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Balham Sw12 Hydefarm


Steppenpig

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HOLA441

I'm not sure how much having a garden adds to the price in £ terms, but for us we won't consider any property that doesn't have the full width garden (the galley ones aren't nice and you can't get direct rear access, normally relying in stairs or the 'l shape' to access it.

That requirement reduces the stock quite a lot most Hyde farm maisonettes have split gardens but Heaver and nightingale tend to give the ground floor the full garden and the 1st and 2nd floors get the sq footage.

I think the Weir Road maisonettes generally have one or other maisonette getting the garden, so they might be worth looking at. I think the prices on the road are ridiculous though - peak plus 10/15%.

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HOLA442

No probs ... Tell me if it's too much!

I think I'm particularly obsessed at the moment as I really want to buy a house we're going to be in for 10Y. So every piece of information is really useful from people's stories and market info.

There's never too much information!

I think if I were in it for 10 years I'd probably look at Furzedown as the housing stock out there is amazing and still (£ per square foot) well priced. As the last outpost of Wandsworth, if I were looking for a long term buy that's where I'd go. In fact we put an offer on a potentially lovely property out there, had it rejected, walked away and our search changed a bit (looking more short-term). Agent came back a month later and said they'd accept our offer :-)

I think the Weir Road maisonettes generally have one or other maisonette getting the garden, so they might be worth looking at. I think the prices on the road are ridiculous though - peak plus 10/15%.

Weir road is a funny one, lovely properties and then... breeze block estates.

Edited by Aaron James
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HOLA443

Weir road is a funny one, lovely properties and then... breeze block estates.

The estate isn't a bad one though I think - had lots of money pumped into it over the years, and it's used as permanent housing now. But it's not a great view across the busy traffic from the front door of your new £7-800k pad!

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HOLA444

I'm biased as I've lived here for 10 years - I'd say the Hyde Farm, Nightingale, and Heaver bits of Balham are all very good - good schools, active community groups (Hyde Farm has two churches, a big NCT contingent, Hyde Farm CAN, a community garden, street parties), decent restaurants (generally good but you've got Chez Bruce), it's quiet for London, Balham is about the last tube that you can get a seat on the Northern Line @ 730am, there's a Waitrose, close to Wandsworth Common and Tooting Commons ... I'll shut up now, sound like an estate agent!

Yeah, tube access is important for me.

I gave up on cheaper Clapham North, knowing that I'd probably never get on the tube in the morning and have to traipse over to Brixton every day.

Also, interesting news re: school catchment area. I don't have kids and probably wont have them, so that doesn't affect me. But if it means certain properties or even entire roads on Hydefarm suddenly become cheaper, then great.

Although it's swings and roundabouts, I guess, as that will also impact re-sale value.

So can I assume that "East Hydefarm" roads are currently in HC catchment, but will no longer be? And that might have an impact on prices in that area?

Or will asking prices only be marginally affected, since there are other, decent primary catchments around ?

Edited by wontshoptiltheydrop
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HOLA445

Must admit to snickering about the Henry Cavendish catchment area if true.

Well, kind of.

Most of the people who’ve bought family houses there recently are probably braying 30 yr old types who’ve done it on the back of a lucrative city job and/or a half mill wedding present from pater & who, let’s face it, can probably afford private school fees.

I would feel [a bit] sorry for someone with a merely very [as opposed to ridiculously] well paid job who’d stretched themselves under pressure from the wife etc to buy a place that was, say, 250 metres away from the school.

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HOLA446

Must admit to snickering about the Henry Cavendish catchment area if true.

Well, kind of.

Most of the people who’ve bought family houses there recently are probably braying 30 yr old types who’ve done it on the back of a lucrative city job and/or a half mill wedding present from pater & who, let’s face it, can probably afford private school fees.

I would feel [a bit] sorry for someone with a merely very [as opposed to ridiculously] well paid job who’d stretched themselves under pressure from the wife etc to buy a place that was, say, 250 metres away from the school.

It's always dangerous to indulge in Schadenfreude because while I'm not quite in the category you're talking about and I'm certainly jealous of those who have had considerable parental assistance to purchase (my partner and I have had to do it the old fashioned way and while renting), it's not hard to imagine others being envious of my position. It's all relative to where you're standing.

