moving to london.. need abit of help

[Amour]

London ladies, please help

Me and the Husband are moving to London from the north.

But we are so confused when it comes to deciding where to live.

First, how do people survive with these crazy house prices!?!

We were originally looking into Harrow as that where DH works, but I will be working in canary wharf so we have decided to expand out search.

We are looking for a spacious 1 bed or a 2bed ( ) and we don't won't to pay more than £900 PCM ( double )

We want a nice area with other young professionals/ young families.

It seems the only places suitable with our budget is croydon, which I'm not too keen on if I'm honest.

If this possible? If so where?

Also any insight in what living in London is like would be helpful I.e transport and getting around. Is having a dog in the city an odd commodity? How do people socialise usually, like up north if your going out for a night out, you'd tend to get a taxi into city centre; in London is it more common that people socialise in there separate boroughs?

Thanks in Advance :-D

 

[hellohefalump]

I used to live in near Canada Waters tube station. Very handy for Canary Wharf but not so much for Harrow.

To be honest Croydon isn't that bad. I went to school there. It's good for shopping and it's handy for East Croydon train station, which'll get you into town in 15minutes, then another ten minutes on the tube and you'll be in Canary Wharf.

I went to school in Selhurst, which is one stop away from East Croydon, or a half hour walk. If you don't want to be in the middle of croydon you might want to look at either side of it... selhurst, thornton heath, purley...

Sorry no idea about what the house prices are like though, I grew up in London but I live near Brighton now. I grew up in hammersmith, which was a nice area, but it's waaaaay pricey these days.

London public transport is BRILLIANT compared with anywhere else in the country. You won't need a car.

 

[Amour]

I used to live in near Canada Waters tube station. Very handy for Canary Wharf but not so much for Harrow.

To be honest Croydon isn't that bad. I went to school there. It's good for shopping and it's handy for East Croydon train station, which'll get you into town in 15minutes, then another ten minutes on the tube and you'll be in Canary Wharf.

I went to school in Selhurst, which is one stop away from East Croydon, or a half hour walk. If you don't want to be in the middle of croydon you might want to look at either side of it... selhurst, thornton heath, purley...

Sorry no idea about what the house prices are like though, I grew up in London but I live near Brighton now. I grew up in hammersmith, which was a nice area, but it's waaaaay pricey these days.

London public transport is BRILLIANT compared with anywhere else in the country. You won't need a car.

I really appreciate this :-D

Anyone else?

 

[huggybear]

I am from Cricklewood West Hampstead way, my brother lives on Harrow on the hill and it takes me 20 max to drive over there, my nearest tube is Kilburn on the jubilee line, it's very urban here but it takes me 15 minutes to get to central London which is good for work, rental here can be very expensive but you can get something decent for £900-£1,000 pcm. I like living here, Brent cross and Westfield are only a few minutes away and there's always stuff to do, transport links here are great, the M1 motorway is on my doorstep, if you need any info do give me a shout. Xx

 

[Amour]

I am from Cricklewood West Hampstead way, my brother lives on Harrow on the hill and it takes me 20 max to drive over there, my nearest tube is Kilburn on the jubilee line, it's very urban here but it takes me 15 minutes to get to central London which is good for work, rental here can be very expensive but you can get something decent for £900-£1,000 pcm. I like living here, Brent cross and Westfield are only a few minutes away and there's always stuff to do, transport links here are great, the M1 motorway is on my doorstep, if you need any info do give me a shout. Xx

Wooo thanks for this.. Checking out the areas now

Keep the suggestion coming ladies :-D xx

 

[MrsVenn]

Have you thought about commuting from outside counties such as Kent, Surrey, Bucks, Herts, Essex? My family have lived in the Home Counties all their lives and have always commuted in to London. I think you'll get more for your budget the further out you go.

I'd get a Tube Map and go from there, see what stations you could be near etc. Colindale, Edgware are cheaper than Harrow but you have to compromise on the area. Mill Hill maybe? Southgate? Do you want to be in North London or happy to be elsewhere?

 

[Amour]

Thanks for the reply, not thought about outer London, I presumed commute would be a pain.

I'm not dead set on North London, to be honest; I'm not sure what's north from west LOL

Just want to make a good choice that considers proximity to work, nice area and not too crazily priced.

Thanks again everyone xx

 

[discoclare]

I am from Cricklewood West Hampstead way, my brother lives on Harrow on the hill and it takes me 20 max to drive over there, my nearest tube is Kilburn on the jubilee line, it's very urban here but it takes me 15 minutes to get to central London which is good for work, rental here can be very expensive but you can get something decent for £900-£1,000 pcm. I like living here, Brent cross and Westfield are only a few minutes away and there's always stuff to do, transport links here are great, the M1 motorway is on my doorstep, if you need any info do give me a shout. Xx

We are probably really near huggybear as we are Kilburn / West Hampstead and Kilburn is our nearest tube. I love where we live, it's the kind of area you are describing in your OP, we pay just over 1000 pcm for a two bed garden flat, renting isn't too bad on cost (mind you I would say we have a pretty good deal on our location and flat size) but buying is mega mega mega expensive around here.

