PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING
Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.North London house buying areas advice
Options
Lukesamg7
Posts: 14 Forumite
Hi All. Hoping for some advice from seasoned Londoners 
We’re looking to move to ‘North London’ by that the areas we’re considering are(by tube stop):
East Finchley
Highgate
Archway
Tufnell Park
Holloway Rd
Hampstead
Belzies Park
Chalk Farm
St Johns Wood
Swiss Cottage
Finchley Rd
2 main Q’s:
1) How safe are each of those areas, from most to least safe, by that I mainly mean how comfortable you’d feel walking around the area mabye in the dark or late at night? Where are the crime hotspots to avoid?
2) Amenities: Which areas have a reasonable number or nice pubs, restaurants, local shops for food shopping etc
3) Relaxing and greenery: Which of these areas would be most relaxing to live in and which have a nice green suburban feel to them and aren’t that busy.
Of course I understand in any big city that there mabye isn’t a general rule that x place is nicer than Y place because quite often you can be in a ‘bad’ area and then walk 5 minutes one direction and you’re in a good area.
Idea is that we’d start a family at some point so thinking longer term would like an area that is safe and relaxing for us and safe to bring up a young child.
Many Thanks in advance
We’re looking to move to ‘North London’ by that the areas we’re considering are(by tube stop):
East Finchley
Highgate
Archway
Tufnell Park
Holloway Rd
Hampstead
Belzies Park
Chalk Farm
St Johns Wood
Swiss Cottage
Finchley Rd
2 main Q’s:
1) How safe are each of those areas, from most to least safe, by that I mainly mean how comfortable you’d feel walking around the area mabye in the dark or late at night? Where are the crime hotspots to avoid?
2) Amenities: Which areas have a reasonable number or nice pubs, restaurants, local shops for food shopping etc
3) Relaxing and greenery: Which of these areas would be most relaxing to live in and which have a nice green suburban feel to them and aren’t that busy.
Of course I understand in any big city that there mabye isn’t a general rule that x place is nicer than Y place because quite often you can be in a ‘bad’ area and then walk 5 minutes one direction and you’re in a good area.
Idea is that we’d start a family at some point so thinking longer term would like an area that is safe and relaxing for us and safe to bring up a young child.
Many Thanks in advance
0
Comments
-
Have you considered price?? Highgate is one of the most expensive places to live in the whole city (though you've got a few of the top 20 on that list anyway)
Safety: All a reasonably safe. I lived in Highgate and Finchley, visited Hampstead a lot. Finchley was my favourite.
Amenities. All have a good range, Highgate had the best choices from my perspective.
Relaxing: Highgate and Hampstead border the heath, so obviously have the best greenery.
If I was having a child, I'd leave London personally.
School wise, all have good and bad.0 -
Thank you, all very helpful.
Yes considered price, Highgate and Hampstead may be slightly out of range but not 100, we saw some 2 beds within budget just about.
Of Highgate and Finchley, is most of the area pretty safe or are there some parts of them when aren’t as nice and safe, what % would you say was safe?
Also is easy Finchley the nicest and safest out of all the Finchleys?
Would love to move out of London tbh and may look at St Albans further down the line but plan is to stay in London for next 5-7 years.0 -
Thank you, all very helpful.
Yes considered price, Highgate and Hampstead may be slightly out of range but not 100, we saw some 2 beds within budget just about.
Of Highgate and Finchley, is most of the area pretty safe or are there some parts of them when aren’t as nice and safe, what % would you say was safe?
Also is easy Finchley the nicest and safest out of all the Finchleys?
Would love to move out of London tbh and may look at St Albans further down the line but plan is to stay in London for next 5-7 years.
Honestly it varies. There's nowhere in the whole country that is 100% safe.
I never had issues in Finchley. (lived in Finchley Central).
Highgate is one of the safest areas, but had problems with street muggings back then, particularly of school kids.0 -
All of Finchley is equally safe, which I'd say is pretty safe. East and North Finchley have better high streets - I'm in Central where we have a grotty, cheap high street.
Most schools in Finchley are better than average, though bear in mind (as we are realising) there is not really any secondary school with a catchment covering Finchley Central.0 -
All of Finchley is equally safe, which I'd say is pretty safe. East and North Finchley have better high streets - I'm in Central where we have a grotty, cheap high street.
