How to Find the Perfect Family Home in London

London can be a great place to live, work and raise kids – but if you don’t know the city, finding a family home can be a bit of a minefield. In this article, we’re sharing tips on how to find the perfect family home in London.

Every year, around 200,000 people make the decision to move to London. The number of people seeking legal advice in Blackheath, Chelsea, and everywhere else, from property solicitors suggests that the UK’s capital is still one of the most desirable cities in the world.

While moving to London can be exciting, it can also be stressful and frustrating if you don’t know the city. In this article, we’re sharing tips on finding the perfect family home in London.

Why Move to London?

There are some great reasons for moving to London for both adults and kids, and some of these are:

• Culture: there is always something to do in London, including tons of museums – many of which are free to visit.
• Social scene: London is jam packed full of fantastic bars, restaurants, clubs, kids clubs, parks, and much more, making it relatively easy to make new friends following your move. There are also plenty of events happening in London including festivals, concerts, and outdoor theatre events.
• Employment: whatever industry you work in, employment in London is usually readily available, with many options for working from home.
• Transport: getting around London is easy, with plenty of public transport options including buses, the underground and river buses.

Tips on Making the Move to London

Setting your budget

London is made up of several different towns and, as well as having very different characteristics, these separate areas can differ widely when it comes to property prices. Because of this, you’ll need to be realistic in terms of your budget; if you have around £400,000 to play with, you’re unlikely to be able to afford to live in the West End, so you’ll want to be looking further afield.

Some of the most affordable parts of London to buy a home include:

• Barking & Dagenham – Average house price £353,635
• Bexley – Average house price £ 401,801.52
• Newham – Average house price £ 432,094.58
• Havering – Average house price £434,331

While these areas may not have the glamour of Covent Garden or Piccadilly Circus, they are certainly more affordable.

Calculating your commute

The average Londoner spends between 47 and 75 minutes (each way) travelling to work – which can be a significant chunk of time bitten out of your day. When looking for a family home in London, you need to factor in travel time to work and school, as a long commute can be exhausting and can soon take the shine off your exciting move to the big smoke.

If you’re a driver, you’ll also need to think about congestion zones and ULEZ, as these can add to your monthly budget as well as causing not inconsiderable inconvenience.

Consider schools

When moving to a new area, there’s a good chance that you’ll be thinking about amenities such as schools. As with property prices, school ratings vary widely within London, with areas such as Westminster, Barnet, Kensington and Richmond receiving consistently high Ofsted ratings

Staying safe in the city

Before moving your family to London, another thing you’ll need to think about is crime rates. While some areas of London such as Bexley, Havering and Harrow enjoy a fairly high degree of safety, others such as Hackney, Camden and Tower Hamlets have more crime and therefore may not be suitable for families.

Cost of living

The cost of living is something which has been rarely out of the news in recent months, and it’s no secret that the cost of living is considerably higher in London. Many people are shocked to find that everything from public transport to a pint of milk will cost them more in the big city. So, you need to do your research to make sure that you can afford to make the move.

Outdoor space

Many properties in London, particularly – but not exclusively – flats, do not have any outdoor space such as a garden. If this is important to you, you may need to compromise on other factors such as the number of bedrooms or off-road parking (which is also not especially prevalent in London).

Ready to Move to London?

There’s no denying that London is a great place to live – even just walking down the street can be a buzz, let alone the wealth of museums, parks and events that the city has to offer. It is, however, also an extremely expensive city to live in and you will find that everything from property to groceries will tend to cost you more than you’re used to.

You will also need to be aware that crime rates in London may be higher than other parts of the country. As such, personal safety is something which will need to become a priority.

When looking for a new home in London, your biggest asset is a great and knowledgeable estate agent. Shop around for somebody who really knows the area that you’re interested in, and stick to your guns when it comes to what you’re looking for.