Top 20 Affordable Places to Live in London
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor
TLE has decided to sniff around the areas of London that “normal” people – as in people or couples who earn treble the national average wage – could buy a home in the capital. If you can afford Chelsea, Holland Park and Primrose Hill this list really isn’t for you, go out and be fabulous. This is dirty work, leave it to the rest of us. Please feel free to send in any other suggestions, but then if there was an enclave of London where a two bed Victorian conversation with a private garden cost £175,000, you probably wouldn’t want to tell anyone else. The list is in alphabetical order, using the bright lights of the Angus Steak house in Leicester Square as the central pulse of London. House prices are based on Zoopla figures on 23/07/2014 and are subject to fluctuation. Travel times are also dependent on the smooth running of London’s ageing transport system.
1.Acton
Acton is a district of west London located in the borough of Ealing. It is very popular with antipodeans. One resident on ChiswickW4.com said of our friends down under “they hold 24 hour parties in the garden, drink enough Fosters to float Dame Edna and have voices that you can hear across the outback, from West London.” Make of that what you will.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
Throw another shrimp (cocktail, £7.50) on the barbie, it’s only 24 mins on the tube.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a whopper for £299,950. A fully refurbished split level flat arranged over three floors.
Acton Property
2.Anerley
Anerley is an area of South East London within the borough of Bromley, bordering Croydon. It is the site of the actual Crystal Palace. Sadly that was a few generations ago, but there is Lidl up the road. Every cloud…
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
A sluggish 37 minutes, 21 mins train to London bridge then 16 min on tube.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a ground floor garden maisonette situated in a residential location close to local shops, buses and train stations for £250,000
Anerley Property
3.Beckton
Beckton is in East London’s Newham. An extensive toxic spoil-heap became an artificial ski slope, opened by Princess Diana, with a viewing platform at the summit and a Swiss-style bar at the foot. However, the site is now derelict, which is a shame really.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
42 mins, DLR then two tube changes, not a mouth-watering prospect, am I talking about the journey or the food?
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a chic two bedroom house with off-street parking and a lovely garden for £250,000. Situated in a superb location for good road links and access to the City and Canary Wharf.
Beckton Property
4.Catford
Catford is a district of South East London, within the borough of Lewisham. It’s named after the black cats, associated with witchcraft and being thrown into the ford. Think of the YouTube hysteria if the internet existed in the dark ages.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
21 mins. 20 mins train to Charing Cross, 1 min tube, but stop being lazy and walk it.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a well presented ground floor two bedroom period conversion flat located on a quiet residential road boasting a private courtyard garden 15ft reception room and separate kitchen for £300,000.
Catford Property
5.Charlton
Charlton is a district in South East London, part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Charlton is the only neighbourhood in Greenwich or Lewisham to rightly hold the title Village, and the place where King James (1608) planted a Mulberry tree to cultivate Silkwoms.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
27 mins, 26 mins train to Charing Cross 1 min on tube, as before walk it people.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
£235,000 A lovely and good sized two bedroom flat with a balcony found on the first floor of this small block in this excellent location by Charlton Park.
Charlton Property
6.Colliers Wood
“Collywood” is south, really quite far south, London, but it’s still on the tube and almost affordable. But be quick, “Collywood” is due to be the Balham of the deep south any time soon.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
29 mins on the tube. Beware the last tube into town goes earlier than expected. Don’t get caught there drunk, at last orders, and pay for a £40 taxi home. You would have to be an idiot to do that…
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a first floor two bedroom maisonette in need of full refurbishment for £250,000. The property is situated within a residential cul de sac in the heart of Colliers Wood located just a short walk to the underground station.
Colliers Wood Property
7.Deptford
Ahh the “Shoreditch of South East London”, on the south bank of the River Thames, allegedly where Sir Walter Raleigh laid down his cape for Elizabeth. These days he could easily buy a new jacket from one of the many discount stores on the high street, the cheapskate.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
A “meaty” 30 mins, 10 mins train to Cannon Street 20 mins on tube.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a property with two double bedrooms (one with en-suite shower room) very close to transport links for £300,000.
Deptford Property
8.Enfield
Enfield is a suburban London borough in north London, England. The Barclays Bank branch in Enfield was the first place in the world to have an ATM or cash machine; it was officially opened in June 1967 by Reg Varney, from comedy series On the Buses. Need I say more?
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
Might miss the early bird special, 40 mins, 26 mins train, 14 mins tube from Finsbury Park.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a terraced house situated in Enfield for £265,000 with the potential for a rear extension
Enfield Property
9.Forest Hill
Could it be the Notting Hill of the South? Probably not, and my six foot six cousin got mugged there. That aside it’s got a bit of a “villagey” feel. The Horniman Museum has one most varied collections of taxidermy in the northern hemisphere. If stuffed creatures are your thing, then you probably already live in the area and have pushed the prices up, you animals.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
36 mins, Overground then two tubes.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a first floor apartment refurbished to a high standard with a long lease, residents parking, balcony and leafy views for £240,000.
