58016042/?search_identifier=ee62313d5f1368fde2c125ee07fb0057

Thank you very much for this. Good tips. I'll definitely look into the area. Commuter links are good and not far from areas like Crystal Palace. 

Just FYI that that area of Thornton Heath and west Croydon are considered undesirable. But as a male in your 30s you might find it ok and it could be the compromise you have to make to get somewhere. Transports links to central london are definitely good, and Croydon itself has a lot of the big shops like Ikea which is handy. 

Yes I've been to Croydon quite a few times and it is a toilet. But as you say, there aren't many other areas where it's possible to buy if you aren't on a mega salary. 

[Deleted User]

RedFraggle said:

Have you used the "where can I live" function on Rightmove? You can set budgets and times to multiple locations and it gives you areas based on affordability. 

I haven't seen that function yet but I'll give it a go today. That's a good tip. Thanks. 

Martico

[Deleted User] said:

Martico said:

Weekly season ticket Reading - London is £126, £153 if you want to include a 1-6 travelcard

I might just be a bit behind the times but I don't think £600 a month just to get to work and back is reasonable! I'd be better off renting in Westminster!

As I said, it's about compromise (btw it's about 420 a month if you buy an annual pass). A better place to live further away, with extra travel, or a smaller place in possibly a worse area the closer you get to London. It sounds obvious, but compromises are unfortunately essential, particularly if you're a FTB. Again to repeat, a few years down the line your equity will have improved and you'll find options should start to open out

MovingForwards

I had a similar situation when looking for a home, not London, as I couldn't afford to buy in the city/ county I worked in and where all my friends are.

Initially I did a 100 mile radius search for properties within my budget and ruled some areas out due to the train cost or bus commute time. 

Kept whittling down areas / properties until I found areas close enough / cost effective to commute. Then picked out properties I thought were suitable for my wants and needs.

Been in my home for over 2 years. I make a day trip of visiting friends and have the offer of a spare bed / sofa if I stay overnight. 

While I didn't want to make the move from the city, since moving I've had a whole lifestyle shift, see and use a lot of of my wider area and surrounding counties, and even work in the county I live in. I've also made new friends and I'm in my 40s.