London Lite: Brixton on the up 33% Rise

[myname]

Its buildings over 3 stories or something I seem to remember.

The prices on this thread make me I'm not buying a place in London - it was one of the main reasons I moved.

apparently over 4 stories can be a problem, but often that's to do with the fact they're made out of concrete.

 

[Xanadu]

that's one estate (you don't even say where in england it is which could make a difference), but it's not every estate.

As I said before it is snobbish to assume a place is bad to live simply because it's council housing.

I'm just being uppity

It's in tottenham, north london. They had pretty major riots in 1985, when PC Blakelock was killed.

I know not all council estates are like that. Though, when prices of places fall, ex-LA and studio apartments are going to be the first to go.

 

[myname]

I'm just being uppity

It's in tottenham, north london. They had pretty major riots in 1985, when PC Blakelock was killed.

I know not all council estates are like that. Though, when prices of places fall, ex-LA and studio apartments are going to be the first to go.

why will ex-LA places be the first to fall? I can see why studio flats would but not why ex council should unless there's something else about them like dodgy area, badly built etc

Although I guess the snob factor will maybe be what affects the falling prices?

 

[Xanadu]

why will ex-LA places be the first to fall? I can see why studio flats would but not why ex council should unless there's something else about them like dodgy area, badly built etc

Although I guess the snob factor will maybe be what affects the falling prices?

ex-LA flats usually don't look as nice from the outside as normal flats.

 

[myname]

ex-LA flats usually don't look as nice from the outside as normal flats.

yeah i have to admit that is true

 

[CharlieAddict]

we're in the process of buying - it's just that we're priced out from brixton/herne hill!!! and me other half wants to stay close to this area (family reasons).

has anyone lived up in crystal palace?
what is it like up there?

what's the difference between west/south/north norwood?

(we're looking at houses not flats).

 

[myname]

we're in the process of buying - it's just that we're priced out from brixton/herne hill!!! and me other half wants to stay close to this area (family reasons).

has anyone lived up in crystal palace?
what is it like up there?

what's the difference between west/south/north norwood?

(we're looking at houses not flats).

ignore everyone else, move to camberwell, it's near to brixton!

Crystal palace is alright, but a bit far out, and not close to brixton.

don't even go to norwood, it's miserable, I guess west norwood is best cos it's relatively close to brockwell park...

 

[CharlieAddict]

ignore everyone else, move to camberwell, it's near to brixton!

Crystal palace is alright, but a bit far out, and not close to brixton.

don't even go to norwood, it's miserable, I guess west norwood is best cos it's relatively close to brockwell park...

i dunno about camberwell.
i just remember how it was 12 years ago...and the random stabbings outside of macdonalds bus stop.
and that horrible shopping centre where all the crazy people buy their toilet roll.

so west norwood near brockwell park is okay.

what's wrong with the rest of it?

 

[g force]

If you can't afford Herne Hill/Brixton, Crystal Palace might be too pricey it's shot up in the last two years. When we looked for a flat it was in some cases more expensive than CP. Last time I looked you're talking £350k plus for a decent house.

Norwood is hit an miss - some nice bits, others are a muggers paradise.

 

[Xanadu]

yeah i have to admit that is true

I guess they didn't want them to be too desirable to people.

 

[CharlieAddict]

what about gipsy hill?

is that shite?
i seem to recall a decent pub there by the roundabout.
can't remember anything else - apart from the greasy spoon and a post office.

 

[mwareing1]

living in council housing rather than in a victorian mansion does not mean that you are living in fear of being beaten up on the way home.

remember that some leafy victorian streets, such as Josephine Avenue, have a reputation for muggings.

Yes but you dont get ART Fairs at Council estates!

 

[mwareing1]

erm, i'm not sure that's true, I had no problem getting a mortgage from nationwide (reasonable fixed rate). I think it's concrete buildings that are more difficult, but there are many blocks in camberwell that are brick built and pretty sturdy.

Its all to do with what floor your on...I dont think they give them if its above the 3rd.(may be wrong)

 

[myname]

Yes but you dont get ART Fairs at Council estates!

but you do get resident's associations and computer clubs for the kids, and days out to the seaside...

And I can go to the art fair on josephine avenue but the people on josephine avenue can't join my resident's association.

 

[mwareing1]

but you do get resident's associations and computer clubs for the kids, and days out to the seaside...

And I can go to the art fair on josephine avenue but the people on josephine avenue can't join my resident's association.

Would they want to?..........Some of the estates i have seen i wouldnt trust my kids with the next door neighbour!

 

[Blagsta]

I'm still trying to work out why housing being out of the reach of the majority of local people is such a good thing.

 

[Cowley]

but you do get resident's associations

To be fair, you get resident associations on Victorian streets too. On the street I live just off Brixton Hill, they've been running a Residents association for years. Just normal folks who live on the street that care about the community.

 

[gaijingirl]

We bought an XLA on an estate.

The idea that "when prices fall XLA will be the first to go..."

Well we didn't buy to make a killing and move up the chain - we bought to have a home where we can be secure.

This thing about them not looking as nice on the outside as the inside - yes, true, ours, in particular, is not so pretty. But we live inside, not outside - if others don't like the outside of our home, well that's their problem.

Not all council housing is the same in atmosphere. I lived in some pretty nice private housing and also in emergency council housing (where you get moved to when you're homeless) as a child.... there were good and bad points about both - it's impossible to generalise (IME).

