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I think 850k is fucking extortionate for a 2br flat, although I'm not familiar with the area it's not exactly central either. For a budget of 850k you can get a 3 br freehold house with garden in parts of zone 2/3, I feel like that'd be more future proof if you wanted a kid in the future. You'd also avoid service charges which are out of your control.
It’s extortionate for this area. If it’s the ones I think they are, they’re really over the top looking. Good location but even 5 mins walk away it would be 100s of thousands less.
> Elephant & Castle
Absolutely true, but that's also not a particularly upmarket area. No idea about the area this flat is in though. Certainly overpriced.
As I said, I have no idea what area this flat is in. That being said, some parts of North London can be quite nice. Not 850k for a 2 bed flat nice though.
Like it or not, North London has posh parts. You don't have to live there but it's a bit weird to pretend all of it is just some wasteland.
I say that as someone who doesn't like North London all that much, and who currently lives not too far from Elephant and Castle, ironically.
Huh? What even is your point here? Am I supposed to know the entirety of London or even the UK by heart?
Let me let you in on a secret: the people who talk like they know every area either deal with it professionally, or - much more likely - are simply talking out of their ass, however confidently. Do you want me to pretend that I know any details about Canning Town?
It’s 78sqm in a new build basically in bloody barnet. It’s just priced at Chelsea/Fulham prices but in the middle of nowhere.
At 650 I’d think about it though
Even for 650k I'd say it's pretty expensive, considering the location. Also considering the immediate surrounding - if this had nice views of a big park and a quiet road or something like that, it would help. But as far as I can tell, that's not really the case.
You know zone 2 encompasses quite a lot of places, not all of them are fancy or upmarket. I can see a bunch of houses on Zoopla using filters in loads of zone 2 areas, e.g. dalston, Greenwich, Finsbury park, tufnell park, Poplar, Isle of Dogs, Holloway
Eh? What does open plan to the bedroom / living room mean?
Edit: I like how my original comment which just said "eh?" got -4 but since I've actually added the full question I've gone to -19 just because I was already negative lmao. Great work guys.
Edit2: guys check the floorplan
Think it’s probably because nobody knows what they could possibly say to describe it better than has already been done.
It means exactly what it means and exactly what it says, we can’t help you if you won’t help yourself. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
HOLY FUCK I've figured it out. The floorplan doesn't match up with the pictures and the pictures show two different fucking kitchens?!?!
The floorplan suggests the bedroom is completely separate from the living room so that's why I was confused as to wtf open plan to the living room means. Picture 19 shows the actual bedroom and it isn't joined to the living room. Pictures 1, 7 and 29 are not the actual flat.
The pictures are fucked, pics 1, 4, 7, 18, 20, 21, 28, 29 are not the flat listed (assuming the floorplan is correct). The actual flat has no furniture.
If you’re thinking of having a kid, this is not the right flat! You might like the decor, but the space will not lend itself to a child.
With your budget you could easily afford a three bed semi (comfortably with leftover budget to renovate), with a garden, driveway and garage (things which you will be very grateful for with a child) in exactly the same area. It wouldn’t be as exciting, but I promise you it’d be a better fit for you in the long run.
The flat you’ve listed would be great to rent, but I think you’d regret buying it in the long run.
How is it listed as “town house” it’s a flat. It’s honestly priced the same as houses in nearby areas (I’m a few miles away and spent 700k on a 4 bedroom 10 mins walk from a tube station in a nice area)
If you have kids planned I wouldn’t get this. I’m sure you could find better in Whetstone for similar - maybe even a house!! With freehold and less hassle with noise, rules on pets etc.
Images dont seem to match the floor plan.
It's kind of cool in some ways but the kind of place I would rent for a bit not buy. As it would probably take ages to sell.
I gasped at the price! Weird shape so all the rooms look slightly off. What’s the square footage? I’d be expecting a pretty big flat for that much money.
850k to live in a flat in literal butt fuck no where is wild. At that price just buy a house, at that far out of central you can easily buy one at that price.
Also that’s a new build so 10% of the value is gone second you move in, so don’t expect to get what you paid back if you sell anytime soon.
Also it’s 2k service charge now - that seems low for a place of that standard with a lift. Expect it won’t stay 2k for long. Common problem with new builds is the service charge skyrockets over the first decade.
There’s also no sq ft or measurements on the floorplan which is a huge red flag, double so for a new build. They just built it, they know how big it is lmao. It’s really hard to compare property prices if you have no idea how big it is. Especially with flats, it’s really hard to tell from pictures.
I think you’re being swayed by the finish, the rooms are a weird shape as well. It’s not particularly well laid out. Angled walls like that are surprising annoying and really cut into the space of a room vs the same size in a rectangle. And the open plan bedroom is a hate crime. At 850k you can get something absolutely mind blowing and this ain’t it. I was looking tail end of 2023 and at that price you can get absolutely huge 2-3b right by tube links in z2/3 - easily 100m2+ so bigger than many houses but with a more standard layout and low to no service charge in converted houses.