Personally I try not to be too envious of owner occupiers, everyone just wants what's best for them and their family. No such reservations about buy to letters or 'investors' though :-)

On a more on-topic note, in the past 8 days, A LOT of property has come onto the market, or certainly property in my particular niche. No A graders though, yet, but a lot of solid B-class stock.

However much of it seems to be repeating the tired pattern of pricing B-Grade stock at A-Grade levels.

It's good news for those of us in the 350-499k flat bracket as I doubt many of us will snap up this new stock at its current price and the supply / demand equation will start to swing in our favour as it did in Q2-3 2010.

As a last point a surprising development in my view, is a property on Louisville Road in the Heaver. The sellers have dropped the price to 499k (ground floor/2 bed/750 sq ft), and it's being marketed very aggressively. It's been on for a while, but the aggression with which it's now being marketed is quite unsual for both the area, and that particular agent (Heaver Estate Agent). Sign of a slight shift in attitudes? Not sure, but that, and the Gosberton Rd property are the sorts I'd expect to go very quickly and they are both languishing around. It'll be interesting to see if this develops into a trend.

Edited by Aaron James
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HOLA447

It's always dangerous to indulge in Schadenfreude because while I'm not quite in the category you're talking about and I'm certainly jealous of those who have had considerable parental assistance to purchase (my partner and I have had to do it the old fashioned way and while renting), it's not hard to imagine others being envious of my position. It's all relative to where you're standing.

Personally I try not to be too envious of owner occupiers, everyone just wants what's best for them and their family. No such reservations about buy to letters or 'investors' though :-)

On a more on-topic note, in the past 8 days, A LOT of property has come onto the market, or certainly property in my particular niche. No A graders though, yet, but a lot of solid B-class stock.

However much of it seems to be repeating the tired pattern of pricing B-Grade stock at A-Grade levels.

It's good news for those of us in the 350-499k flat bracket as I doubt many of us will snap up this new stock at its current price and the supply / demand equation will start to swing in our favour as it did in Q2-3 2010.

As a last point a surprising development in my view, is a property on Louisville Road in the Heaver. The sellers have dropped the price to 499k (ground floor/2 bed/750 sq ft), and it's being marketed very aggressively. It's been on for a while, but the aggression with which it's now being marketed is quite unsual for both the area, and that particular agent (Heaver Estate Agent). Sign of a slight shift in attitudes? Not sure, but that, and the Gosberton Rd property are the sorts I'd expect to go very quickly and they are both languishing around. It'll be interesting to see if this develops into a trend.

I don't really keep track of anything above 400K, but 499K for a two bedder, even in Heaver, sounds horrendously expensive.

the problem is, Heaver (the agents) never even bother putting floorplans online, so it's difficult to tell what you're actually getting for that price.

But if you say that 499K has been the going rate for something like that, I'll take your word for it.

Does seem crazy though.

What do you mean by A Grade and B Grade? Or are those your own personal categories?

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HOLA448

Must admit to snickering about the Henry Cavendish catchment area if true.

Well, kind of.

Most of the people who’ve bought family houses there recently are probably braying 30 yr old types who’ve done it on the back of a lucrative city job and/or a half mill wedding present from pater & who, let’s face it, can probably afford private school fees.

I would feel [a bit] sorry for someone with a merely very [as opposed to ridiculously] well paid job who’d stretched themselves under pressure from the wife etc to buy a place that was, say, 250 metres away from the school.

The problem is, that many potential buyers don't know how to calculate "as the crow flies" distance to the schools. Plus, it does take a bit of digging to find out catchment radius for the schools.

So they just "guess" that 500m or so will be within the catchment area.... and probably the agent drops hints, and they see kids living in houses nearby... and they swallow the bait.

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HOLA449

The problem is, that many potential buyers don't know how to calculate "as the crow flies" distance to the schools. Plus, it does take a bit of digging to find out catchment radius for the schools.

So they just "guess" that 500m or so will be within the catchment area.... and probably the agent drops hints, and they see kids living in houses nearby... and they swallow the bait.

This is true.

We spend, what, 10 minutes looking round a place that takes 25+ years to pay off - egged on all the time by an agent who is acting on behalf of the vendor, not you.

No wonder people make purchases before they know the full facts.

The other problem is that "catchments" aren't an exact science anyway - and other issues come into play. So I guess an agent can legitimately hint or suggest that being "near" a school helps the chances of getting in.

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HOLA4410

So can I assume that "East Hydefarm" roads are currently in HC catchment, but will no longer be? And that might have an impact on prices in that area?

Or will asking prices only be marginally affected, since there are other, decent primary catchments around ?

Telferscot, Bonneville, Clapham Manor, Ravenstone, Alderbrook all in the area and good / outstanding. I know people between Balham High Road and Cavendish Road who got *no* offers.

Don't know impact on east Hyde Farm, as you have Telferscot there. Much smaller school with lots of siblings - suspect that catchment area covers Radbourne / Telferscot though with lots of retired people, so it extends down Cambray in the west (know people at the Haverhill end of Cambray who are in to Telferscot).

I suspect house prices won't drop as people will believe agents / won't think it's so small.

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HOLA4411
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HOLA4412

This is true.

We spend, what, 10 minutes looking round a place that takes 25+ years to pay off - egged on all the time by an agent who is acting on behalf of the vendor, not you.

No wonder people make purchases before they know the full facts.

The other problem is that "catchments" aren't an exact science anyway - and other issues come into play. So I guess an agent can legitimately hint or suggest that being "near" a school helps the chances of getting in.

Agreed on the "10 minutes" thing - people spend more time choosing what to have for lunch. I looked round the first place we bought 4 times, spoke to friends in the area, had a good look round the shops &c, did the walk to the tubes a couple of times ... EA thought we were overdoing it & we risked losing the place (2 other offers @ the same price). Others put another few £k on their offers, but the vendor picked us as I was the only person who played with their cat when we came round to view the place.

Re. schools, personally I think the rules are pretty clear, if you check: special needs, siblings, 'looked after' children then distance (with some other criteria for the religious schools). Agreed that it's difficult to find out specifically, but you can phone up the school / LA & ask, so it's not that difficult.

The big problem for Balham is lack of secondary school places. Graveney and Dunraven are good. Otherwise not much.

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HOLA4413

If you're focussing on Hyde Farm you've probably had a few viewings with Jacksons who are perhaps a little too bullish right now with some of their valuations. They do have a good grip on the area though. I'm not a big fan of the maisonette stock there as they are quite narrow, on average 700-750 sq ft. Personally my partner and I are looking for 900+ so Hyde Farm and Telford has very little to offer.

I would definitely sell through Jacksons, as they have a lot of buyers on the books & are very popular locally (we bought through them years ago) & they seem to sell stuff. Not sure I'd buy from them though - definitely toppy prices! Their agents I've done viewings with have all been sensible, which is unusual.. And Jacksons are a good example of an agency that's surviving on lettings I suspect, from seeing the number of LET boards around Balham.

From speaking to one of the guys in another EA a few weeks ago, their lettings business has just exploded. All anecdotal, but supply of rentals hasn't budged, demand is up, so obviously rents are spiking (he quoted 10-15% on last year but I have no evidence for that). On the sales side, he said things like "interest rate rises", "problems with mortgages", "job uncertainty", "people waiting to see what happens" ... I almost fell off my chair. 6 months ago you'd have had a choice of 2 3-bed houses, now you have a choice of 13 3-bedders apparently.

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HOLA4414

I would definitely sell through Jacksons, as they have a lot of buyers on the books & are very popular locally (we bought through them years ago) & they seem to sell stuff. Not sure I'd buy from them though - definitely toppy prices! Their agents I've done viewings with have all been sensible, which is unusual.. And Jacksons are a good example of an agency that's surviving on lettings I suspect, from seeing the number of LET boards around Balham.

