Question to Londoners, best area to live?

LOMS

LOMS

LOMS

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23 Sep 2014
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Hi

I may be taking up a job in Victoria and I'm wondering what would be the most suitable/best place to live? I currently live outside London and commuting in is not an option.

I don't really know the first thing about London areas and I'd like to live somewhere lively and fun with easy access to central. Don't mind some commute in the range of 30-40 minutes to work in order to save on rent, which let's assume its budget is £600-900 p.m (from flat sharing with 1 other person to renting a studio). Realistic? Am I over my head here? Any suggestions or tips?
 
Streatham Hill. I live here. There is a train going to Victoria, takes about 25 - 30 mins

I am paying more than £800 to rent a studio for 2 people and it is pretty small and not including bills.

London is a very expensive place to live.
 
Horley isn't lively, or fun.

I would be more inclined to look around the Croydon area. If you are willing to rent a room in a shared house it is worth looking at somewhere like Balham.

When looking at rental prices, make sure you factor in the cost of weekly travel as well.
 
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Somewhere south of the river maybe?

Clapham is a fantastic area and the surrounding areas are nice, places like Balham, stockwell, Oval etc are all very well located and reasonably priced.

I live in Hendon but only due to work, if I had the option I would almost certainly move south.
 
I'd have a look at various places in the South London/Croydon area - based on your description Selhurst sprung to mind.
 
If you want somewhere lively and fun, check out Brixton. Not everyone's cup of tea but it has fantastic transport links to Victoria and there's a lot going on in the area.
 
croydon might be a go here :) that's where I've been for the past year and from thornthon heath station it takes around 30 mins to reach victoria.
 
grudas said:
croydon might be a go here :) that's where I've been for the past year and from thornthon heath station it takes around 30 mins to reach victoria.
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Croydon is a poo hole and Thornton heath is particularly awful part of this poo hole. Move here and expect to get stabbed in the face by hoodies.


Clapham is nice
 
Reckon you should look to share with someone to bring costs down and live somewhere like Clapham that has lots of young people :)

Or on the Victoria line eg. near Brixton or Highbury & Islington
 
scorza said:
I'd have a look at various places in the South London/Croydon area - based on your description Selhurst sprung to mind.
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Selhurst is really awful, would avoid at all costs, along with most of Croydon and Thornton Heath. As other people have said, Clapham, Balham, Stockwell etc would be a better choice.
 
Thanks all for the suggestion. The advice I got "offline" was overwhelmingly North of the river. Never been to any of your suggestions before whereas obviously North is more familiar for me especially since most of my friends live there. So the 30-40 minute commute time I was originally thinking of investing was diagonally towards North/ north east. But surely Croydon and Clapham seem to have consensus here so will look more into those :).
 
LOMS said:
Thanks all for the suggestion. The advice I got "offline" was overwhelmingly North of the river. Never been to any of your suggestions before whereas obviously North is more familiar for me especially since most of my friends live there. So the 30-40 minute commute time I was originally thinking of investing was diagonally towards North/ north east. But surely Croydon and Clapham seem to have consensus here so will look more into those :).
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If you have friends already living in North London then do go there rather anywhere we've said - you'll likely lose contact with them unless you live close by. Croydon area is convenient for getting trains to Victoria and probably cheaper than average for London so that's why people recommended it I think. North has the advantage of being on the underground so really nowhere is inconvenient for getting to Victoria.
 
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LOMS said:
Thanks all for the suggestion. The advice I got "offline" was overwhelmingly North of the river. Never been to any of your suggestions before whereas obviously North is more familiar for me especially since most of my friends live there. So the 30-40 minute commute time I was originally thinking of investing was diagonally towards North/ north east. But surely Croydon and Clapham seem to have consensus here so will look more into those :).
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I don't have much experience of North of the river but South is very patchy you can get some really nice areas and not much more than 5 minutes down the road its the complete opposite - some parts of Croydon are really nice but other parts are terrible.

Try and get as close as you can towards the bottom end of your budget as most places raise rent "inline" with the area and after 5 years or so you'll probably be paying closer to the top end of your budget.
 
Clapham junction just near the northcote road. You won't find a nicer more up market and fun place to live. Seriously good pubs and shops, great transport links and lovely parks. I lived on Webbs Road for three years and loved every min of it. Summer afternoons walking to the pubs on the northcote rd are some of my best memories. It's safe, very middle/upper class and great council tax rates being in Wandsworth.

Most of the notable estate agents offices are on the northcote rd too - best to take a trip and check it out
 
I'd prefer to live outside of london and travel in. I just checked out the Clapham area.

The amount of space you get for anywhere up to £1000 per month, is stupidly small!
 
Pimlico could be OK if you can find a flatshare there and want a short commute - could easily walk to work

up to 900 a month does give you a decent choice with flatshares though might not quite be enough for Pimlico or Victoria

Islington though should be in budget - it is a fun area live too - plenty of bars, restaurants, good shops, pub theaters an awesome cinema... easy commute too down the Victoria line from Highbury and Islington
 
DAIR said:
I'd prefer to live outside of london and travel in. I just checked out the Clapham area.

The amount of space you get for anywhere up to £1000 per month, is stupidly small!
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Yeah london prices are depressing. I've got to move out in the next year and am really going to struggle with the rent costs :(
 
I've become used to what I have now - Two bedroom, secured parking, two bathroom and balcony for a litter over a grand a month.

I'd need to up my salary by a considerable amount before even considering moving back there.
 
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