Where next to live? ED too pricey

[wulfhound]

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Norwood?!

Is it safe?

No worse than anywhere else under discussion. The NW corner of South Norwood (near the Lakes) is already on the up. Ditto the north side of Thornton Heath. Not to say there aren't problem individuals/families, but it's a small percentage - and mostly only a problem if you're unlucky enough to live next door to them. No different to the less upmarket bits of ED and Peckham in that respect really - not quite such a lively feel, but perfectly OK as a place to live.

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With a lucky deposit of ?60k, they're finding even Walthamstow is out of reach..!

"Even"? Walthamstow is crawling with hipsters nowadays & being on the Tube in Zone 3, it's hardly surprising it's become unaffordable.

[Cyclemonkey]

I agree Otta. We paid around that for a very nice two bedroom flat with a garage on Forest Hill earlier this year.

Miga i understand what you are saying but London is a constantly moving and dynamic city. People have to accept if they have fixed ideas about a particular location then that will affect the choice they have in terms of property. House buying for most of us is a series of compromises. House price inflation in London means we have to make more compromises and choices than most. This is a very good Illustration of why house price Inflation isn't good for anyone Homeowners or renters.

[Righty]

miga Wrote:

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> Cyclemonkey Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > It does sound a little petulant I am afraid.

> At

> > your age most people in London are still

> renting

> > and haven't managed to buy their first place

> let

> > alone their second.

>

> It can be hard to come to terms with the idea of

> moving to a neighbourhood you wouldn't have even

> contemplated. I know this is probably awfully

> shallow, but for a lot of (most?) people, the kind

> of area they live can feel like a reflection on

> who they are - isn't this why different clusters

> of people (ethnicity, class, sexual preference,

> age etc.) form in different areas of London? It

> takes some re-training of neurological pathways to

> accept that ultimately a house is "a machine for

> living in". And on these boring, practical grounds

> somewhere like Catford ticks the boxes (Kings X,

> green space, even somewhere to go out and eat),

> but it requires a big shift in thinking if you've

> got a sizable budget and are used to living in ED.

We are shortly to move to the Blythe Hill area of Catford from Nunhead - personally I can't wait! really good transport, parks (though Peckham Rye will be missed) and schools and, of course, more space for the money!

[Baggs]

We're making the exodus to Croydon where, for the price of a studio in East Dulwich, we can afford a two bed house with garden. Commute will be shorter, the area is nowhere near as bad as its reputation (and yes, I have lived there) and trips to Gatwick/South Coast when it all gets too much are very convenient. I'm excited, but I'll miss ED.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Moved to Elmers End in March. Not much in EE but 15 mins walk to Beckenham High Street and from my front door I'm on Lordship Lane in just over 30 mins if I fancy a pint back there. 3 miles from Crystal Palace and Penge is walkable. I have a small 2 bed gaff now with a lovely secluded garden. Couldn't get anywhere near that 5 miles up the road in East Dulwich

[aileking]

I moved from East Dulwich to South Norwood (close to country park) and love it. I feel safe, the commute is easy and I love the house and garden which I couldn't afford elsewhere. The interesting thing reading these posts is that everyone has loved where they moved to (Penge, Sydenham, Catford, South Norwood, Croydon). So I'm guessing the most useful thing to know would be whether anyone regrets where they moved to. But if I were to be optimistic, I would say that wherever you move to, you fall in love with the place and start seeing all the positives (which is what we see in the posts above). I never planned or particularly wanted to move to South Norwood but now I am really glad I did. I do notice its shortcomings but in my mind the positives outweigh them.

[Exjags]

Would also suggest looking around Croydon, especially South Croydon and Lloyd Park - some very green and leafy areas.Links into London via East Croydon are very fast and very regular. Bit lacking in foodie places but new Boxpark coming to East Croydon in 2016 is set to liven that side of things up. Have lived round this way for some years and really like it - money goes a long way and we have not experienced any 'Croydon' crime issues so far.

[ednewmy]

Help-Ma-Boab Wrote:

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> Moved to Elmers End in March. Not much in EE but

> 15 mins walk to Beckenham High Street and from my

> front door I'm on Lordship Lane in just over 30

> mins if I fancy a pint back there. 3 miles from

> Crystal Palace and Penge is walkable. I have a

> small 2 bed gaff now with a lovely secluded

> garden. Couldn't get anywhere near that 5 miles up

> the road in East Dulwich

Elmers End is also home to Zi'Teresa which is one of the best neigbourhood Italian restaurants I've ever eaten at. The staff are absolutely delightful and the food is consistently great, and often outstanding. Definitely highly recommended if you haven't been yet.

[Bluelagoon]

We are in the same boat - just sold our flat here and conte,playing next move. Have a friend in South Norwood, a 2/3 bed house for ?300k which isn't to be sniffed at, and I got there on a direct bus from ED. nothing of note there though.

There are some lovely houses fir under ?500k in Catford, and whilst it's ugly it's pretty close to ED, has some cool pubs and there's things like Street Feast in Lewisham, and you're also not far from Forest Hill etc. that's where I'd buy.

