Where should I live in London?

Question

Hi. I am moving into London. I want a pleasant, safe area, and a quick commute into work in Soho, with good transport links. I have a budget of up to about £290k and I'm looking to buy.

Everyone I speak to gives me a different answer. So far I've looked round Pimlico (like but too expensive), Earls Court (seems ok), Islington (felt a bit of a lottery in terms of nice parts) and Farringdon (couldn't find anywhere in my price range).

Any suggestions for what other areas I should look in? Any I should avoid?

Answer 1

I'd recommend West Hampstead - you should be able to get, a least, a reasonably sized studio, or one-bedroom flat for that price around there.  

It has really superb transport links (Jubilee lines, with Metropolitan, Bakerloo and Northern not that far away depending on which part you are in, as well as two train lines and some decent bus routes - so your journey to Soho would be but a blink of an eyelid), OK shopping facilities (o2 centre & Waitrose next to Finchley Road tube), the main street (West End Lane) is pleasant, if a bit overtaken by large numbers of cafes and restaurants and too many estate agents' offices. The area is pleasantly green, and the mostly red-brick late Victorian buildings are surprisingly attractive, too.  I'd probably particularly recommend the area around Fortune Green - although it's a bit further from the centre and tube than other parts - or the grid of streets immediately south of the tube between West Hampstead and FInchley Road stations - but there aren't really any parts that should be avoided.

It's also a friendly and unaggressive area - I lived there for six of the eight years that I lived in inner London, and have a great affection for the place.

Answer 2

Well i'd like to say good luck with getting a place in London for £290k, In most places you'll only be able to get a studio flat but if you're lucky then one bedroom. That will be in the center.

If you want something with more space then you will have to be looking out of London but with a short comute such as, windsor, or amersham aka the leafy suburbs

I just looked on http://www.rightmove.co.uk on the left hand side there is an underground selection, then you can choose all the places you want which are near to underground stations. You can even look at places such as pimlico, kensington or mayfair, once you have chosen your option you will get to choose your maximum price and other things. You might be able to find some good bargins, I always look on here and find some good and some bad houses

Underground stations that i recomend you click on are, pimlico, regents park, hyde park corner, marble arch, covent garden, all kensingtons, sloan square. and all other places in the center, you may have to look for awhile but with patience you will find a gem. another palce I would recomend is west hamstead, or there is hamstead heath both are in london but abit further out, hamstead heath is basicly a village but in london, one of my favourite places in the city.

Good luck house hunting!