Depending on where you live, people may socaialise around their local area or in central London. A lot of people who work in central London may socialise centrally during the week for example. People who live in Islington may socialise around there, people who live in clapham may socialise around there some of the time etc. Depends where you live and if the local scene is good. Since I had DD I am not out partying every weekend, but if I meet friends for the odd drink it tends to be maybe in Camden or somewhere not too far rather than in middle of town (and it is unlikely you would take a taxi into middle of town on the weekend unless you had plenty of money to burn!).

Another poster suggested home counties. I am from Bucks myself. However, commuting costs are huge from somewhere like home counties (depending on where you are can be several thousand a year) and travel time can be long. , plus you don't have the ammenities of London on your doorstep. Have a think about what kind of place you want (country and quiet or more vibrant and bustling), the length and cost of commute vs renting. I may pay a lot of rent but I have a really short commute to work (with DD in the sling to nursery on the train) and I only pay 65 pounds a month for all my travel (we have no car).

 

[alicemummy]

Im going to be honest with you- whether you live in Brixton or Mayfair, you will meet the shits in your area. Its a capital city, and a big one, full of nasty pieces of work.
Im not being judgemental at all, but how come you dont like the sound of Croydon? It has a bad reputation, but look at the crime rates for places like Chelsea, and other places- there isnt much variation, and burglaries/muggings etc are much more common in the "posher" areas.

Public transport is amazing, but your looking and a fricking ridicilous amount to fork out for monthly oysters- remember the further you live from work, the more it will cost you public transport wise. If your going to go into central quite often- you might find yourself need Zone 1-3/4 pass and your looking at £150 odd a month. I still have a car, for shopping and because i find it easier with a baby, you pick your preference.
Public transport is pretty much 24/7. Night buses finish around 3am, tubes start up at 5am. When the tubes stop running, the night buses start. So there is only really 2/3 hours in the day where you cannot get around with public transport.

I love it hear, really and truly I do. As I said, you will meet the shits wherever you are, but dont let it ruin it for you. You need to sit down and really consider if you can afford to live here, its bloody expensive.

When I move in 2 weeks, I will be renting and will paying nearly £2500 a month, but I wanted a modern house, and wanted to live closer to central, and thats what you get. Bills are obviously much more (remember to check if bills are included in your rent)

People always seem to be attracted to London for the higher salaries, but the difference and more is always spent up on living expenses.

Obviously I dont know your reasons for choosing to come down here, but I love living here and unless you hate big cities, I dont see why you wont either.

There are so many people in London who rent, literally because they cannot afford the house prices.

 

[summer rain]

Since you'll be working in Canary Wharf have you looked into tower hamlets, hackney, newham, redbridge, or even barking and dagenham-all these boroughs have their really lovely, more leafy areas with low crime and excellent schools etc but rents in these parts tend to be cheaper than the more genteel parts of West and South London for various reasons. House prices are a joke in this particular area but some areas in the aforementioned boroughs are nice but not really any more expensive in terms of house and flat prices than nice areas of Manchester or Leeds. Also in this part of London there is a lot of affordable housing, either rented or shared ownership, and not all of it is for key workers-some is specifically for young professionals hoping to get on the housing ladder, the more financially solvent the better in that case. Also transport around these parts is within the TFL area and mainly zones 1-4 so it would be a lot cheaper and quicker if you were using public transport to commute than coming from the home counties, if you're driving, these areas are all close to major arterial roads so would be very convenient for both yours and OHs workplace as well as travelling into central London for business or leisure reasons. I am originally from up North and down here, have always lived on the borders of greater London and Essex and its fab-best of both worlds, where we live is like a small village with a great community spirit, local shops and countryside-ish bits but central London is only 20 minutes by tube and 20-30 minutes by car, not going to reveal the exact area here but if you want any more info please PM me xx

PS: I know lots of people from this end who work over that side of London (Harrow etc) and while it is a trek it really isn't too bad and doesn't take them too long to get there

 

[MyFirstNoodle]

I live in Harrow (Which I told you before on a previous thread) And I have family that live in Croydon and in kent ect. It takes me an hour and a half possibly 2 hours to get from my house in Harrow to Croydon flyover (examle)! I wouldn't suggest moving there if your OH works in Harrow. I would have to go INTO central London to get there (as I find that the quickest) and if your DH/OH has to do that every morning during rush hour (Go across the city) it could take even longer. I wouldn't suggest it... xx do you mind me asking where in Harrow your OH/DH will be working? I could suggest some areas not far from there and easier to access canary wharf which isn't Harrow? How about UXBRIDGE? RICHMOND? BARNET? They all have lovely areas.