That said the Mr says he'd rather leave London and live in a 'nice' bit of another town so we are currently looking outside the capital too. Which is scary.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Yep ednewmy, it's fab. Also Taste of Cyprus is good. Owned by brother of The Vineyard in Camberwell. The Elm Tree pub has a large beer garden and is alright, not great but does a job. JollyWoodman and Chancery Beckenham are great. Also can pop into Penge ,Crystal Palace or back to ED easily.

Elmers End station is 25 mins into London Bridge, and 30 mins to Charing X or Cannon Street. Tram 12 mins to East Croydon.

Feel happy here, mainly because I have a small end of terrace cottage with a small garden to call home...

ednewmy Wrote:

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> Help-Ma-Boab Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Moved to Elmers End in March. Not much in EE

> but

> > 15 mins walk to Beckenham High Street and from

> my

> > front door I'm on Lordship Lane in just over 30

> > mins if I fancy a pint back there. 3 miles from

> > Crystal Palace and Penge is walkable. I have a

> > small 2 bed gaff now with a lovely secluded

> > garden. Couldn't get anywhere near that 5 miles

> up

> > the road in East Dulwich

>

> Elmers End is also home to Zi'Teresa which is one

> of the best neigbourhood Italian restaurants I've

> ever eaten at. The staff are absolutely delightful

> and the food is consistently great, and often

> outstanding. Definitely highly recommended if you

> haven't been yet.

[Take Note]

I left ED, having lived there since early 90's, for Crystal Palace in March and I couldn't be happier. Upsized from 1 bed pokey flat to large 2 bed garden maisonette w/ garage + OSP. It feels so much nicer - greener and definitely more bohemian and less homogenous, and yet it was not somewhere I'd ever have considered. I walk the dogs in South Norwood Country park where everyone says "good morning" rather than being surgically attached to their iPhone/lycra/power-walking partner. Alexandra nurseries in Penge is a lovely little spot and transport is brilliant. I seem to be 10/15 mins from anywhere good and I've been back to ED once since....can't say I miss it at all!

[Otta]

Baggs Wrote:

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> We're making the exodus to Croydon where, for the

> price of a studio in East Dulwich, we can afford a

> two bed house with garden. Commute will be

> shorter, the area is nowhere near as bad as its

> reputation (and yes, I have lived there) and trips

> to Gatwick/South Coast when it all gets too much

> are very convenient. I'm excited, but I'll miss

> ED.

My cousin (who used to rent in ED) recently bought a place in South Croydon and is loving it. Her neighbours have been REALLY welcoming and lovely, she's over the moon.

[KalamityKate]

I moved to South Norwood in 2011 near the Country Park and have not regretted it. Property prices def on the increase in the area. Thameslink due to arrive in S Norwood in the next couple of years (apparently). Check out South Norwood Tourist Board for an irreverent look at SN.

[Seabag]

Deffo i'd head South Norwood towards Croydon

Lots happening that way too I hear

[Baggs]

That's very encouraging Otta, we loved South Croydon but were outbid on a number of houses down that way. And it moved out of reach during our search. I hope Addiscombe will be equally friendly. All encounters with neighbours during visits have been very warm.

Otta Wrote:

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>

> My cousin (who used to rent in ED) recently bought

> a place in South Croydon and is loving it. Her

> neighbours have been REALLY welcoming and lovely,

> she's over the moon.

[Loz]

Does anyone on the EDF still actually live in East Dulwich??

[Baggs]

Used to live in Clapham, moving to Croydon just stopped off at the EDF in between.

/S

[MissKing]

My friends have just bought a flat in Sydenham and it is lovely there! Good high street, lots of interesting cafes and a really good pub with a big garden out the back. If I had been priced out of ED I would probably turn my attention there.

[LondonMix]

I do! P

Loz Wrote:

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> Does anyone on the EDF still actually live in East

> Dulwich??

[boleto]

Eltham. Friends moved there recently and have been pleasantly surprised by very friendly neighbours, useful high street, nice watering holes like the GPO, good transport, nice houses.

[????]

Loz Wrote:

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> Does anyone on the EDF still actually live in East

> Dulwich??

Meeeee

[Jeremy]

I'm a 'no'... but still a 10 minute walk to the EDT so don't really feel I've left it behind..

[easytiger]

Yes, still here but many of the neighbours have sold and moved further south, and becoming mortgage free. They still visit and so do we.

Loz Wrote:

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> Does anyone on the EDF still actually live in East

> Dulwich??

[Sue]

Loz Wrote:

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> Does anyone on the EDF still actually live in East

> Dulwich??

Yeh, I do too :)

[Ctheo]

South Norwood is the place to be... And shouldn't be dismissed. According to estate agents there's a long list of buyers to get into one of the last cheapest areas of London.

Money will be spent to improve the area. Also there is a fantastic community down here.

Some green shoots of improvement have started.

www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Latte-mocha-nice-cappuccino-Romeo/story-27470927-detail/story.html#ixzz3ghsCSyhD