I suggest you start looking at properties in Tooting (bec, Broadway), furzdown, Colliers Wood and Stretham (border to Balham). Once you have spent time visiting a few properties you will have a good view of the market and the areas. Then go and visit the schools. Loads of open days in sept/oct. We have done the same 3 years ago before buying and it was very informative. It takes time (for us 8 months) but given the financial and emotional commitment of buying a house it is worth it. My personal view - Tooting Bec is pricey for the quality of housing and the type of high street, you pay for the closeness to the tube and common. Tooting Broadway is cheaper if you can get used to the dirt, mess and fly tipping everywhere. Furzedown nicer and tidier, but further away from the tube. Graveney is there and worth to buy in the catchment . As per the areas above the quality of the houses is mediocre. You get more space than a flat but the houses are small, very narrow, many badly kept over the years (if you don’t buy something already renovated which is pricey). Stretham had better housing quality but further away from the tube, although you can check the areas closer to Balham. The more south you go the dirtier it becomes and it is not really very safe.

We moved from a two bed flat in Balham to a six bed house in West Norwood. Two stops away on the train. Took me a while to adjust to SE rather than SW but love it. Brilliant local primaries - Julian’s has two sites - and fantastic secondaries close by - Dunraven, Elmgreen, Norwood School, Charter, Kingsdale - plus the independent Dulwich schools.

Nice parks/green spaces - Norwood Park, Norwood Grove, Belair, Dulwich and Brockwell parks. There’s Herne Hill for the lido and weekly market and Dulwich village for cafes and the picture gallery.. W Norwood has the library and Picturehouse cinema and some great new pubs and cafes and the monthly community Feast.. Lots of young families.
Worth a look. Good luck.

I’d agree with Champagne above. Tooting and Colliers Wood is very different to Northcote Rd. Unfortunately, the alternative suggestions (Wimbledon, Putney etc) are very expensive as well.

Having lived in Colliers Wood, Richmond, Putney, Wimbledon and Between The Commons, my favourite is BTC then Putney. Colliers Wood comes distant last. I never liked the feel of the area. The large retail shops (massive Sainsburys), the fast busy roads made it difficult to walk, the littered canals and the big ugly building cast a shadow over the area. When I moved to Wimbledon (Village side), I couldn’t believe the contrast. That’s just my personal view.

Like Phil Spencer usually says, you will have to compromise.

I suggest Teddington.

I know a number of people in Wimbledon who have moved out to there. Similar to you in trading up from a flat to house but didn’t want to move into the suburbs outside M25. They say it has a lot to offer with more space, but you have to travel further. That’s your compromise…

Also just to add Colliers Wood and Tooting are very different to Northcote Road so if you want something more similar to Northcote road I’d look at Wimbledon, Wimbledon Park, Putney, Richmond or Clapham, as those areas might be more similar to what you’re looking for.

Hi would definitely recommend Colliers Wood. Have lived here for over 7 years and would say it is a very family friendly area with brilliant schools and a real community feel. I can’t walk around now without bumping into several people I know. There is a monthly farmers market at :inglegate primary school, which is ofsted outstanding and where both my sons go. I would disagree with the poster who said Tooting and Colliers Wood are both very transient areas, most of my eldest son’s class have been here since he was at nursery and he’s built up a solid group of friends. You get more for your money in Colliers Wood than Tooting but Tooting is only 1 stop away on the Northern line or 15 mins walk. Check out Colliers Wood news and views on Facebook to see what the community is like. Hope this helps good luck with the move.

Hi. I’d also suggest Streatham Hill and Streatham more generally. For similar reasons to the other comments - schools, green spaces, amenities (cinema, Lido, shops etc) and good transport links (overground plus lots of buses to Brixton to get you a seat on the Victoria line).

And I disagree with the previous post. We are fortunate to have some great primary AND secondary schools in SW London. It is more a matter of what your expectations and priorities are from a school (which doesn’t mean you can’t have high expectations for your children) and your own views of state vs private.

Good luck!

Yes primary schools are good but no one is mentioning state secondary schools here.. yes primary schools are great but either you will need to go private or move again.

A friend of mine moved from Clapham to New Malden to bring up her kids. There are a bunch of roads there with names of trees and it looks like a lovely friendly area. Her kids did very well at local schools and you’d be on the train line to Clapham Junction if you want to come back and visit your friends. You’d also be very near Richmond Park and the A3 for quick escapes out of London.

Hello!

I moved from Northcote Road to Tooting Broadway end of last year. Absolutely love it and expecting our first baby in October. I couldn’t be happier here.

- we went for Broadway not Bec. Advice from estate agent was that Bec is about £100k-200+ more expensive for the same house … if you live in a flat this might be worth it to be near the common, but if you have a garden then probably not.
- the markets are all awesome, so much to do in Broadway
- much more of a sense of community than I ever felt near Northcote. I know all my neighbours, have had them for supper, been over to theirs
- there are three primary schools within a 7 minute walk of our house, and we have just put our baby down for Bright horizons nursery which has loads of outdoor space
- the lido is an incredible facility and you can join South london swim club for £180 for a year - unlimited swims
- the common is far cleaner and less busy than Clapham

Our house was £865k. 4 double bedrooms, large south facing garden. Very unloved so we’ve done lots of work to it

Hope this all helps.
C

We moved from Abbeville to Furzedown 12 years ago and have never regretted it. Prices aren't quite as low as they were back then but you can still pick up a good size house for almost half what you'd pay in Northcote. Both local state primaries are really good and there's also Graveney (although catchment is tiny). Really great villagey feel with some lovely cafes, a life of fish branch and amazing pizzeria on Moyser road. Definitely not transient - loads of families, young and old. Not terribly near the tube but you can walk to Tooting bec tube station in about 15 minutes, there are loads of buses (319 will whisk you back to northcote in 10/15 mins). Tooting Common,Furzedown rec (playground, skate park and tennis courts), athletics track, lido and Graveney woods on your doorstep.

Tooting resident here - have been here for the past 15 years and absolutely love it. Our kids had a brilliant experience at (state) primary school, there was a wide choice of very good schools. We love the fact that we are close to both Tooting Common and Wandsworth Common, loads of restaurants and cafes (including Tooting Market), easy access to central London through rail and tube and bus links, and a really vibrant community feel. I’m sure you can get a lot more for your money than Northcote Road area although it is becoming increasingly popular and therefore more expensive.

I note the poster above has suggested that there is a transient feel about Tooting - I’m not sure I completely agree. Although a number of people we know have moved elsewhere - particularly after the pandemic - we are still surrounded by families who intend to stay for the long haul, it is probably similar to many areas of London.

Are you wedded to SW London?!
The reason I say that is primary school moves quick & you need to be thinking about secondary schools really before you commit to an area.
Moving out of SW London could be a better option if you can’t stay where you are for better schooling & more space.
Tooting & Colliers Wood tend to be transient areas rather than longer term places to bring up teenagers.
That’s my two pence worth - I’m sure someone will correct me..

Hoping that someone can advise me on a next move from the Northcote Road area.

We currently live in a 2 bed flat and our eldest has just finished reception. The problem is that we just can't make the jump to a house anywhere close. Very sad and I have been in denial but it just isn't going to happen.

My question is where would you move next. We could probably make Tooting work, just about, if we were prepared to buy something that needed some love. Our other thoughts were Colliers Wood but we don't know anyone there. Hoping that someone on here does and can advise if it is a a good place for families and if anyone can share how much a 3 or 4 bed house would cost in there. Any other suggestions also welcome.

Thanks!