BTW Lots of people have dogs in London. There are lots of parks to walk your dogs. You can get taxis too. I.e Harrow has its own town centre, Croydon does too, Kent has bromley ect. each borough has their own little town. There pubs/ night clubs all over. And as I mentioned before its only 20 minutes from Harrow to central london so if you fancied going out in the city centre it is possible. Its £40 from central london to harrow. and Local fare is £5 for 4 miles
Theres lots of areas around London that have the same house prices as croydon. The closer to central London you are the more expensive they will be. Depends where you want to live? North London , South London...East London?? xx

 

[Baby France]

No advice, but sounds a like a really good adventure!!

 

[Amour]

Thank you everyone.

I've been to Croydon before and didn't really like it to be fair, although could of just been the area we went to; plus I'd like to be more inside London, at least initially. For this reason, I wouldn't want to live in the home counties either for this reason.

Been checking out all the areas; I think me and DH will need to take a weekend and go check all the areas.

Anyone familiar with Canning town, Royal Victoria and West Silvertown?

Side note: I don't think I fully comprehended just how massive London is!!!

Thanks ladies :-D

I live in Harrow (Which I told you before on a previous thread) And I have family that live in Croydon and in kent ect. It takes me an hour and a half possibly 2 hours to get from my house in Harrow to Croydon flyover (examle)! I wouldn't suggest moving there if your OH works in Harrow. I would have to go INTO central London to get there (as I find that the quickest) and if your DH/OH has to do that every morning during rush hour (Go across the city) it could take even longer. I wouldn't suggest it... xx do you mind me asking where in Harrow your OH/DH will be working? I could suggest some areas not far from there and easier to access canary wharf which isn't Harrow? How about UXBRIDGE? RICHMOND? BARNET? They all have lovely areas.

BTW Lots of people have dogs in London. There are lots of parks to walk your dogs. You can get taxis too. I.e Harrow has its own town centre, Croydon does too, Kent has bromley ect. each borough has their own little town. There pubs/ night clubs all over. And as I mentioned before its only 20 minutes from Harrow to central london so if you fancied going out in the city centre it is possible. Its £40 from central london to harrow. and Local fare is £5 for 4 miles
Theres lots of areas around London that have the same house prices as croydon. The closer to central London you are the more expensive they will be. Depends where you want to live? North London , South London...East London?? xx

Thank you my lovely.. Really really good info here again :-D xxx

 

[discoclare]

Anyone familiar with Canning town, Royal Victoria and West Silvertown?

My cousin used to live at Royal Victoria Docks and I wasn't keen just because it seemed pretty soulless TBH. But she moved about 8 or 9 years ago so it might be really different now. There are lots of new flats and developements around there. But I guess you are quite to close to Greenwich which is lovely. These areas would be a good commute for you, but how would your OH get to work? It's a blooming long wat to HarROw from there! Is he thinking of driving or using public transport?

 

[Amour]

Anyone familiar with Canning town, Royal Victoria and West Silvertown?

My cousin used to live at Royal Victoria Docks and I wasn't keen just because it seemed pretty soulless TBH. But she moved about 8 or 9 years ago so it might be really different now. There are lots of new flats and developements around there. But I guess you are quite to close to Greenwich which is lovely. These areas would be a good commute for you, but how would your OH get to work? It's a blooming long wat to HarROw from there! Is he thinking of driving or using public transport?

Hahaa.. This is way more difficult that I imagined lol

The rental prices seem so reasonable in that area, I guess that's why?

He will be using public transport, but should be entitled to a company in march/april so may be driving. Would this be unrealistic and or hectic?

Thanks for your contribution xx

 

[MrsVenn]

If he intends to drive, it'll be stressful, long and tedious if he hits rush hour. I drive in to North London every day from Hertfordshire and it's a pig of a journey. Personally I'd choose somewhere closer or in the middle of the outer ring of London so that you jave near equal commutes. Have you looked at Finchley way?

 

[maryp0ppins]

I live in North London and work around where I live (crouch end) my boyfriend can easily get to work in about 35 min from the train station (he works in canary wharf) I would not recommend driving through London at rush hour, just using public transport is stressful enough!

 

[alicemummy]

Oh rush hour how I miss you.......NAAAAAAAAAAAAAT. People are right hun, driving through london in rush hour is a bad bad bad bad idea.

Having your head stuck in someone's sweaty armpit isnt much better, but it is a lot less stressful

 

[Amour]

Thanks ladies, I will look into Finchley and Crouch end.

Having your head stuck in someone's sweaty armpit isnt much better, but it is a lot less stressful

Oh my! LMAO

This is sure to be an adventure, FX a good one!

 

[rockys-mumma]

Ooh I'd avoid canning town. Some of my family lived there and I don't think it's particually nice. Look at east dulwich/blackheath area ooor Greenwich? They are all quite nice and kinda central. I live in dagenham and wouldn't encourage people to live here or barking/newham/canning town/mile end or surrounding areas if they don't really like the feel of Croydon. Islington is supposedly quite fashionable these days but my OH grew up on Old St and it's far from nice lol all his family still live there. Tbh in london, as nice as the place is in which you live you are never far away from trouble areas.

Check out upminster! It's a bit out there but I want to move there lol

Ps I'm on my iPhone so excuse the poorly punctuated message and any typos!