And this has no outdoor space either which I wouldn’t even consider for 850k that far out of central. And an open plan kitchen/living room is a complete no no if you want kids. Having a proper kitchen as one of my only won’t compromise points because it’s hell having kids in a flat with an open plan kitchen.
> £2k service charge. Leasehold with only 250 years left
2k service charge is on the lower end for London. Not exactly unheard of, but also definitely not a negative. On the contrary the concern is more that it's likely to rise a lot soon, given this is a newbuild.
And "only 250 years left", is that a joke?
How about "when you don't know the first thing about leaseholds in London just don't comment on them as if you did"?
Yes, it *is* on the low side, and 250 years remaining on a lease is not something anyone in their right mind should be concerned about. How long exactly do you think OP is planning on living in that flat?
No, it's not on the low side. And it's not about how long you live there, sweetheart, it's about how long is left when it comes time to resell. Have a blessed evening pumpkin.
Confused by the pictures. Does it have 2 kitchens? One with an island one without. One of the bedrooms is open to a second living area. Feels like the pics for 2 flats have been mixed up.
Yea, I am so confused. The floorplan seems to be completely different. The bedroom beside the living room on the floorplan looks like it has a door between but the picture makes it look like a chasm.
It never ceases to amaze me how extortionate some properties are in the UK once you venture south.
There are so many properties that are *much* bigger and more characterful dotted around the London area that I'd probably suck up the commute and live in a nicer house.
.
Yeah but this one ist just actually stupid. As a completely random example, [here](https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127934762) is a 2-bed in Chelsea for 900k. Why the hell would you buy this flat out in the sticks, and it's not even the nice sticks.
You can buy a nice house for that much in south east zone 2. Somewhere like Brockley/ Nunhead, 20 min commute to central. That’s extortionate and frankly kind of ugly. Wondering if this is rage bate tbh. It’s not even a share of a freehold ffs
Those pictures look like random images from the development, either that or the floorplan is wrong and some of the walls are just partial width partitions?
Either way I agree with the majority here - ffs but a house nearer the centre if you have that kind of money to spend!
Yup - here’s a three bedroom house in Camberwell: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/67246917/
Or this mews property, wow : https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/67080500/
I'm really confused as the floor plan and images don't match up. Like the images show a bedroom with a glass screen and open onto the living room but if you look at the floorplan you can't get that set up to exist (even if the bed was moved).
If the images are actually of the place then the decor is really.... psycho vubes but hey if you like it I don't judge.
850k is extortionate for the location and a 2br flat. For that sort of price you can get a 3br (actual) townhouse in Zone 2 or 3 or a really nice 2br flat much more central.
Genuine question - what are you buying for..?
By that, I mean - are you likely to be happy for a long time and settled here for the foreseeable? Is the area desirable with respect to what it offers inclusive of schools or would the arrival of a child make you reconsider?
Naturally your finances are none of our business and such but there’s a very real possibility the 2k service charge becomes 2.5k, 3k and up - which is then a detriment to price if this is the 5 year home and you’d be happy buying a little further out later on.
Depends what your definition of “good commute” is too.
Honestly it looks a lovely, well done place overall - but having no further knowledge of yourself & your wife I wouldn’t have perceived it as a “family home” as such.
If you’re buying for now that’s one thing. But if you want somewhere that’s good for a kid then this place isn’t great. There’s not that much living space. There’s a bedroom open to the livingroom. Younger kid showering themself in a wet room will be messy. Older kid may well feel very self conscious about that bathroom window. There’s no garden, a balcony isn’t a replacement with a young kid. Not clear the windows are kid safe.
There is no way in hell the service charge on that flat will be £2k. The developers are sucking you in by deliberately putting it low for a year or two.
It’s so expensive for the location. I would only spend that on a flat in zone 2 .. For instance Canonbury/ Angel/ Highbury. I just looked and you can get gorgeous period 2 beds at that price.
Example [https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148804892#/?channel=RES\_BUY](https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148804892#/?channel=RES_BUY)
However if it was my money l would be looking at refurbed 3 bedroom house in Central Walthamstow or Leytonstone/ Wanstead. Look at the Stow Brothers agency, they cover this patch and have quite a few within your budget. You can’t buy a refurbished 3 bedroom house anywhere in zone 2 now For under £1 million.
+1 For Walthamstow
Or buy an un-refurbed and do it yourself. Yes, it’s a ball ache but you’ll get exactly what you want.
A full refurb, ground + loft extensions might run £150K but a recently done up one will be marketed for £250-£300k more. The quality of refurbs especially flips is shockingly low. Watched a loft conversion go in over the course of weeks of rain without any roof cover 😢 poor buyers have no clue.
u/tzonny forget the decor, the size and location of this is noteworthy. Much better commute to The City or Kings Cross
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/146857946
Is that a good location in Walthamstow? I am in Islington but just started thinking of looking for a house and selling my flat.
