View Full Version : Soho Wisdom
gettin2dizzy
07-05-10, 04:40 PM
I'm moving down to London (ahoy!) at present, but for the life of me can't work out how anyone manages to find a property that is/has:
-Somewhere secure for a bike (access to little garden/garage)
-Not a frickin' slum (how many fried chicken shops do you need!)
-Close to a train station & city centre
But most of all: the above at some rent feasible for anyone without Russian Oligarch parents.
I'm looking at Greenwich, Blackheath, Hither Green, Lewisham, Woolwich ...
Any wisdom?
Sid Squid
07-05-10, 06:10 PM
Any wisdom?
Yes, stop looking in South London.
metalmonkey
07-05-10, 06:14 PM
How much are you looking to spend on rent?
I have garage, garden ect but I live in North London, but nr a tube station...
Biker Biggles
07-05-10, 06:24 PM
How much are you looking to spend on rent?
I have garage, garden ect but I live in North London, but nr a tube station...
So how much to rent a bit of your garden?Put a tent in it?:D
gettin2dizzy
07-05-10, 06:44 PM
Yes, stop looking in South London.
I work in South London ;) And I have nooooo idea where is nice up north :rolleyes: Is there a Blackheath/Greenwich equivalent?
How much are you looking to spend on rent?
I have garage, garden ect but I live in North London, but nr a tube station...
Up to £800 month ...ish (for me and the lady).
CoolGirl
07-05-10, 07:38 PM
Where do you work in S London exactly - it's a big place.
We do have bridges and tunnels y'know. Hell, some people even commute from south of the river to north of the river. :o
gettin2dizzy
07-05-10, 07:46 PM
Where do you work in S London exactly - it's a big place.
We do have bridges and tunnels y'know. Hell, some people even commute from south of the river to north of the river. :o
Mainly Canary Wharf, but client based so can be anywhere in London.
I just don't know anywhere outside of the 4-5 o'clock slice of the M25!
Littlepeahead
07-05-10, 11:04 PM
I used to live in Crouch End which was lovely. Probably still is. But I also used to live in Kings Cross, which was, er, interesting! Why not grab a tube map and explore a few places within a reasonable walk of a tube station that has an easy connection to work. Just bear in mind it probably won't work at the weekend as most lines now seem to be affected by the upgrading work.
metalmonkey
08-05-10, 12:12 AM
So how much to rent a bit of your garden?Put a tent in it?:D
Well enought to keep the bike filled with petrol and a crate of beer!
Well thats within budget, but I'm a bit far from where u work.
W/end can can suck here, they tend to close stuff here alot I hate TFL usless C**** the tube never sodding works at the best of times!
Red Herring
08-05-10, 05:19 AM
I sort of assumed that with a bike you might want to sort of live somewhere that you can breath and enjoy the ride in each day. Why not look out into Kent or if you like a bit of rough into Essex....
ethariel
08-05-10, 08:19 AM
Well if you are south eastish, drop a look at Eltham, New Eltham, Sidcup, Bexleyheath (I refuse to reccomend New Cross ever......) or Perhaps a bit closer to the river, Erith.
lukemillar
08-05-10, 08:23 AM
Kentish Town/Tuffnell Park. I haven't lived there for 3 years now, but I loved it when I did. Great pubs, cafes etc. and within spitting distance of Hampstead Heath :thumbsup:
Have you considered Twickenham or Kingston? Easy run into central london on the bike in the morning (30 minutes) and 20 minutes to waterloo. Can be a bit of a pain getting home though as the last train is usually around 1am. On the plus side you get the river and Richmond Park, and rent prices are a little cheaper down here.
If you haven't already, have a look around the south side of the Isle of Dogs; it's a bit chavvy but you're more likely to get a garage.
If you want to keep your bike avoid Beckton with a very very long barge pole.
Spiderman
08-05-10, 12:01 PM
How are you looking for properties btw?
Id suggest a search using something like find a property or gumtree, something where you can put in your monthly figure and requrements and then see what areas it brings up that way.
