[Jem]

We are considering a move to Croydon. I would be grateful for anyone with views on house prices, quality of life and areas to avoid.

With thanks

[Warwickshire Lad]

Jem, on Apr 23 2005, 07:44 PM, said:

We are considering a move to Croydon. I would be grateful for anyone with views on house prices, quality of life and areas to avoid.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I lived there for 7 years (1997-2004).

The nicest areas are East and South Croydon with the worst being West Croydon and Addiscombe.

Croydon does have IMHO excellent shopping facilities, a very good library and a popular tram system. You're on the main train line to the centre of London in one direction and the South Coast in the other. In peak hours East Croydon station can get horrendously busy, and the reliability of the trains can be hit and miss.

Fairfield Halls are decent enough for entertainment, and have a combination of both big names and washed up entertainers. Most recently a Warner cinema opened in the centre of town.

Croydon is a very "ethnically diverse" area. Incoming immigrants flock to the area because the Government's immigration centre Lunar House is on the main road. There's been a very noticeable increase in their population over the past few years, and add that to the well established black communities. There are also lots and lots of chavs and chain smoking single mothers.

House prices are currently still way too high in Croydon as in all other parts of the London area, however you'll still find it better value than other neighbouring boroughs such as Bromley or Wimbledon.

In 1997 a 2-bed flat was about £60K - now about £150K.

I think some speculators have been targetting Croydon because there's speculation the Tube will be extended there, however I don't really see how this will happen because Croydon is already very well served with rail connections.

Croydon I think is seen in some quarters as being a joke, however I still maintain that if you can stand London and the urban life, it's a good base. Whilst I lived in London I looked around many other areas, and I honestly think you can do a hell of a lot worse than try Croydon.

If there's anymore questions you'd like answered, let me know.

This post has been edited by warks_lad: 23 April 2005 - 07:40 PM

[Starcrossed]

There's a great vegan Indian restaurant in Croydon!

[brid]

I lived in a studio flat in croydon for a year about 2 years ago - it was somewhat of a shock renting a massive 2 bedroom flat in newcastle to living in an old single room for the same mone per month.

The area we were in was purley, which was admittedly a nice area - having said that the city centre was just your standard fare town centre with dixons, next ..... zzzzz oh and tons of fried chicken places.

Its an average area at best. But i guess being 15-20 minutes from london bridge station is a boon to alot of people, although the crowds at east croydon station at 20 past 7 each morning werent.

[brettmick]

Jem, on Apr 23 2005, 06:44 PM, said:

We are considering a move to Croydon. I would be grateful for anyone with views on house prices, quality of life and areas to avoid.

With thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have lived in Croydon all of my life..... We STT last October and will rent in Ely (Cambs) in the summer once back from Japan/Oz.

First, it is a big place as the borough goes from Norbury/Streatham in the north to Kenley and Caterham in the south.

I will assume you are talking about Croydon as in and around the three stations bearing the name, which I will comment on

The previous reply about "avoid" Addiscombe is (IMO) a bit off. Addiscombe around Sandilands is full of £1mill houses and just north of this are loads of half decent flats in leafy streets. Tucked off Lower Addiscombe Road are some nice little houses in quiet roads. That said, EVERYTHING is over priced and one road varies enormously from the road next to it. Stroud Green estate is sold as "Addiscombe" but I would avoid it. Adams Way was a "new build executive estate" completed just before the 90s crash and the houses were repoed and went to Housing Authorities (HA) which now mean it is a dive in places. Addiscombe is good in places and close to the tram for transport links via East Croydon (or Elmers End/Beckenham). Depending on what you are looking for consider the roads off Addiscombe Road between Outram and Greencourt and off Lower Addiscombe Rd between Colworth and Kingscote. Widehurst and Pagehurst are not bad and the roads off Sundridge are good if you get somewhere with parking. Cheaper but still nice is Meadvale Road and bits of Northway but avoid Beckford. Davidson Road is busy and avoid anything near the really busy railway lines for a) noise and b)its all dive HA. Addiscombe Court Road and Lebanon Road are also ok.

Around East Croydon are some expensive flats but you feel very much on top of each other and parking is a pig.

West Croydon is not nice. Outside the station have been rapes, murders, shootings, knife attacks, open drug dealing in just the last year. West Croydon bus station is less prefereable to some of the hicky bits of Patagonia or Central Africa I have seen in the last few months... This spreads into Thornton Heath and South Norwood which also has nice bits but also some very unpleasant bits...

South Croydon is nicier. Around the station also has flats and houses and many of these are nice. The roads of Lloyds park offer some good places with more of a sense of space around them.

Croydon joined the crazy HPI late. Last time the bad areas rose last and fell first and that is what Croydon did. We sold last Oct. at 237k with the peak being an offer of 241 or over the road (with a nice conservatory and their garage still up) went for 249k in the spring. Now there are loads of places for sale and we would struggle to get 230k probably a drop to 225k would secure a sale against stubborn vendors who are not shifting at the moment.

If there is anything specific you are considering feel free to post it up and if I am still in the country I will give you my opinion.

This all said, we didn't want to move back to Croydon after our travels. The wife is a teacher and we will soon (hopefully) attempt to start our own family and neither of these seem as enjoyable in Croydon as they are in Cambs.

[lmj]

Brettmick and Warrickshire Lad and others,

I'm a potential FTB looking to buy a a 1 bed flat in central Croydon with my girlfriend. We've been waiting for prices to come down but all they seem to have done is stabilised, or come down a few percent. In fact a lot of the flats we recently viewed have gone under offer and a low offer of £120 on a 2 bed flat for
£140k was immediately refused. It appears that the market has at least had a small pick up in activity (or perhaps just a return of some activity) in the last few months.

Do you think prices will fall further on 1 beds or with the stamp duty threshold hired to £120k wil any falls only be noticable on houses (not flats)?

Also Brettmick mentioned about Croydon being the last to rise/first to fall last time there was a correction (1990s), do you think this will be the case again or will a correction/crash hit the higher value properties in London this time round?

This post has been edited by lmj: 14 August 2005 - 09:05 PM