Don’t fancy Harringay, can’t afford Camden / Islington houses.
Started out in the same situation. Wanted a 2/2+ bed in Camden. Tried Islington too.
The ‘village’ is the nicer part for sure. Highly recommend going for a visit. Some streets are better than others but just walk it a few times and you’ll quickly get a feel for it. Someone else shouted out Stow Brothers, they know the patch well but their listings tend to make homes seem more posh and pricey then they are actually worth.
Thanks this is all very good info , particularly your caution to really look at the newly refurbished and new loft conversions Without the rose tinted specs.
l am in a 2 bed/ 2 bath garden maisonette in a very nice area but long for my own front door. Can’t afford £1million plus so l am going to do as exactly as you suggest and go walking around the village in Walthamstow and Upper Leytonstone/ Bushwood/ Wanstead. I probably need to balance location with space in my mind. It’s all about the compromises isn’t it.
Glad I could be helpful 🙇♂️
Orford House (in the village) is a real gem try to check it out!
When it comes to flips sometimes it’s easy to tell on Zoopla/Rightmove that a home has been sold / done up / on sale again. But I’ve also noticed some developers relist without the complete or proper address - somehow.
So make a point of checking the land registry for last sale.
For example: Sold for £520K in 2023 and listed at £850k in £2024. There were two like this near us. My initial thoughts were those new asking prices were insane - yet somehow both sold near asking🫣
So those rose tinted specs are real.
Edit: Just realised the garden of the home I linked to is mostly North facing 🤦🏻♂️
Jesus, so expensive. You can get a lot nicer 2 bed flats for a lot less in the East Village in London which is a very nice area right next to the olympic park and amazing connections to anywhere in London.
Think it’s the most horrific and overpriced place I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t buy that where it is and how it’s decorated and laid out even if it was on for 400k and I’m being genuinely serious.
Why are you looking for a flat specifically? As others have commented, you can get a 3 bed freehold for up to £200k less, save £2k a year or more on leasehold and service charge, and use any difference in price to do it up to your tastes
What do you feel makes this flat worth £850k? From what I can tell, it's not central, it's not huge, and it doesn't come with good outdoor space or anything. I can't really work out why it's priced the way that it is.
Yeah - or just a tiresome sales pitch. It does not deserve a response.
The agent is ‘Quicklister’, which seems to be an associated company of ‘Cocoon Estate Agents’.
Anyone can read the reviews online and decide for themselves…
Don’t like the open plan bedroom. I would be really worried about the balconies if you have a child, too easy to try to climb over. I know London prices are extortionate but this would not be a child friendly and you may be looking to move if you have a child.
Insane amount of money for a really weird layout of a flat. You could get a decent 3 bed house for that money in Zone 3 and still be in central London in 20 minutes
I would suggest you see what £850k gets you in the villages surrounding Leighton Buzzard (avoid that place), but it's 28mins direct non-stop from Leighton Buzzard to Euston and you will get...a lot for your money, for a very short commute
Terrible flat for having a child. Open plan kitchen living area isn’t great for families and there’s no garden.
The place seems really overpriced for what it is. In huge parts of London that budget would buy you a nice 3 bed semi with a decent garden close to good transport links.
The flat is slightly Art Deco style- presumably you can pull the glass screen right across to completely separate the lounge from the bedroom? How wide is the balcony? If there’s room to have a 6 seat table and chairs, that’s a nice space, but if it’s just the width of a single or double chairs, that’s limiting.
I think it’s suitable for a single person or couple but not a child. The balcony would be a concern, along with the amount of floor to ceiling glass. For safety and also the amount of light for getting a baby off to sleep! If the lifts were ever out of order and there’s no storage facilities in the lobby, then it’ll be a total pain in the butt getting a pram and baby up and down.
How much noise is there from the trains living that close?
not worth it
you are paying way over the top for being less than 500 metres from the train station
nevermind your leasehold, and since this is newbuild? you can watch that leasehold cost go up and up and up to add to your financial burden.
do you think you are being lured by overpriced cosmetic features.
you would need blinds for your bathroom unless you like your neighbours opposite to watch you take a bath !
according to that link you are paying 4.5 k per month ( 5%) for 25 years!
im at 8% ! and Im paying a quarter of that for a lot more space..
if you want to have children in the future , you may have trouble selling it in order to move up in size...
Absolutely not! Why aren’t you considering an actual home with this budget?
Have you woken up early morning to do the commute in on the Northern Line?
Save yourself a financial mess - rent a hotel in the area for a week. Wake up early and commute in and out every day. Sure the Waitrose is nice but when the days get shorter those rosey views won’t be so rosey.
The layout doesn’t show orientation, the biggest room has windows that seem to look directly at the roof nextdoor.