Most schools in Finchley are better than average, though bear in mind (as we are realising) there is not really any secondary school with a catchment covering Finchley Central.
I found the highstreet was pretty good (about 15 years ago!), has it really changed that much - checking google maps now 0 -
Yeah, it's all bookies and charity shops!0
-
Hi All. Hoping for some advice from seasoned Londoners
We’re looking to move to ‘North London’ by that the areas we’re considering are(by tube stop):
East Finchley
Highgate
Archway
Tufnell Park
Holloway Rd
Hampstead
Belzies Park
Chalk Farm
St Johns Wood
Swiss Cottage
Finchley Rd
2 main Q’s:
1) How safe are each of those areas, from most to least safe, by that I mainly mean how comfortable you’d feel walking around the area mabye in the dark or late at night? Where are the crime hotspots to avoid?
2) Amenities: Which areas have a reasonable number or nice pubs, restaurants, local shops for food shopping etc
3) Relaxing and greenery: Which of these areas would be most relaxing to live in and which have a nice green suburban feel to them and aren’t that busy.
Of course I understand in any big city that there mabye isn’t a general rule that x place is nicer than Y place because quite often you can be in a ‘bad’ area and then walk 5 minutes one direction and you’re in a good area.
Idea is that we’d start a family at some point so thinking longer term would like an area that is safe and relaxing for us and safe to bring up a young child.
Many Thanks in advance
You really should visit some of the places and see what they're like for yourself. You have a very diverse list there - Holloway Road and Archway are gritty, built-up urban (nothing wrong with these but probably not where you'd choose to buy specifically to raise kids) whereas Hampstead and Highgate are seriously posh "villages", Belsize Park is celebville and so on. These would all be obvious within a few minutes of arriving at the respective tube stations, so a day out would easily narrow this list down considerably. We could give opinions but nothing will be as good as you seeing for yourself.
Apologies if you have already been, but I can't believe you'd lump Holloway Road in with Hampstead if you have...0 -
That is such a mixture of places. You have some not so desirable ones with some really desirable very expensive ones.
How did you make up that list? Did you just do it from looking at flats on a property website? They are all really different places.0 -
Cheers all and Gingercordial, really good advice.
As it happens we are planning to do a day tour so to speak hopefully this weeeknd as I agree that is the best way to really get an area.
Also I know there is no exact science to which is the nicest or safest or most relaxed place but as neither me or my partner have lived in any of those areas (currently much more central near London Bridge), I just wanted to get some opinions on the areas from people who live or have lived in these places and also be aware of things that people who have better knowledge of the areas will know e.g. x place is nice but avoid Y part of it as that is known to be a bit rough/dangerous etc.
Regarding Holloway vs Hampstead haha I know they’re vastly different but it’s about weighing it all up, area, what we could get for the money, commute etc so we have reasons for all of these areas and places to be considered
Also I tried to google it but it’s hard to get a good answer does anyone know for any of these places If there are many gyms nearby?
Also if they could be ranked in any of your opinion price aside from generally nicest and safest to least what would your orders be?
Thanks so much guys loving your help and responses!! :T:j:) 0 -
@cakeguts it’s mainly based on where me and my partner currently work (both quite centrally) + West is too expensive , east for the most part not as desirable or green, south the connections are not very good, north and slightly north west seemed to give the best balance of commute, nice mix of areas, affordable places.
So we’ve kind of thrown a ring around that geographical area of these places, e.g. wouldn’t want to go any further north, west, east or central/south than any of these.
Do you have an opinion on which would be the nicest and safest vs the least?
We want to find somewhere in london we can ‘settle down’ so to speak so places like Finchley and Hampstead for example appeal as they seem more relaxed, quiet and green but still a reasonably easy journey into more central places if we wanted to meet friends or go for dinner etc.
It would be nice to come home to an area that is more suburban that feels almost not like You’re in a city if you know what I mean?
We are from Surrey originally and have rented in central London for 8yrs and it’s time now to find a more relaxing balance but we can’t move out of London as for both of our industries/jobs London is the place to be. 0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.7K Spending & Discounts
- 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
- 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173.1K Life & Family
- 247.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards