Decent(ish) places around South London?

[Misc]

Started out with the more 'decent' areas but struggling to find a 1 bed flat within my price range so after some help on expanding my search. Ideally, just in front of the M25 but it's proving to be difficult. Going to have to go further in but don't want a scummy area, so please can the people in the know list some areas.

Cheers

[Ariel Badger]

Brighton.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Misc]

I forgot to add that I work in London and live n Maidstone so trying to get somewhere closer with a 30 min train journey.

I like Brighton though.

[LustyLew]

30mins on a train can put you either side of the M25...

Where do you need to get to in London. Victoria? London Bridge? Cannon Street/Charing Cross?

I've always tried to move to areas where the commute isn't too shit. Adding tube travel to your journey will increase the risk of delays and add about 30% to your train fare.

What about if the trains royally fuck up? I could walk home from my office, it might take me 4 hours, but I can do it. If you were to live in Sevenoaks for example (which is 30mins on the train) you'd stand no chance of getting home if the shit hits the fan.

All that aside, what's decent to you?

Walking distance to bars and shops that are decent? Expect to pay over the odds.
Peace and tranquillity, yet close to transport? See above.

Anyway, for suggestions:

Lewisham, Catford, Forest Hill, Brockley, Beckenham, Bromley, Grove Park. I've lived in SE London all my life and honestly, there's only a few small areas I'd really not live.

Bit of advice about viewing flats in areas you don't know. Take time to look round the area. Get there at different times of day if you can.

I recently went to look at a place in West Croydon, initially I was dubious due to the vast number of Halal butchers and Afro-Caribbean food markets... But as I wandered and watched people go about their day, I realised my casual xenophobia was unjust. It was actually the while drunks, harassing everyone, sifting through rubbish and picking up used fag butts, generally being scum that put me off the area.
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Like a Yorkie - I'm not for the girls

[guile]

[LustyLew]

[Clanger]

My friend lives in South Croydon. I don't like it personally, too built up for me, but it's massively cheaper than Beckenham which is literally down the road less than a mile. Postcode lottery.

His bikes live out front of his place and in 30 odd years he has only had one stolen.
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[GSTEEL32]

When I first moved down here, I moved to croydon. Give or take 18 months in Harrow, I've lived here 12 years.

London's a complete lottery, I've had lads from work own £1m town houses in New Cross on the same street as a drop in center for skag heads.

I've probably owned 30-odd bikes in that time and have never had one nicked. Quite the opposite tbh, my neighbours have always been very courteous.

Personally, I'd suggest Caterham, Whyteleafe, Biggin hill.. that sort of area..... it's 5 minutes from the M25 and 25 minutes from London Bridge / Victoria.

[Minty]

[GSTEEL32]

I can ride up to work on a morning in 25 minutes from near whytleleaf, yup.

OP wants somewhere reasonable for the money, I think Biggin Hill's as good as any. If he lives in maidstone and he's 5 or 10 minutes from the M25, that would make sense to me.

[Minty]

I hear selsdon is nice, very classy. No pink pubs up that way.
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My fingers smell of your mum.

[arry]

What's your budget mate?

I moved out of north Kent into Essex because the cost and speed of travel ratio was a fair bit better. There's some nice areas around here that are cheap to live in and have great transport links. C2C trains are really bloody reliable, and city is 34 mins from mine in grays

[Misc]

Thanks for the help guys!

Budget would be around £700 at a stretch (hoping some bills would be included)

I grew up in South East London, I've lived in Orpington, Beckenham, Mottingham, Bromley and now Maidstone.

The above aren't [i]too[/i]bad with the exception of Mottingham, which is one giant council estate.

Maidstone is actually quite nice, surrounded by greenery and I've not noticed many chavs on the streets apart from the town centre, whereas Mottingham they're around 247/7 roaming the streets.

Biggin Hill sounds good though. I don't want to go through estate agents so will try and get the local newshopper for each area.

[arry]

Crikey - the rental market has really moved. I rented a place in Chafford Hundred 5 years ago, 2 bedroom flat with 2 parking spaces and only 10 mins from the station and that was £625. Looks like you're hard pushed to spend less than £800 now.

I'd be tempted to have a look around Gidea Park, Romford and the like. Romford still has decent transport links and not all areas are ropey - certainly there's nicer parts of Romford than there is Mottingham, or even Orpington to an extent. The issue with these sorts of areas is that even if you're in a nice area you've still got to walk to the station which isn't in a nice area - same as where I am now; road I live on I'm absolutely fine with, but the station and high st are right shitters

[Rob W]

[arry]

Not far from there mate, Little Thurrock, so the other side of Lodge Lane. Mother in law lives over in Stifford Clays - alright over there too really.

The only bit of Grays that does me in is the town centre. Sure Seabrook rise would do me in too but I don't spend any time there lol