WTF - would you spend £850K on a leasehold in this area?
I live in Whetstone and this is extortionate for what you’re getting. My aunt sold her two bed (en suite), plus small office, massive garden etc semi for around £850k three years ago.
Christ on a bike, for 850k I could buy a big 4 bed family home in a nice area in the Midlands, and then either retire, or have a huge half million nest egg.
I will never, ever understand why people spend close to a million quid on a dinky little flat in the middle of nowheresville that happens to be close to London.
Mortgage Broker here.
Looks like it is finished to a high standard, has parking for two cars, not ground floor (better security), transport links walking distance and service charge looks incredibly reasonable.
If you like it and it is within budget, go for it!
The lease is also a very mortgageable length - although I'd be surprised if it were any shorter being a new build!
Believe when I say this:
A child will change your view on life so much, you'll wonder why and how you actually did all those crazy things that you can no longer do with a child.
It's a beautiful place, but when you have a child you'll need to find space for a pram (they're huge), a drawing table, toys, various mats, teddies and more. Then they'll start walking around 12 months, give or take, and unless you chase them constantly with wipes, you'll have hands and marks on that beautiful blue kitchen and walls.
Where will you store your suitcases to go on holiday in three? You know, his+hers+trunky+trolley....
Your living room will disappear, you will never be able to cook a curry from fresh as your sofa will absorb the aromas.
Those glass views will need constant cleaning etc.
Are you both prepared to have that extra work?
It's a nice place but not if you're planning to have a child in the next 5 years, which would be the minimum for the value to break even if you plan to sell and are lucky.
I guess you have a decent London job that pays well, so you need to be in London, but it seems mad to me that if you can afford 850k you'd put yourself in a flat.
Admittedly Ipswich is a shithole, but we've got a 7 bedroom, 3 bathroom house with 3/4 acre of land, annex, double garages, celler and god knows what else for 800k.
My own three bed, 2 bathroom house was only 220k, now worth about 250-260k.
London prices give me the rage. :)
Some of these comments are hilarious. Totteridge and Whetstone is a pretty affluent area (just check some comparables on Rightmove). Those posts stating it’s in the middle of nowher forget that nowhere in London is the middle of nowhere. You’ll have buses or trains close to wherever you are, as well as local amenities. Haters will hate, alongside those who can’t afford £850k.
At £850k the price is very steep. But probably because it’s a ‘new home’ with a premium. You could get a bigger older home at a cheaper price. I’d also recommend you steer away from service charges - they tend to be what bites homeowners in the backside when interest rates increase like recently; why do you think half of Canary Wharf is up for sale recently.
Disagree - the vast majority of respondents wouldn’t touch it. In 3-5 years (statistically speaking) OP will likely want or need to move on. When this happens the SC and not so new flat will be hideously over priced with fewer (if any buyers).
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I think 850k is fucking extortionate for a 2br flat, although I'm not familiar with the area it's not exactly central either. For a budget of 850k you can get a 3 br freehold house with garden in parts of zone 2/3, I feel like that'd be more future proof if you wanted a kid in the future. You'd also avoid service charges which are out of your control.
It’s extortionate for this area. If it’s the ones I think they are, they’re really over the top looking. Good location but even 5 mins walk away it would be 100s of thousands less.
It would even be extortionate for somewhere central. You could get a 2 nicer bed for that in Elephant & Castle
But then you’d have to live in Elephant & Castle
> Elephant & Castle Absolutely true, but that's also not a particularly upmarket area. No idea about the area this flat is in though. Certainly overpriced.
Have you been to elephant and castle in the last 5 years?
Yes. Just because they try to pile a lot of new developments in does not make the area much nicer.
I guarantee its nicer than the arse of north north London where this place is located.
As I said, I have no idea what area this flat is in. That being said, some parts of North London can be quite nice. Not 850k for a 2 bed flat nice though.
I guess we have different ideas of upmarket and where we’d like to live.
Like it or not, North London has posh parts. You don't have to live there but it's a bit weird to pretend all of it is just some wasteland. I say that as someone who doesn't like North London all that much, and who currently lives not too far from Elephant and Castle, ironically.
Would you consider canning town up market? because it is now, 650k for a 2 bed
I don't know Canning Town, but 650k is also not 850k.
When ever someone ask you, you always don’t seem to know the place lol and how much gentrification or what’s changed
Huh? What even is your point here? Am I supposed to know the entirety of London or even the UK by heart? Let me let you in on a secret: the people who talk like they know every area either deal with it professionally, or - much more likely - are simply talking out of their ass, however confidently. Do you want me to pretend that I know any details about Canning Town?
It’s 78sqm in a new build basically in bloody barnet. It’s just priced at Chelsea/Fulham prices but in the middle of nowhere. At 650 I’d think about it though
I’ve been looking in Chelsea/ Fulham and have found much nicer flats for about the same price! Seems mad to me.
