Living in London

[Killswitch]

I still think you can have that vision of your dream home because it looks like your budget is OK, you're just not casting your net wide enough (although frankly I have no idea what your "walk to work" definition is, or indeed where the centre of that circle is).

City Thameslink / St Pauls is pretty much the centre of the circle. I'd be happy with a 30 minute walk so maybe a couple of miles (especially if there's a bus/tube route for wet/lazy/hungover-as-fuck days!)

http://www.locatable.com/search

I was trying to remember this URL! Thanks

 

[dysfunction]

If you can't find anything within walking distance then look at other places in zone 1 or 2.

Canada Water is really nice. You get on the jubilee line for 10 minutes to London Bridge....walk from there.

 

[Killswitch]

If you can't find anything within walking distance then look at other places in zone 1 or 2.

Canada Water is really nice. You get on the jubilee line for 10 minutes to London Bridge....walk from there.

I'm actually looking at Putney at the moment...I could get the River Bus to Blackfriars! Now that would be a fun commute (unless it was raining, which it probably would be...)

Your money goes a lot further if you compare the place in Elephant and Castle with, for example, this place;

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-27509853.html

but you have to factor in travel costs and suchlike.

 

[dysfunction]

Putney is quite nice but it's not really close to the city centre.

Angel is very close and that is a fairly decent place.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/26879124

 

[dysfunction]

Or somewhere like this:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-39796558.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-42426686.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-27239895.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-39171292.html

 

[Chilly]

Putney isn't City living, really. It's got pretty shit tube access, too. You want to be within 5-10 mins of 2-3 lines really.

 

[Killswitch]

Or somewhere like this:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-39796558.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-42426686.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-27239895.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-39171292.html

Couple of nice looking ones there...going to be a busy Saturday if I can get some viewings. Cheers mate.

Putney isn't City living, really. It's got pretty shit tube access, too. You want to be within 5-10 mins of 2-3 lines really.

Putney is kind of an "either or" thing...if I wasn't going for a central location, it's a nice area and still much closer to work than where I am now (Ruislip Gardens). And no Central Line!

 

[Killswitch]

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-39907150.html

This place is ~200m from my office. Viewing it on Monday. Could be promising!

Is there such a thing as being too close to work?

 

[Chilly]

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-39907150.html

This place is ~200m from my office. Viewing it on Monday. Could be promising!

Is there such a thing as being too close to work?

Not really, tbh. And at 5 days a week with 10 total journeys, being close to work is a substantial saving in time and money.

 

[Chilly]

425 a week, damn. If at all possible, try and find someone to live the dream with you. You pay a massive premium for 1 bed flats because there's no economy of scale with bathrooms etc.

 

[Killswitch]

Well the reason I'm looking to move from my current rent-free place is that I'm sharing with my (recently) ex-girlfriend's pregnant sister and her husband. Things are a little strained as you can imagine. I'm more than willing to pay a premium for some "alone time" for a few months! After 6 or 12 months I'll probably look to move either somewhere cheaper outside the city or find a flat-share and/or willing woman depending on what happens. I get the point though, it is a hell of a lot of money for not much space.

 

[Killswitch]

Just done some maths. If I got a decent place out near where I live now, I'd pay perhaps £550 less than I would for this place. I'd pay £200 per month for a travelcard so the difference is £350. I reckon I'd save about 50 hours a month of commuting (5 minutes per day instead of ~180 minutes per day) so if I value my time at more than £7 per hour then it's good value.

You have to take the quality of the living experience into account of course, but even so saving TWO WHOLE DAYS on the Central Line every month has got to be worth something, right?

 

[Chilly]

You have to take the quality of the living experience into account of course, but even so saving TWO WHOLE DAYS on the Central Line every month has got to be worth something, right?

Absolutely. Depends what you want to do with your spare time.

 

[Killswitch]

Absolutely. Depends what you want to do with your spare time.

NOT be on the Central Line! Hell, if I spend it at home playing my guitar that's still good value as far as I am concerned.

 

[Chilly]

Crack on, then!

 

[Tom]

If you fancy something different, but still in the centre of London (or thereabouts), what about renting in a canal boat for 12 months?

 

[Killswitch]

If you fancy something different, but still in the centre of London (or thereabouts), what about renting in a canal boat for 12 months?

Hmm. Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[Aoami]

Pricey but looks a nice place and to live so close to the city centre will be pretty cool imo.

 

[DaGaffer]

Hmm. Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

Maida Vale (Little Venice) would be the main place to look. I looked into it in a moment of madness a few years ago. Just found one on Gumtree.
http://www.gumtree.com/p/flats-houses/narrowboat-to-rent-little-venice/1025251088

(It was actually security issues as much as anything else that put me off).

 

[TdC]

Narrowboat ad said : a practical disposition would really help

it's sinking!! 0o

 

[dysfunction]

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-39907150.html

This place is ~200m from my office. Viewing it on Monday. Could be promising!

Is there such a thing as being too close to work?

Go for it!

I bet you will be late into work most days if you live that close!

 

[rynnor]

Narrowboats are for boat chavs though and horrible in the winter - I would look for a flat somewhere along the Metropolitan line - nice upgraded tube trains with air con for the summer and good access into the city.

 

[Chilly]

I own a 60 foot narrow boat. I'd never, ever live on it. Maintenance nightmare, leaky, stupidly shaped, impractical, terribly insulated, WOBBLY, noisy in a storm, trivial to burgle...

 

[DaGaffer]

it's sinking!! 0o

Pah, that's character you big girl.

Having said that, this is my idea of a riverboat: http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/18917360

 

[rynnor]

Pah, that's character you big girl.

Having said that, this is my idea of a riverboat: http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/18917360

There's one of these on the canal just along from Little Venice behind St Mary's - looks great.

 

[TdC]

Pah, that's character you big girl.

Having said that, this is my idea of a riverboat: http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/18917360

character, lol. I can't play violin so I'm buggered if I'm going down with the ship. that said, I quite agree with your idea of a riverboat.

 

[Job]

Good god a thread full of people who think its good to be near the London tube.....da horra!

 

[Chilly]

Good god a thread full of people who think its good to be near the London tube.....da horra!

If you live in London and you have any kind of social life it's mandatory.

 

[DaGaffer]

If you live in London and you have any kind of social life it's mandatory.

I never used to get the tube in the summer. Buses, and I'd just about tolerate the District line.

 

[rynnor]

I never used to get the tube in the summer. Buses, and I'd just about tolerate the District line.

Its nice on the new ones - Met line is fully Aircon now but Circle/Hammersmith have like 1 in 5 so you are praying on a hot day...