From speaking to one of the guys in another EA a few weeks ago, their lettings business has just exploded. All anecdotal, but supply of rentals hasn't budged, demand is up, so obviously rents are spiking (he quoted 10-15% on last year but I have no evidence for that). On the sales side, he said things like "interest rate rises", "problems with mortgages", "job uncertainty", "people waiting to see what happens" ... I almost fell off my chair. 6 months ago you'd have had a choice of 2 3-bed houses, now you have a choice of 13 3-bedders apparently.

Yeah, i don't really want to get into personalities and people, for obvious reasons, but Jacksons seem quite decent. I find KFH OK as well.

At my end of the market, it's the agencies on the periphery of the area who normally deal in "top quality" homes that I find difficult - sky high valuations etc

Am praying for a few rate rises this summer, just to flush out some more stock, at decent prices, or to break a few chains which need a FTBer at short notice (and even shorter purse strings!!) to step in. It's a waiting game.

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HOLA4415

I would definitely sell through Jacksons, as they have a lot of buyers on the books & are very popular locally (we bought through them years ago) & they seem to sell stuff. Not sure I'd buy from them though - definitely toppy prices!

Is it really true in this internet age that certain agents have more buyers on their books then others? I might have been stupid, but at the start of my search I just signed up with all of the ones who I knew to be selling in the Sw12/17 area - and that's about 10.

Yes, I made sure to sign with Jacksons as they seem to sell quite a few on Hydefarm, but not to sign up with all the rest seems a bit silly.

Also, who actually keeps an eye on individual agent's websites these days? First port of call is always Findaproperty. I only ever check an agent's site these days for more up to date info re: properties' under offer/for sale status.

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HOLA4416

Is it really true in this internet age that certain agents have more buyers on their books then others? I might have been stupid, but at the start of my search I just signed up with all of the ones who I knew to be selling in the Sw12/17 area - and that's about 10.

I phrased that wrongly - I meant only that they have a very good name locally.

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HOLA4417

I phrased that wrongly - I meant only that they have a very good name locally.

Jacksons certainly seem more proactive - they actually bother responding to emails for starters!!!

But I'll stop now with the EA lovefest. This is HPC after all!!

Good to hear that there's more coming on in your price bracket. But you draw a search round Heaver on rightmove, view properties...then remove all those above 400K and *vamoosh* nearly everything's gone. No one bedders. Nuthin.

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HOLA4418
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HOLA4419

Talked of B graders for 500k - I'd say this one falls into that bracket - 2 bed ground floor on busy road (Bedford Hill)?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-29606185.html

My mouth literally fell open when I saw that one yesterday.

It's worth 300K tops.

Methinks the market is bubbling up and heading for another nasty fall when interest rates finally start rising again.

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HOLA4420

My mouth literally fell open when I saw that one yesterday.

It's worth 300K tops.

Methinks the market is bubbling up and heading for another nasty fall when interest rates finally start rising again.

Agreed. I've clocked out of the market have just bought a place out in the sticks in Hertfordshire under stamp duty ;-) Might see where things are in a couple of years as our new mortgage is like a third of our current Balham rent!

Regarding EAs, Jackson's, they are very good, particularly Lloyd who is very organised and reactive. Andrews in my experience being the other very good Balham based EA. Both are very popular in the Hydefarm/Telford areas.

Edited by Aaron James
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HOLA4421

Agreed on the "10 minutes" thing - people spend more time choosing what to have for lunch. I looked round the first place we bought 4 times, spoke to friends in the area, had a good look round the shops &c, did the walk to the tubes a couple of times ... EA thought we were overdoing it & we risked losing the place (2 other offers @ the same price). Others put another few £k on their offers, but the vendor picked us as I was the only person who played with their cat when we came round to view the place.

Re. schools, personally I think the rules are pretty clear, if you check: special needs, siblings, 'looked after' children then distance (with some other criteria for the religious schools). Agreed that it's difficult to find out specifically, but you can phone up the school / LA & ask, so it's not that difficult.

The big problem for Balham is lack of secondary school places. Graveney and Dunraven are good. Otherwise not much.

Dunraven is in Streatham and isn't anything special, it was a failing School a few years ago.

It's only rated...because it's improving and is one of the only half-decent (at a stretch) Secondary Schools in Lambeth.