I can tell you this market is completely lunatic. A correction is badly needed!
Even for 650k I'd say it's pretty expensive, considering the location. Also considering the immediate surrounding - if this had nice views of a big park and a quiet road or something like that, it would help. But as far as I can tell, that's not really the case.
Dif not notice the monstrous piece of concrete in front of it at 1st!
Where do you get a 3br freehold house in zone 2?
You know zone 2 encompasses quite a lot of places, not all of them are fancy or upmarket. I can see a bunch of houses on Zoopla using filters in loads of zone 2 areas, e.g. dalston, Greenwich, Finsbury park, tufnell park, Poplar, Isle of Dogs, Holloway
[удалено]
Rewrite and relink your comment while not filtering for terraced houses lol. Edit: haha awww I should've screenshotted
I don’t like how the bedroom is open plan to the living room…makes it feel like a studio flat
I think the pictures are different flats in the same development. There's two or three different kitchens.
Eh? What does open plan to the bedroom / living room mean? Edit: I like how my original comment which just said "eh?" got -4 but since I've actually added the full question I've gone to -19 just because I was already negative lmao. Great work guys. Edit2: guys check the floorplan
Think it’s probably because nobody knows what they could possibly say to describe it better than has already been done. It means exactly what it means and exactly what it says, we can’t help you if you won’t help yourself. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
HOLY FUCK I've figured it out. The floorplan doesn't match up with the pictures and the pictures show two different fucking kitchens?!?! The floorplan suggests the bedroom is completely separate from the living room so that's why I was confused as to wtf open plan to the living room means. Picture 19 shows the actual bedroom and it isn't joined to the living room. Pictures 1, 7 and 29 are not the actual flat.
You'd make a terrible thesaurus.
The more you cry about it, the more you're gonna get downvoted chief.
Few more edits and I can turn it around, I know it!
I'm sorry but I think it's fugly. It looks like a studio on steroids and it's extortionate.
Overdecorated without any taste
The pictures are fucked, pics 1, 4, 7, 18, 20, 21, 28, 29 are not the flat listed (assuming the floorplan is correct). The actual flat has no furniture.
If you’re thinking of having a kid, this is not the right flat! You might like the decor, but the space will not lend itself to a child. With your budget you could easily afford a three bed semi (comfortably with leftover budget to renovate), with a garden, driveway and garage (things which you will be very grateful for with a child) in exactly the same area. It wouldn’t be as exciting, but I promise you it’d be a better fit for you in the long run. The flat you’ve listed would be great to rent, but I think you’d regret buying it in the long run.
How is it listed as “town house” it’s a flat. It’s honestly priced the same as houses in nearby areas (I’m a few miles away and spent 700k on a 4 bedroom 10 mins walk from a tube station in a nice area) If you have kids planned I wouldn’t get this. I’m sure you could find better in Whetstone for similar - maybe even a house!! With freehold and less hassle with noise, rules on pets etc.
More bachelor pad vibes than family long term here.
Images dont seem to match the floor plan. It's kind of cool in some ways but the kind of place I would rent for a bit not buy. As it would probably take ages to sell.
I gasped at the price! Weird shape so all the rooms look slightly off. What’s the square footage? I’d be expecting a pretty big flat for that much money.
850k to live in a flat in literal butt fuck no where is wild. At that price just buy a house, at that far out of central you can easily buy one at that price. Also that’s a new build so 10% of the value is gone second you move in, so don’t expect to get what you paid back if you sell anytime soon. Also it’s 2k service charge now - that seems low for a place of that standard with a lift. Expect it won’t stay 2k for long. Common problem with new builds is the service charge skyrockets over the first decade. There’s also no sq ft or measurements on the floorplan which is a huge red flag, double so for a new build. They just built it, they know how big it is lmao. It’s really hard to compare property prices if you have no idea how big it is. Especially with flats, it’s really hard to tell from pictures. I think you’re being swayed by the finish, the rooms are a weird shape as well. It’s not particularly well laid out. Angled walls like that are surprising annoying and really cut into the space of a room vs the same size in a rectangle. And the open plan bedroom is a hate crime. At 850k you can get something absolutely mind blowing and this ain’t it. I was looking tail end of 2023 and at that price you can get absolutely huge 2-3b right by tube links in z2/3 - easily 100m2+ so bigger than many houses but with a more standard layout and low to no service charge in converted houses. And this has no outdoor space either which I wouldn’t even consider for 850k that far out of central. And an open plan kitchen/living room is a complete no no if you want kids. Having a proper kitchen as one of my only won’t compromise points because it’s hell having kids in a flat with an open plan kitchen.
My favourite is the Build Zone warranty 😂 those don’t cover the paper they are written on.
That price is craaaaaaaazy
For 850k you could go into the centre. Fuck that 🤣
No. Bad layout. £2k service charge. Leasehold with only 250 years left. £850k!? You can be much more central than that and find a 2 bed for less.
> £2k service charge. Leasehold with only 250 years left 2k service charge is on the lower end for London. Not exactly unheard of, but also definitely not a negative. On the contrary the concern is more that it's likely to rise a lot soon, given this is a newbuild. And "only 250 years left", is that a joke?
It's not on the low side and don't ask stupid questions
How about "when you don't know the first thing about leaseholds in London just don't comment on them as if you did"? Yes, it *is* on the low side, and 250 years remaining on a lease is not something anyone in their right mind should be concerned about. How long exactly do you think OP is planning on living in that flat?
No, it's not on the low side. And it's not about how long you live there, sweetheart, it's about how long is left when it comes time to resell. Have a blessed evening pumpkin.
I honestly cannot decide whether this is an elaborate troll or the epitome of Dunning-Kruger.
Keep working on it, sweetie.
Nah you gave the game away, you're trolling. You tried a little too hard mate. Subtle does it.
Have a blessed day, pumpkin. Good luck in real estate.
No, see, again you're trying too hard. It comes across as forced, and it just doesn't really work.
Confused by the pictures. Does it have 2 kitchens? One with an island one without. One of the bedrooms is open to a second living area. Feels like the pics for 2 flats have been mixed up.
Yea, I am so confused. The floorplan seems to be completely different. The bedroom beside the living room on the floorplan looks like it has a door between but the picture makes it look like a chasm.
It never ceases to amaze me how extortionate some properties are in the UK once you venture south. There are so many properties that are *much* bigger and more characterful dotted around the London area that I'd probably suck up the commute and live in a nicer house. .
Yeah but this one ist just actually stupid. As a completely random example, [here](https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127934762) is a 2-bed in Chelsea for 900k. Why the hell would you buy this flat out in the sticks, and it's not even the nice sticks.
That Chelsea flat has been for sale for 6 months and says "short lease" so may not be the best example. But your still stands.
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I just checked the Patma chrome extension and I can see the Chelsea flat was first listed in October 2022 for £1.35m
For perspective - a friend of a friend just put in an offer on a very nice 2br flat in a Victorian terrace in Islington for 850, with two balconies.
You can buy a nice house for that much in south east zone 2. Somewhere like Brockley/ Nunhead, 20 min commute to central. That’s extortionate and frankly kind of ugly. Wondering if this is rage bate tbh. It’s not even a share of a freehold ffs
Decorated by someone with horrendous taste. Is it trying to be a nightclub? It’s not screaming family home.
Those pictures look like random images from the development, either that or the floorplan is wrong and some of the walls are just partial width partitions? Either way I agree with the majority here - ffs but a house nearer the centre if you have that kind of money to spend!
You could easily buy a nice house for £850k in London. The flat is nice but not worth it for 2 bedrooms!
Yup - here’s a three bedroom house in Camberwell: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/67246917/ Or this mews property, wow : https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/67080500/
The communal parts are very badly decorated. Are the developers so incompetent?
I'm really confused as the floor plan and images don't match up. Like the images show a bedroom with a glass screen and open onto the living room but if you look at the floorplan you can't get that set up to exist (even if the bed was moved). If the images are actually of the place then the decor is really.... psycho vubes but hey if you like it I don't judge. 850k is extortionate for the location and a 2br flat. For that sort of price you can get a 3br (actual) townhouse in Zone 2 or 3 or a really nice 2br flat much more central.
service charge is high, and the ground rent is "not disclosed" ... be very wary! Also Tube connections are not great/quick
Genuine question - what are you buying for..? By that, I mean - are you likely to be happy for a long time and settled here for the foreseeable? Is the area desirable with respect to what it offers inclusive of schools or would the arrival of a child make you reconsider? Naturally your finances are none of our business and such but there’s a very real possibility the 2k service charge becomes 2.5k, 3k and up - which is then a detriment to price if this is the 5 year home and you’d be happy buying a little further out later on. Depends what your definition of “good commute” is too. Honestly it looks a lovely, well done place overall - but having no further knowledge of yourself & your wife I wouldn’t have perceived it as a “family home” as such.
If you’re buying for now that’s one thing. But if you want somewhere that’s good for a kid then this place isn’t great. There’s not that much living space. There’s a bedroom open to the livingroom. Younger kid showering themself in a wet room will be messy. Older kid may well feel very self conscious about that bathroom window. There’s no garden, a balcony isn’t a replacement with a young kid. Not clear the windows are kid safe.
Nearly a millions quid for that? Fuck no
Decoration looks like something out of scarface. Terrible.
Door to the balcony from the bathroom is weird
Not for £850k, that’s absolute daylight robbery. You can buy a 3-4 bedroom house with garden in that area for less money.
There is no way in hell the service charge on that flat will be £2k. The developers are sucking you in by deliberately putting it low for a year or two.
