Calling London Hitchers

I love Stokey - it is such a cool place and lots going on, lots of gorgeous delis and little furniture shops on every corner...I guess it depends on what you like - but everyone likes a deli with good salami and cheese, right!?!

Massively up my street!

My concern would be transport as there's no tube but I hear the buses are pretty good.

I live on Brixton Hill so not far from Streatham.

I don't really like the area, I don't feel particularly safe, although there are good transport links and we have a vegan cupcake shop so it isn't all bad.

Although we're stuck here for a while for the start of our married life, we hope to move out of the area as soon as we can, as we don't want to raise a family in London.

you asked for somehwere nice, do not move here!! Shizzhole, honest to god, i lived there for 2weeks before moving across to Balam and oh my days!!

My friend lives in West Dulwich and its lovley!!!!!!!!!!!!! another lives near greenwich which is also nice but id pick dulwich over it!

I don't know anything about the other areas you've mentioned CB, but I second this about Stoke Newington!

My brother lives in Stokey they love it, not a massive house but lovely parks and a real village feel. My bro works near Oxford St and has no problems with the buses to work each day.

I grew up in Harrow so I have experience of Ealing and the West. I think I would if I had to choose move to Stokey..

My friends live in the Crouch End area, it seems nice all around there and Highgate...

Yes, you can get a couple of buses directly into town or there's also two that will take you to Seven Sisters Tube station (approx 15 mins).

I live in Greenwich and I LOVE it ... I think it's an amazing place and it's good value as it's in SE London

And re transportation, you can pick- tube or rail! Very handy if one or t'other is broken...

and you're next to the river (and can commute by boat- and some do!)

My sister lives in Balham. She seems to be very happy there and it was nice when I visited.

Come and live in Balham!

I am obviously a bit biased, but we feel we live in the perfect location for our needs.

We are within walking distance of three commons (Wandsworth Common, Clapham Common and Tooting Bec Common) so all the open space you could want. (Wandsworth Common is our favourite.) Our flat is halfway between Balham station and Clapham South station... Balham is in zone 3 but has direct trains to Clapham Junction and Victoria as well as a tube (Northern line) and Clapham South is actually in zone 2 which saves some pennies for me! Plus the High Road is serviced by about a million buses although honestly the tubes/trains cover it all for us.

So that's outside space and decent transport sorted. We are also within walking distance of these supermarkets: Lidl, Tesco, Sainsbury's x2, M&S Simply Food, and Waitrose.

How much space are you after? For £2k pcm you could get a decent 3-bed, e.g. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-18037860.html and if you're willing to go up to £2500pcm you could find a 4-bed.

Streatham is just down the road from us and miles cheaper although IMO the transport is nowhere near as good... there's no tube for starters, although you're not far from other tube stops and there are 3 stations to choose from. We're considering Streatham as an option for when we buy our first house and would like to buy near Streatham Hill station possibly. The 'lifestyle' also doesn't seem as good to us as Balham which has loads of pubs, bars and restaurants... but then again we couldn't possibly afford to buy here.

Me too!!!

Wouldn't go back!!

Neither would I.. I can't say I was sad to leave Harrow although at the time moving into central London was a shock.. I still go back to visit my Nan but I am always happy to leave.. ?

Oh and one more thing...

If you move to Balham you will benefit from the lowest council tax in the country. We only pay about £400 a year for our band C property.

Thanks all, really helpful.

FMJ, it would need to have 3 bedrooms as a minimum as one of those would be taken up as my office and we have people to stay regularly. We'd also want a garden this time. Oooh, exciting!

My dad works in Streatham and my parents lived there for about a year when my mam moved back from Spain (dad was commuting every weekend) while she was looking for somewhere to buy in Yorkshire. Not the greatest area in the world but I didn't find it that bad - although they did live at the other end of Leigham Court Road, so not right in the centre.

Bloody gorgeous Calamari at Slurp Restaurant in the centre though if you're ever passing through!

My cousin had a lovely place in Stoke Newington and I agree that it is a very cool place to live - lots going on. Although I've got to say, I always felt safer in Streatham than Stoke Newington (but that might just be the bars she took me to - ha!).

I've always liked Greenwich but have never actually lived there (I was always out in the sticks in Sidcup etc when I was a young un!).

I have been gradually moving further out having lived in most parts of Harrow and the immediate surrounding areas.

Mr C is now turning me into an Essex girl (just!!!)

yeh this was amazeface when i lived there compared to come of my mates!! bloody loved balham...**sigh**

I LOVE flat/house-hunting! It is so exciting!

This is £2337 pcm and has 4 beds and a garden and "fantastic entertaining spaces" apparently...

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-18883587.html

Or snap this one up for £1600pcm, 4 beds and a garden, although no photos: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-29880046.html

Is he still in Streatham now, kharv? Has it changed much do you think or is it still the same?

Those who mention the council tax - I agree completely! I lived in SW15 for years (Wandsworth council) then moved to Westminster (second cheapest in the land!)

Mrs C - I moved to Surrey in the end - although I still have friends and family in Harrow and surrounding and as far as Radlett where my mum lives now.. ?

London house prices are disgusting. Fact.

That's life though, aj.

Nobody believes me when I tell them how little we pay!

I love Balham, it makes me really sad that we can't afford to buy a place here. Good transport, open spaces, good supermarkets, nice local shops, there is a street market every week with fruit/veg, lovely local community feel... plus you are only down the road from Tooting if you fancy a curry!

Here or London Bridge would be my dream-world ideal locations!

I'd hate to live in London Bridge, or even Borough. Too busy!

Very good point. My thoughts are probably clouded by the fact that I lived there as a student, haha!

We got our house in London for a fairly reasonable price. I think some of the difficulty arises in the large number of people wanting to live in swish house in the most desireable areas and not being willing to look at anything else. We bought a house that needs work (and quite a lot of it!) in one of the less desireable areas (though living here, apart from the fact there's not much to actually do here and you have to go up the road to Stoke Newington or into town for a meal/good bar, I don't think it deserves the reputation it has/had) but it's only our first house, so we see it as our way of getting on the property ladder.

I agree you have to look harder in London to find a good deal but it's not impossible to find something affordable.

Norf London rocks! I grew up in Hornsey, Crouch End was my stomping ground (always in the library) and granny lived in Stoke Newington. I can't believe how posh those areas have become - since we left lol!

I think I'll be sad to leave my little bit of West London, though. It feels very safe around here, well lit and plenty of nice places to eat and drink. It's pretty yummy mummy though which I'm not quite ready for.

I live in East London now but grew up in South East. I love both Greenwich and Dulwich. I think Greenwich is better for links. You can get the DLR and tube. Don't think there is a connection to the overground but still good links.

OH is planning on selling his land in Jamaica and we are thinking about buying a house in Greenwich. There are some lovely properties and you get good value for your money. The park is wonderful and there are some lovely shops and markets.

Spooky... I am not far from there now!!