NotTooShabby

Wife and I are MBTTUK in Dec and would like to be as close as possible to Central London.

There's just the two of us so we're not interested in stuff like good local schools etc. Just want somewhere were we can feel reasonably safe walking the streets after dark.

2 bed terrace or flat would suit us nicely but we would like to be close to a tube station or rail link to Central London.

Obviously money is a big factor and I reckon we'll have around £180K to spend. I'm pretty handy with a screwdriver so not averse to a bit of DIY to fix the place up.

Any ideas/suggestions?

hereandthere

Just have a look on Rightmove and you'll get loads of ideas. I just did a quick two minute check on 2 bed properties in Central London and it revealed over 1000 properties from £20 million all the way down. Most 1 bed places in Central London seem to kick off at £250,000 though so you might want to look a little further out.

Celtic Princess

I used to live in Reading and loved it. Fast trains run every 5 minutes to Paddington and get you there in 25 minutes.

ozhappy981

If you have GBP180,000, then I would recommend Reading as well. Lived there for nearly 25 years very happily before moving to Oz.

NotTooShabby

Yep, well aware of Rightmove, only problem is it doesn't tell you how likely you are to get your head kicked in on the walk home from the pub!.

In all likelihood it will somewhere a little further out. Just trying to get some ideas of where to start looking.

Cheers

quoll

Son lived in a flat in Vauxhall and was very happy there for 4 years. Not aware that he ever had any problems with the neighbourhood and the local supermarket was, well, super. I used to be a North of the River girl myself so found the shift to being a South of the River visitor quite a lot to handle but it was very pleasant and very accessible.

NotTooShabby

Sounds good. I remember going to Reading Festival one year (early 80's perhaps), though don't remember too much about the event itself. I suspect I had a thoroughly good time there though!!

NotTooShabby

Yeah, when it comes to the North/South divide there's none more significant than the the Thames. I have crossed that boarder in the past with no ill effects so may it may well be a contender.

Cape Blue

Depends where you think you might work - I'd look at the work location and pan-out on public transport with as few changes as possible - i.e. preferably a walk to a station and a walk the other end only, as soon as you start getting into train, then tube, then bus it becomes a nightmare.

Within the M25 you may have to look east and south east - Plumstead for instance or south of Streatham.

NotTooShabby

At this point that's an unknown. Plan is to find a place to live first then think about earning a living.

hereandthere

Sure - start with Rightmove then cross-reference the properties you like with other sources of information. I lived in North London for years and never saw any trouble at all, although things did get a little out of hand on the Night Buses from time to time.

jonfrank123

I lived in North London for 33 years and never got my head kicked in or for that matter knew anyone who got their head kicked in. Often the people who get into this sort of trouble are the ones who go looking. Nit picking aside, things do tend to get cheaper out into Hertfordshire. Letchworth Garden city, Welwyn etc, good fast trains too.

Lothianlad

Reading is great - big town with plenty of attractions including great shops - the Marks and Spencer store there is amazing - excellent Food Department (M&S are still doing the fantastic Dine for Two for £10 Deal (main course, accompaniments, dessert and bottle of wine enough for two people, all for £10).

There are loads of trains to and from Reading going to and from Paddington - you never have to wait long for a train in either direction. The journey goes by in no time even if all you do is stare out of the window - close your eyes as you go through Slough though - it's all office blocks, which is why it was the base for Ricky Gervais' "The Office".

The Thames Valley riverside and countryside close by is beautiful.

One major downside for Reading: It is the hometown of Jeremy Kyle. and Oscar Wilde was imprisoned in the jail there.

One major upside for Reading: It is the hometown of Kate Winslet.

My cousin married an English girl at nearby Wallingford, a few miles up river from Reading, on which occasion both my cousin and I wore our kilts.

Queen Victoria didn't like Reading, though - for some reason she took against the town big time, which explains the fact that the statue of Queen Victoria erected by the Reading Borough Council shows her facing away from the town centre.

spain

there is a site that tells you about recent crimes in a particular area, will try and find it

spain

try here

http://www.upmystreet.com/local/crim...stockwell.html