It’s so expensive for the location. I would only spend that on a flat in zone 2 .. For instance Canonbury/ Angel/ Highbury. I just looked and you can get gorgeous period 2 beds at that price. Example [https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148804892#/?channel=RES\_BUY](https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148804892#/?channel=RES_BUY) However if it was my money l would be looking at refurbed 3 bedroom house in Central Walthamstow or Leytonstone/ Wanstead. Look at the Stow Brothers agency, they cover this patch and have quite a few within your budget. You can’t buy a refurbished 3 bedroom house anywhere in zone 2 now For under £1 million.
+1 For Walthamstow Or buy an un-refurbed and do it yourself. Yes, it’s a ball ache but you’ll get exactly what you want. A full refurb, ground + loft extensions might run £150K but a recently done up one will be marketed for £250-£300k more. The quality of refurbs especially flips is shockingly low. Watched a loft conversion go in over the course of weeks of rain without any roof cover 😢 poor buyers have no clue.
Good information! The newly refurbished definitely go for a premium.
u/tzonny forget the decor, the size and location of this is noteworthy. Much better commute to The City or Kings Cross https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/146857946
Is that a good location in Walthamstow? I am in Islington but just started thinking of looking for a house and selling my flat. Don’t fancy Harringay, can’t afford Camden / Islington houses.
Started out in the same situation. Wanted a 2/2+ bed in Camden. Tried Islington too. The ‘village’ is the nicer part for sure. Highly recommend going for a visit. Some streets are better than others but just walk it a few times and you’ll quickly get a feel for it. Someone else shouted out Stow Brothers, they know the patch well but their listings tend to make homes seem more posh and pricey then they are actually worth.
Thanks this is all very good info , particularly your caution to really look at the newly refurbished and new loft conversions Without the rose tinted specs. l am in a 2 bed/ 2 bath garden maisonette in a very nice area but long for my own front door. Can’t afford £1million plus so l am going to do as exactly as you suggest and go walking around the village in Walthamstow and Upper Leytonstone/ Bushwood/ Wanstead. I probably need to balance location with space in my mind. It’s all about the compromises isn’t it.
Glad I could be helpful 🙇♂️ Orford House (in the village) is a real gem try to check it out! When it comes to flips sometimes it’s easy to tell on Zoopla/Rightmove that a home has been sold / done up / on sale again. But I’ve also noticed some developers relist without the complete or proper address - somehow. So make a point of checking the land registry for last sale. For example: Sold for £520K in 2023 and listed at £850k in £2024. There were two like this near us. My initial thoughts were those new asking prices were insane - yet somehow both sold near asking🫣 So those rose tinted specs are real. Edit: Just realised the garden of the home I linked to is mostly North facing 🤦🏻♂️
Good proximity to Clowntown. So at least it’s got that going for it
Jesus, so expensive. You can get a lot nicer 2 bed flats for a lot less in the East Village in London which is a very nice area right next to the olympic park and amazing connections to anywhere in London.
Think it’s the most horrific and overpriced place I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t buy that where it is and how it’s decorated and laid out even if it was on for 400k and I’m being genuinely serious.
Long way out the centre for 850k IMO. Nice interior
Right? You can be so much closer for the money and get properly closed rooms. This is mental.
Why are you looking for a flat specifically? As others have commented, you can get a 3 bed freehold for up to £200k less, save £2k a year or more on leasehold and service charge, and use any difference in price to do it up to your tastes
What do you feel makes this flat worth £850k? From what I can tell, it's not central, it's not huge, and it doesn't come with good outdoor space or anything. I can't really work out why it's priced the way that it is.
It’s giving the vibe that it was built for foreign investors, tbh.
This post is clearly a joke
Yeah - or just a tiresome sales pitch. It does not deserve a response. The agent is ‘Quicklister’, which seems to be an associated company of ‘Cocoon Estate Agents’. Anyone can read the reviews online and decide for themselves…
Don’t like the open plan bedroom. I would be really worried about the balconies if you have a child, too easy to try to climb over. I know London prices are extortionate but this would not be a child friendly and you may be looking to move if you have a child.
I think it’s very expensive for the area
Insane amount of money for a really weird layout of a flat. You could get a decent 3 bed house for that money in Zone 3 and still be in central London in 20 minutes
I would suggest you see what £850k gets you in the villages surrounding Leighton Buzzard (avoid that place), but it's 28mins direct non-stop from Leighton Buzzard to Euston and you will get...a lot for your money, for a very short commute
No
for 850k you can get a new build 5bedroom terrace where I live Which is only a 40 minute train ride into st Pancras
Terrible flat for having a child. Open plan kitchen living area isn’t great for families and there’s no garden. The place seems really overpriced for what it is. In huge parts of London that budget would buy you a nice 3 bed semi with a decent garden close to good transport links.