I also find the Henry Cavendish thing totally baffling in Balham, it's not even that good a Primary School yet folks are falling over themselves to spend up to 800K on a House in the catchment area, nuts!

Edited by cwk1977
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HOLA4422

Dunraven is in Streatham and isn't anything special, it was a failing School a few years ago.

It's only rated...because it's improving and is one of the only half-decent (at a stretch) Secondary Schools in Lambeth.

I also find the Henry Cavendish thing totally baffling in Balham, it's not even that good a Primary School yet folks are falling over themselves to spend up to 800K on a House in the catchment area, nuts!

Secondary schools are a huge problem. Most people I know with kids of that age either send them privately, they travel further out to S London, or people move out of London.

Re. the primary schools in the Hyde Farm ... I mostly agree that prices are nuts... a house o/s the catchment area is ... what ... say 550-650? but 7 years private schooling is 7*13=91k * 2 kids = 182k ... so it's got to be a close run thing between a house o/s the catchment area (say Thornton Avenue or Parkthorne/Lexton) + private schooling vs the cost of a house in the Hyde Farm. Although those streets are further from the tube/Balham as well, so difficult to disaggregate that.

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HOLA4423

Secondary schools are a huge problem. Most people I know with kids of that age either send them privately, they travel further out to S London, or people move out of London.

Re. the primary schools in the Hyde Farm ... I mostly agree that prices are nuts... a house o/s the catchment area is ... what ... say 550-650? but 7 years private schooling is 7*13=91k * 2 kids = 182k ... so it's got to be a close run thing between a house o/s the catchment area (say Thornton Avenue or Parkthorne/Lexton) + private schooling vs the cost of a house in the Hyde Farm. Although those streets are further from the tube/Balham as well, so difficult to disaggregate that.

One problem is that the current squeeze in primary school places, is in part, due to a boom in births a few years ago (according to the National Office of Statistics). In years past, the catchment areas, even for HC, stretched above 500m. So its a bit of roulette really - if you pay a premium now to get in the small catchment area, but when you have to move a few years later and the catchment area is wider, then suddenly you can't sell your house at a premium to one on the next street eastwards etc.

Just out of curiosity here, since there seems to be so many knowledgeable people about Balham property here :) What would you pay for a 2-bed, 90sqm, first floor, 99 year leasehold flat that has just been modernised/refurbished at the end of Emmanuel Road?

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HOLA4424

One problem is that the current squeeze in primary school places, is in part, due to a boom in births a few years ago (according to the National Office of Statistics). In years past, the catchment areas, even for HC, stretched above 500m. So its a bit of roulette really - if you pay a premium now to get in the small catchment area, but when you have to move a few years later and the catchment area is wider, then suddenly you can't sell your house at a premium to one on the next street eastwards etc.

Just out of curiosity here, since there seems to be so many knowledgeable people about Balham property here :) What would you pay for a 2-bed, 90sqm, first floor, 99 year leasehold flat that has just been modernised/refurbished at the end of Emmanuel Road?

Is it ground floor, does it have a garden, what is the general character of the property? Personally I find the properties sat on Emmanuel a bit noisy.

At 90sqm that's about what, 950 sq ft, agents are going to price that close to 499k initially and it would depend on the character of the property and the garden if it achieved it or not.

I do know of a property on the corner of Emmanuel and Haverhill I think (*edit*, it's Pentney), ground floor and about that size and it was on at 499. It didn't move though, and the agent indicated lower offers would be considered.

Hah here it is, and yeah it's dropped 20k: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33022412.html

Edited by Aaron James
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HOLA4425

Aaron: Haven't thought of the garden - maybe average size? lol. Just wanted to know expectations of prices in that area as am myself hunting for 2-beds in that locale.

That one by Jacksons is ridiculously overpriced. For decent living, you'll need to keep the front bedroom as a reception room, meaning its more like a 1.5 bedroom (2nd bedroom is tiny), not to mention that although its 94.5sqm in total, lots of space wasted by corridor as its so long. Still.... its within 10 minutes to Balham Station, and facing the open common. £430-£440k I would imagine it would go for?

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