Earlsfield Post Reply

[SamT]

Does anyone know what is it like to live in roads fieldview,high view, godley road etc just off magdalen with a young baby.

What are the pros and cons...

[mgb]

It's a mix. Lots of purpose-built flats and council properties. But it's on the up as it's a good location for the train and Wandsworth Common.

[NYE31]

We have friends on Ellerton Road, I think the roads nearer to Trinity Road are the nicer ones & the ones closest to Earlsfield Road are less nice, there are several streets of council built etc.

I agree that the area is v.mixed but on the up.

Our friends are actually moving out of London but that's nothing to do with the area.

[Nirthernbird16]

Hi, I live on Godley Road with a nearly 4 month. We really like it here, we bought here 2 years ago after getting married as we could get a 3 bed place with some outside space which we couldn't where we rented in Wandsworth Common.

Pros are it is quiet, not far from Sainsburys, the library (which has some kid classes) and all the cafes/restaurants etc - I have been spending a lot of time in them since she was born with NCT friends or just me and my baby! It's also nice that you can easily walk to Wandsworth Common or King George's park. Also we are in a priority road for the nearby Beatrix Potter school which I hear is very good.

Cons - we are in a first floor maisonette so could be interesting when she starts crawling/walking but so far we are ok. You can sometimes hear the neighbours but I'm sure they hear us more at the moment! Parking is a nightmare in the week as people use Fieldview/Godley/Tilehurst as a car park for the station as there are no permits or parking restrictions.

There are some boys who hang around, I know from neighbours they live in the area and haven't had a great upbringing, I did find them a bit intimidating at first but really never had an issue and they just sort of hang about and chat to each other. There are still some council houses I believe in Godley/Tilehurst but many are privately owned now and a lot of places are being bought by people and getting done up. Now I am on maternity leave I'm seeing a lot more mothers around on my street.

Hope that helps!

[SFMC]

Hi

We moved to the area a few years ago and really love it.

Pros
- Sainsburys close by (now that it was extended it is much better and will suffice for everyday needs)
- a few decent restaurants close by Cah Chi, Carluccio's, the thai place, Fyre , It's a Kids Thing etc
- I walk to Wandsworth Common / Bellevue Road
- close to Southside for the cinema and easy indoor shopping
- two great primary schools - Beatrix Potter and Earlsfield Primay - we are lucky to be in Beatrix Potter catchment
- Playhouse playgroup on Lyford Road
- new nursery on Magdalen Road
- bus or quick car ride to Northcote Road
- I have off street parking
- our garden is very large by London standards and sold the area to us - it was at least twice the size of anything we saw in Balham, BTC and was 6 figures rather than 7 figures - we pulled out of a sale of a BTC property to come to the area
- the Beatrix Potter catchment area gave us a bit more assurance about a school place
- it seems nice and safe here without being overly stuffy or snobby - so yes 'mixed'
- area is on the up - new families with young children moving in all the time! yeah! I know of 5 new families with toddlers just on our road. lots of babies and kids around!
- houses being done up
- Earlsfield station has trains every few minutes to London Waterloo and next station is Clapham Junction so good transport links


Cons
- I think I know the boys Northernbird refers to (we live near Godley Road) but haven't ever had any interaction or incidents with them. they seem to be teenagers but mostly keep to themselves **though one was recently caught by our neighbour in our car! but we had left it open - so guess they do cause some petty theft**

- Earlsfield trains are soooo packed in the morning between 7:30 - 9am with commuters

- wish there were even more interesting shops/ restaurants on Garratt Lane but there is enough good small businesses to support and imagine the high street will keep improving

- a few possibly Council, run down properties but think that is increasingly rare as people move in and do up properties
a fair bit of rental property which sometimes means that the upkeep on properties isn't as great as owned (though perhaps this is just a generalization)

Proptery prices are skyrocketing (as is all of London) which is great as it means the area is continually improving and on the up but still less expensive to buy than other places close by.

C'mon over! It's generally lovely here!

[SamT]

Hello,

Thanks for all your replies - very detailed which is helpful.

I

[SamT]

Does anyone know if for all the properties in these roads the council is the freeholder for the privately owned ones?

[SFMC]

The houses off of / around Magdalen Road are all freehold as far as I am aware (at least everyone I know!).
I looked at various properties (but houses not flats) around Earlsfield (and Balham and BTC) and all were freehold - no different to any other area.

Good luck with your search/decision.

[Pc1008]

we live on earlsfield road and have an 8 month old. i think the area is great for young families. all the pros as above. yes parts of earlsfield are not that nice but that is living in london for you, we used to live in fulham and i felt much more unsafe there than i do here.

the convinience element is great and southside while not the nicest shopping centre is very practical when it comes to baby/ home stuff and there is a waitrose.... (and you can order online at john lewis and have it delivered there too!)

its a shortish walk to the park and the station has a lift. ok garratt lane lacks in shops but the local cafes and restaurants are all pretty good and very baby friendly.

good luck

[mamabel]

Its a great area with children.

SFMC - I love the fact you put IAKT in your decent restaurant list (that wouldn't have happened in life before children!)

[ErinLondon]

Hi , I have lived in Earlsfield since 97, moving here from nortcote road with 2 small babies , we lived on tilehurst road 1st buying an ex council flat, we lived there for 8 years, they are leasehold , but we bought a share of the freehold with the neighbour upstairs who also owned their flat from wandsworth council . those flats ( tilehurst, godley, openview ) are entirely made of concrete , so up stairs or down stairs you cannot hear your neighbours walking around etc, most are now privately owned , but the few that are still council in my experience , the tenants were "salt of the earth " good old fashioned working class . Privately rented flats seemed to be the more neglected. We have loved the area, our boys went to Beatrix potter , an outstanding school , with amazing supportive community, you will know everyone round here once your baby goes to school there, , we now live off burnt wood lane and still love this thriving ,embracing community. The naughty teenagers mentioned I also know very well , ex beatrix potter pupils ! they are harmless , just bored , hanging around teenagers , if you said hello they'd would actually politely say hello back ! We have never suffered any crime or breakins . We will be leaving earlsfield soon once our youngest heads off to uni , so from an old timer ;it has been a joy to live here and I couldn't recommend it more highly for a young family .

[SamT]

Thanks for the info!

Where did you boys go on to after beatrix potter?

[SamT]

Hi Erinlondon,

V interesting! Thanks.

How did you buy the freehold from the council?

Did it take along time and how much does it cost roughly? (If you don't mind me asking....)

[ErinLondon]

Hi Scamp, each 2 flats, the ground floor and the one directly above are considered a single unit, if your flat and the one above are both privately owned you automatically have the legal right to purchase the freehold jointly from the freeholder ; Wandsworth council . but only if your neighbour agrees and wishes to purchase with you, my friends neighbour didn't want to cough up but agreeded to the purchase so they paid the full amount charged , and their neighbour got a free share of the freehold ! )if either one of the flats is still owned by the council you will not be able to purchase the freehold I'm afraid and will be liable for a share of any charges for any works carried out by the council ! We shared the £1,800 cost of purchasing the freehold with our neighbours but I can't remember how much it cost us in legal fee's ? Not much I don't think !

[SamT]

Hi erinlondon,

Thanks for the reply. Very interesting and great detail. Much appreciated.