The main problem with council (leasehold) housing is that the council can decide to, for example, re-roof the block using Dodgy McDodgy Ltd and charge you shit loads. However, it's not like you don't have maintenance issues in leaseholds elsewhere - we came across similar stories with friends and when looking to buy. One might hope that you have more control over it - but that's not necessarily the case.

As for mortgages.. we were turned down on concrete buildings and also on the flats on Brixton Water Lane directly overlooking Mango Landin' (because of the open communal walkways). Our current flat also has open communal walkways, and is nowhere near as aesthetically pleasing, but we're on the ground floor in this instance - which apparently is ok. Such bollocks it's untrue!!

But we have bought somewhere big enough for us to remain for the forseeable future, backing onto a park (not very common in London) henceforth incredibly peaceful, with really nice neighbours and a good atmosphere. The private flats next to us which sell for a lot of money, struggle to sell and, by all accounts, are not terribly sturdy with rather small rooms. But that's ok because they look nice from the outside.

 

[myname]

Would they want to?..........Some of the estates i have seen i wouldnt trust my kids with the next door neighbour!

you're just proving that you are a dumb snob, i doubt you've ever been on an estate the bollocks you come up with.

i'm sure there's many places that many people have lived (estates, private, rented, owned, whatever) that you could find a neighbour you didn't trust your kids with.

 

[g force]

Good post...I'm the same, I bought because I thought giving a landlord almost £900 a month for a one bed flat was robbery, so I bought instead, with a mortgage of £800 a month. If the price goes up, okay that's nice, but it was more about security and being able to do whatever I wanted to walls etc etc making somewhere I want to call "home".

 

[myname]

We bought an XLA on an estate.

The idea that "when prices fall XLA will be the first to go..."

Well we didn't buy to make a killing and move up the chain - we bought to have a home where we can be secure.

This thing about them not looking as nice on the outside as the inside - yes, true, ours, in particular, is not so pretty. But we live inside, not outside - if others don't like the outside of our home, well that's their problem.

Not all council housing is the same in atmosphere. I lived in some pretty nice private housing and also in emergency council housing (where you get moved to when you're homeless) as a child.... there were good and bad points about both - it's impossible to generalise (IME).

The main problem with council (leasehold) housing is that the council can decide to, for example, re-roof the block using Dodgy McDodgy Ltd and charge you shit loads. However, it's not like you don't have maintenance issues in leaseholds elsewhere - we came across similar stories with friends and when looking to buy. One might hope that you have more control over it - but that's not necessarily the case.

As for mortgages.. we were turned down on concrete buildings and also on the flats on Brixton Water Lane directly overlooking Mango Landin' (because of the open communal walkways). Our current flat also has open communal walkways, and is nowhere near as aesthetically pleasing, but we're on the ground floor in this instance - which apparently is ok. Such bollocks it's untrue!!

But we have bought somewhere big enough for us to remain for the forseeable future, backing onto a park (not very common in London) henceforth incredibly peaceful, with really nice neighbours and a good atmosphere. The private flats next to us which sell for a lot of money, struggle to sell and, by all accounts, are not terribly sturdy with rather small rooms. But that's ok because they look nice from the outside.

Yay, i'm so happy i'm not the only one who likes the estate they live on,

 

[CharlieAddict]

well my partner and family have lived on estates in and around brixton all their lives.

the idea that we're gonna buy a home in XLA is not an option.

we're still looking and at £275K, it doesn't seem we're gonna manage a house...

family is important to her.
and so is training in brixton for me.

where on earth are these buyers coming from?
they're pushing us locals out...

 

[g force]

£275k will only just get you a 2 bed flat in Streatham now so i'm not surprised Herne Hill is out of reach. Crystal Palace is even more than that.

 

[Chairman Meow]

£275k will only just get you a 2 bed flat in Streatham now so i'm not surprised Herne Hill is out of reach. Crystal Palace is even more than that.

Fucking hell!

 

[myname]

the idea that we're gonna buy a home in XLA is not an option.

why's it not an option?

 

[Blagsta]

Property prices are a major reason why we're probably leaving London in a year or two.

 

[Xanadu]

why's it not an option?

For me, it's not an option because of what LA housing represents to my family. It's something that my parents worked to get out of.

Is that similar for you CA?

 

[Dan U]

where on earth are these buyers coming from?
they're pushing us locals out...

people have to sell to them in the first place though otherwise there wouldn't be much of a market.

i am sure quite a lot of long term Brixton residents are trousering pockets of cash on houses they have owned for a long time and moving somewhere cheaper and are quite happy with the arrangement - and have done for quite a number of years.

the conversion of so many single dwellings to flats won't have helped with people wanting to buy houses though

 

[CharlieAddict]

why's it not an option?

exactly what xanadu said.
so for her, it's about 'escaping.'
she's tired of hearing other people's noise, seeing concrete, sharing a living space as if it's a prison ward etc.

to me, it isn't that bad.
but i did grow up in a big open space, by the beach etc.

 

[CharlieAddict]

the conversion of so many single dwellings to flats won't have helped with people wanting to buy houses though

ummm....i'm looking at a Victorian 2 bed flat (share of freehold) nr Streatham station on saturday. it has a massive garden and reception for £299,995.

the estate agent reckons it could be knocked down to £280K.

if i like, may put in a cheeky offer of £270K.

still fuckin' ridiculous!!! it's a flat and historically, streatham has always been a cheap place to buy!!!!