Then if you're unsure of the area ask us in here again :)
muffles
08-05-10, 03:32 PM
Well if you are south eastish, drop a look at Eltham, New Eltham, Sidcup, Bexleyheath (I refuse to reccomend New Cross ever......) or Perhaps a bit closer to the river, Erith.
I live in New Eltham, having previously lived in Royal Victoria Docks (just east of Canary Wharf) and Tooting. I work in Canary Wharf so New Eltham is quite good for me, I just go up the A2. It takes me about 20-25 minutes to get to work, which by all London accounts is a pretty good commute. Used to be 45 mins from Tooting.
To reduce the cost you have to move either further out from the centre, or alternatively move further away from the tube in whatever location you are looking at. Shorter walks to the tube mean higher rents. Look at swapping tube access for station access and you might get slightly better rent too (and like for me, the station nearest to me is within the zones & thus on Oyster PAYG).
The further out you move the more common it will be to get the garden/garage space you want...
CoolGirl
08-05-10, 04:47 PM
I'd suggest the nicer parts of Hackney (yes, there are some - try Victoria Park, London Fields etc, or Stoke Newington). It's a quick run down to Dog Island from there by bike or bus, and now the East London Line extension is up and running, you've got another way of getting around.
Also, Hackney is far easier to get home to after a late night! Cabs really don't go south of the River after dark.
BBadger
08-05-10, 04:53 PM
Have you considered Twickenham or Kingston? Easy run into central london on the bike in the morning (30 minutes) and 20 minutes to waterloo.
+1 to the area lots of nice open space and the area is alot nicer, seems to be alot going in the way of rent atm.
Although 20mins to Waterloo:eek: takes me 30 to kenny high street!
your could always head out east to essex. I travel down the a13 to the city
+1 to the area lots of nice open space and the area is alot nicer, seems to be alot going in the way of rent atm.
Although 20mins to Waterloo:eek: takes me 30 to kenny high street!
On the train my good man :thumbsup:
BBadger
08-05-10, 06:38 PM
On the train my good man :thumbsup:
Ohh yea:rolleyes:
Perfect location as your not far from anywhere but not crowded!
gettin2dizzy
08-05-10, 07:37 PM
Cheers for all the help guys :thumbsup:
Had a bit of a drive around today to suss the local areas. Blackheath looks the most promising still, Hither Green alright but a bit dull perhaps. Really wish I could commute by bike, it'd save me a bleedin' fortune!
It's so frustrating that so much of London is so run down, unwelcoming and dirty. Some areas are gorgeous, but there are some real problem areas. - Not a dig a London btw, just a ponder at how varied London is.
Sid Squid
09-05-10, 11:23 AM
Cheers for all the help guys :thumbsup:
There was only one piece of help:
stop looking in South London.
but there are some real problem areas. - Not a dig a London btw, just a ponder at how varied London is.
That's 'cos there's few Londoners left - it's full of dodgy outsiders like Northerners etc.
chris8886
09-05-10, 07:11 PM
That's 'cos there's few Londoners left - it's full of dodgy outsiders like Northerners etc.
:smt046
martianskippy
10-05-10, 08:54 AM
Have you considered Twickenham or Kingston? Easy run into central london on the bike in the morning (30 minutes) and 20 minutes to waterloo. Can be a bit of a pain getting home though as the last train is usually around 1am. On the plus side you get the river and Richmond Park, and rent prices are a little cheaper down here.
+1 one on Kingston / Twickenham. You should also consider Surbiton as it has even quicker connection to Central London. Me and my partner have moved to Kingston from North London and can't believe how much better the quality of life is in "the suburbs". My girlfriend commutes to Central London everyday on the train - it takes about 35min from Kingston to Waterloo. The Surbiton-Waterloo connection takes around 20min, which is much quicker then our usual Underground commute when we were still living in London! We are currently paying £850 + bills for a 1 bed maisonette with a garden and porch, about 3 minutes from the river. Similar money got us only a studio in North London in Upper Holloway (Islington) with 2 murders in our street within 2 years...