Forest Hill Property
10.Holloway Road/Upper Holloway
It is one of the main shopping streets in North London, and carries the A1 road as it passes through Holloway, in the London Borough of Islington. You could drive directly to Newcastle without turning, if you were so inclined. I used to drink in a “rock” bar there. I haven’t been back for ages, as some of the things I saw in there have mentally scarred me.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
A carafty (get it?) 11 mins on the tube.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a property for £330,000. Set on the first floor, above commercial premises this two bedroom converted apartment is offered for sale in good decorative order.
Upper Holloway Property
11.Leyton
Leyton is a district of east London and part of the borough of Waltham Forest. During the 17th and 18th centuries Leyton was a “pretty retiring spot” for wealthy merchants and bankers. Now it is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the UK.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
A dry as a bone 36 mins Overground then two tubes.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a two bedroom third floor purpose built flat for £249,950 . Ideally located with easy access to Leyton underground station and Leyton Mills retail park.
Leyton Property
12.New Eltham
New Eltham is an area of South East London with parts inside the Greenwich and Bexley boroughs. My partner’s family are from there, so I’ll have to choose my words carefully. Let’s just say it lacks character, like a glass of house red in a suburban curry house in Coventry.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
26min to Charing Cross, I’ll book a table for six, to say sorry to her family.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a beautifully presented and modernised purpose built maisonette located in a popular residential road within close proximity to local amenities and bus routes for £250,000 .
New Eltham Property
13.Nunhead
Actually quite pricey, but pretty much nobody has ever heard of it, so worth a mention. Think of it as Shepherd’s Bush to Brixton’s Holland Park, kind of. Well it’s just down the road anyway. It is rumoured that this name refers to the beheading of a nun during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Weirdly, these days you would be allowed to watch this on Facebook
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
Let’s crack open the Chardonnay (a snip at £14.95), it’s only 23 mins, 15 mins to Victoria on by train then only 8 mins tube.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a 2 double bedroom purpose built apartment for £300,000. Located in Nunhead village and within seconds of the station.
Nunhead Property
14.Perivale
Perivale is a small suburb in the borough of Ealing, West London. It is home to one of the first American-style diners in the UK called Starvin’ Marvin’s.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
32 mins on tube changing once. Maybe cancel the reservation and go to Starvin’ Marvins?
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a property for £265,000 located on the Medway Estate, parallel with the Western Avenue (A40), within approximately 100 yards from local shops and bus routes.
Perivale Property
15.Plaistow
Plaistow is an urban area in the borough of Newham in east London, immediately south of West Ham. The name comes from Manor of Plaiz, as Sir Hugh de Plaitz in 1065 owned the district. He was the first and certainly not the last who claimed it was his “manor.”
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
30 mins on tube, should have just had a “Ruby” instead.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a two double bedroom first floor converted flat for £249,995. Benefits include share of the freehold. Situated in A most sought after location and only A short walk to Upton Park district line.
Plaistow Property
16.Shepherd’s Bush
Shepherd’s Bush is an area of west London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, home to the Westfield shopping centre, the largest urban shopping centre in Europe. Make your own mind up if that is a positive or negative.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
20 mins tube changing once.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a property for £275,000 perfectly located for local shops and restaurants on the Uxbridge Road and the Westfield`s Shopping Centre. Local transport links include White City station (Central Line).
Shepherd’s Bush Property
17.Southgate
Southgate is an area of north London that straddles the boroughs of Enfield and Barnet. The singer Rachel Stevens from S Club 7 and Amy Winehouse were born there, a rich and diverse area.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
31 mins on the Piccadilly Line, expect delays, maybe you should have ordered that starter.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a two bedroom purpose built first floor flat situated in this convenient position offering easy access to both Southgate and Oakwood tube stations, bus links, shopping & leisure amenities for £235,000.
Southgate Property
18.Sydenham
Sydenham is a South East London suburb in the boroughs of Lewisham, Bromley and Southwark. Like nearby Forest Hill, Sydenham is trying to turn trendy. It’s showing signs of life, like cress growing in a cupboard.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
23 mins train to Charing Cross, but a pop-up steakhouse will be opening around the corner, at some point, maybe.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a two bedroom flat, situated on the first floor, offering a large reception room/kitchen, two well proportioned bedrooms and a fabulous balcony for £215,000.
Sydenham Property
19.Tottenham
An area of north London in the London Borough of Haringey. A humorous poem entitled the Tournament of Tottenham, written around 1400, describes a mock-battle between peasants vying for the local bigwig’s daughter. Sadly, these days the locals are more likely to fight against alleged police brutality.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
Nippy, 20 mins on tube, switching lines at Finsbury Park.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a larger than average two bedroom first floor conversion flat converted from within an older style property for £249,950.
Tottenham Property
20.Wood Green
Wood Green is a district in north London located in the borough of Haringey. Pop down the road to Green Lanes for a kebab, the Greek and Turkish communities just about live in harmony side-by-side.
Time to Angus Steak house Leicester Square
21 mins on the Piccadilly Line or a Kebab? Decisions, decisions.
A decent two bed on Zoopla
We found a property situated in the heart of a vibrant developing area for £279,950. A two bedroom ex-local authority apartment occupying the ground floor.
Wood Green Property