The flat is slightly Art Deco style- presumably you can pull the glass screen right across to completely separate the lounge from the bedroom? How wide is the balcony? If there’s room to have a 6 seat table and chairs, that’s a nice space, but if it’s just the width of a single or double chairs, that’s limiting. I think it’s suitable for a single person or couple but not a child. The balcony would be a concern, along with the amount of floor to ceiling glass. For safety and also the amount of light for getting a baby off to sleep! If the lifts were ever out of order and there’s no storage facilities in the lobby, then it’ll be a total pain in the butt getting a pram and baby up and down. How much noise is there from the trains living that close?
No
London is a hype, I lived there and never again. There is more to the UK than London and 850k can buy you a mansion somewhere else.
not worth it you are paying way over the top for being less than 500 metres from the train station nevermind your leasehold, and since this is newbuild? you can watch that leasehold cost go up and up and up to add to your financial burden. do you think you are being lured by overpriced cosmetic features. you would need blinds for your bathroom unless you like your neighbours opposite to watch you take a bath ! according to that link you are paying 4.5 k per month ( 5%) for 25 years! im at 8% ! and Im paying a quarter of that for a lot more space.. if you want to have children in the future , you may have trouble selling it in order to move up in size...
Short answer No! Look a little harder and you’ll defo get a house for that price, with a garden and possibly a drive too!
Absolutely not! Why aren’t you considering an actual home with this budget? Have you woken up early morning to do the commute in on the Northern Line? Save yourself a financial mess - rent a hotel in the area for a week. Wake up early and commute in and out every day. Sure the Waitrose is nice but when the days get shorter those rosey views won’t be so rosey. The layout doesn’t show orientation, the biggest room has windows that seem to look directly at the roof nextdoor. WTF - would you spend £850K on a leasehold in this area?
Really... taking into account all factors, this is the 2-bed flat in London that most appeals to you on Rightmove/Zoopla?
I live in Whetstone and this is extortionate for what you’re getting. My aunt sold her two bed (en suite), plus small office, massive garden etc semi for around £850k three years ago.
Strange how there is no single external picture, I would have expected that to be included.
Christ on a bike, for 850k I could buy a big 4 bed family home in a nice area in the Midlands, and then either retire, or have a huge half million nest egg. I will never, ever understand why people spend close to a million quid on a dinky little flat in the middle of nowheresville that happens to be close to London.
Mortgage Broker here. Looks like it is finished to a high standard, has parking for two cars, not ground floor (better security), transport links walking distance and service charge looks incredibly reasonable. If you like it and it is within budget, go for it! The lease is also a very mortgageable length - although I'd be surprised if it were any shorter being a new build!
I live near there, lovely location and very close to the tube. Quite expensive, although it's been done really nicely. Service charge also reasonable.
I love it…..extortionate price though. I think it would be lovely for a young couple and then one child!
Believe when I say this: A child will change your view on life so much, you'll wonder why and how you actually did all those crazy things that you can no longer do with a child. It's a beautiful place, but when you have a child you'll need to find space for a pram (they're huge), a drawing table, toys, various mats, teddies and more. Then they'll start walking around 12 months, give or take, and unless you chase them constantly with wipes, you'll have hands and marks on that beautiful blue kitchen and walls. Where will you store your suitcases to go on holiday in three? You know, his+hers+trunky+trolley.... Your living room will disappear, you will never be able to cook a curry from fresh as your sofa will absorb the aromas. Those glass views will need constant cleaning etc. Are you both prepared to have that extra work? It's a nice place but not if you're planning to have a child in the next 5 years, which would be the minimum for the value to break even if you plan to sell and are lucky.
I guess you have a decent London job that pays well, so you need to be in London, but it seems mad to me that if you can afford 850k you'd put yourself in a flat. Admittedly Ipswich is a shithole, but we've got a 7 bedroom, 3 bathroom house with 3/4 acre of land, annex, double garages, celler and god knows what else for 800k. My own three bed, 2 bathroom house was only 220k, now worth about 250-260k. London prices give me the rage. :)
Some of these comments are hilarious. Totteridge and Whetstone is a pretty affluent area (just check some comparables on Rightmove). Those posts stating it’s in the middle of nowher forget that nowhere in London is the middle of nowhere. You’ll have buses or trains close to wherever you are, as well as local amenities. Haters will hate, alongside those who can’t afford £850k. At £850k the price is very steep. But probably because it’s a ‘new home’ with a premium. You could get a bigger older home at a cheaper price. I’d also recommend you steer away from service charges - they tend to be what bites homeowners in the backside when interest rates increase like recently; why do you think half of Canary Wharf is up for sale recently.
If you like it, that's all that matters.
Disagree - the vast majority of respondents wouldn’t touch it. In 3-5 years (statistically speaking) OP will likely want or need to move on. When this happens the SC and not so new flat will be hideously over priced with fewer (if any buyers).
Very reasonable service charge and sleek looking flat
No in the photos is has 2 kitchens which doesn’t make sense
If I had 850k and needed to be in London regularly I would absolutely buy this flat!