I'd suggest the nicer parts of Hackney (yes, there are some - try Victoria Park, London Fields etc, or Stoke Newington). It's a quick run down to Dog Island from there by bike or bus, and now the East London Line extension is up and running, you've got another way of getting around.
Also, Hackney is far easier to get home to after a late night! Cabs really don't go south of the River after dark.
your bike insurance may sky-rocket if you move to Hackney...
There was only one piece of help:
That's 'cos there's few Londoners left - it's full of dodgy outsiders like Northerners etc.
No to mention the Polish immigrants ;)
How are you looking for properties btw?
Id suggest a search using something like find a property or gumtree, something where you can put in your monthly figure and requrements and then see what areas it brings up that way.
Then if you're unsure of the area ask us in here again :)
Globrix is another great website you should try.
-1 on Kingston or Twickenham.
You'll be commuting by train. Packs up early(ish) at night & Night bus route used to be rubbish - though we're talking a ecade ago so all that may have changed. Is Kingston that cheap once you factor in travel costs?
Gumtree.
martianskippy
10-05-10, 09:26 AM
-1 on Kingston or Twickenham.
You'll be commuting by train. Packs up early(ish) at night & Night bus route used to be rubbish - though we're talking a ecade ago so all that may have changed. Is Kingston that cheap once you factor in travel costs?
Gumtree.
The late night commutes at not as bad as they used to be Sosha which I had a chance to test last Saturday :)
The train ticket is only about £40/month more expensive then what Kate used to pay when we still lived in London...
Cheers for all the help guys :thumbsup:
Had a bit of a drive around today to suss the local areas. Blackheath looks the most promising still, Hither Green alright but a bit dull perhaps. Really wish I could commute by bike, it'd save me a bleedin' fortune!
It's so frustrating that so much of London is so run down, unwelcoming and dirty. Some areas are gorgeous, but there are some real problem areas. - Not a dig a London btw, just a ponder at how varied London is.
Ah, if you work in Doclands, then its actually CHEAPER to go by public transport from say, lewisham. They charge, or at least it was, £2 a day to park, then plus fuel and going through the blackhole every morning it was quicker and cheaper to jumpon the DLR.
Have you tried Beckenham, elmers end, shortlands, bromley, areas. Beckenham has lots of flats with garages for around your budget. Beckenham at night is an ok place as well. Well worth having a look. You have a direct link into Victoria and blackfriars & London bridge (Jubilee line into Canary Wharf) from Beckenham Junction station.
gettin2dizzy
10-05-10, 07:09 PM
Cheers guys. Just working my way through the list :)
Treacle
10-05-10, 09:30 PM
Avoid Woolwich like the plague! It's the sphincter of SE London. The only thing going for it is the DLR. Erith and Bexleyheath is not to bad and Belverdere and Upper Abbeywood is well worth a look.
HTH
Matt
Like all these places, the closer you get to london, the worse it seems to become. There are eceptions to this, and sadly they are the expensive parts. I live in Downham and as you say how many fast food outlets to you need, but its not actually that bad...ok, a bit like Bahgdad with street lighting but its ok in places. 1 road over, its private housing and quite 'posh'
Theres a few on here who live in New Cross / Peckham / Greenwich ...sure its not got Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Deer wandering free etc but Greenwich is really OK as is Blackheath asi is Telegraph Hill where i live ...you do need to sort your bike security , tis true ....;) but thats no differnt in salubrious Kingston on Thames either....and youll get much more for your money in Se14 than SW14...
I'm a confirmed North Londoner. However, as others have said, there are some nice parts of SE London. Crystal Palace and Herne Hill are pretty affordable (Dulwich Village - lurvely, but tres expensive).
If you've not found it already, a great website is findaproperty.com - I've done a lot of searching recently and this one was the most fruitful I think. Happy hunting!
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