It’s very easy to dismiss an area when you yourself are lucky enough to be living in a nicer area. Not everyone can afford those prices though. You just have to do a lot more homework in terms of roads and immediate areas. Personally I’d rather live in a 3 bed semi in Erith than a 1bed flat in a nicer area
I have lived in Erith and North Heath and regularly go back to see immediate family. They're more vocal about the downward trend of the area due to living there and don't see it getting any better any time soon.
Blackfen is usually good price wise, mainly due to having horrendous transport links. Might be worth a look.
She really needs to be near a train station as she works in the City. She doesn't drive though that situation may change.
It’s very easy to dismiss an area when you yourself are lucky enough to be living in a nicer area. Not everyone can afford those prices though. You just have to do a lot more homework in terms of roads and immediate areas. Personally I’d rather live in a 3 bed semi in Erith than a 1bed flat in a nicer area
I have lived in Erith and North Heath and regularly go back to see immediate family. They're more vocal about the downward trend of the area due to living there and don't see it getting any better any time soon.
Blackfen is usually good price wise, mainly due to having horrendous transport links. Might be worth a look.
She really needs to be near a train station as she works in the City. She doesn't drive though that situation may change.
I lived in the Chandlers Drive flats in Erith until about 3.5 years ago. They were okay. Not particularly special, but generally safe enough. On these ones (less expensive than the ones closer to the station which are newer), we never really had any major problems there, it's a 10-12 min walk from the station, reasonable bus routes etc. If able to drive then that helps but it's only a 20 min walk to Morrisons. Its not the most desirable of locations but if you're not looking to be in the centre of town and nightlife etc. then you could do worse.
Things to consider / watch out for with these ones:
- lease - these will now have <80 years unless the existing owner has extended. At the time we were there the extensions were costing £15-20k.
- windows - the older wood windows are horrendous, and will become soaked with condensation within a couple of hours of wiping. If you buy the ones that haven't been changed, budget c. £5k.
- no lift!
- management company and costs - this is painful. You have ground rent (around £100 / year), management fees (around £1300 / year from memory, might have increased), and a further service charge for the Ocean River Walk (can't quite remember, about £250/ year from memory). You don't get much for your money.
- bins - people dump all sorts of crap in the communal bins, so management costs are inflated with removing fly tipping.
- dirtbikes - arsehole kids drive motorbikes etc. on the pavement, especially around the river walk, at all hours, which is really, really noisy. The sound reverberates between the flats which is painful.
- the river - nice views, good location, but the river walk floods when they shut the Thames barrier in the winter. Haven't seen this effect the flats before, but I would probably avoid a ground floor one closest to the water.
- soundproofing from neighbours up stairs could be better, but not horrendous (depends on your neighbours...)
- postal system wasn't very secure, but I think they've improved this.
Hope this helps, if you're looking at these flats and have more questions then feel free to @ me.
If you live in an area with a lot of anti social behaviour then no matter how nice the area is its going to be pretty unbearable. Seems to be a very common problem.
the area as a whole ( barnehurst resident ) does seem to be going backwards - but think that is society as a whole, its what you make of it, despite living in the area i very rarely go out locally drinking or eating.
It’s very easy to dismiss an area when you yourself are lucky enough to be living in a nicer area. Not everyone can afford those prices though. You just have to do a lot more homework in terms of roads and immediate areas. Personally I’d rather live in a 3 bed semi in Erith than a 1bed flat in a nicer area
I have lived in Erith and North Heath and regularly go back to see immediate family. They're more vocal about the downward trend of the area due to living there and don't see it getting any better any time soon.
Blackfen is usually good price wise, mainly due to having horrendous transport links. Might be worth a look.
She really needs to be near a train station as she works in the City. She doesn't drive though that situation may change.
What's the budget, if you don't mind me asking?
Max is 200K....but ideally 170-180ish, she is looking at 1 bed flat/apt, in a modern development.
If you live in an area with a lot of anti social behaviour then no matter how nice the area is its going to be pretty unbearable. Seems to be a very common problem.
That's very true and something she wants to avoid, we lived on Knights Manor Way in Dartford (89-98) it was fine for the first 3-4 years but steadily went down hill. We were stuck with negative equity but worked hard and saved some money and moved (via the mother in laws in Lewisham) to Well Hall Road in Eltham.
Yeah, T’s was part of the holy trinity of nightclubs: T’s, Flicks and Flamingos
Only ever went to Flamingos once....T's and Flicks countless times, as we got older we tended to go out more in Gravesend for the pubs (lived in Greenhithe till I was 19 before moving to Gravesend).
I lived in the Chandlers Drive flats in Erith until about 3.5 years ago. They were okay. Not particularly special, but generally safe enough. On these ones (less expensive than the ones closer to the station which are newer), we never really had any major problems there, it's a 10-12 min walk from the station, reasonable bus routes etc. If able to drive then that helps but it's only a 20 min walk to Morrisons. Its not the most desirable of locations but if you're not looking to be in the centre of town and nightlife etc. then you could do worse.
Things to consider / watch out for with these ones:
- lease - these will now have <80 years unless the existing owner has extended. At the time we were there the extensions were costing £15-20k.
- windows - the older wood windows are horrendous, and will become soaked with condensation within a couple of hours of wiping. If you buy the ones that haven't been changed, budget c. £5k.
- no lift!
- management company and costs - this is painful. You have ground rent (around £100 / year), management fees (around £1300 / year from memory, might have increased), and a further service charge for the Ocean River Walk (can't quite remember, about £250/ year from memory). You don't get much for your money.
- bins - people dump all sorts of crap in the communal bins, so management costs are inflated with removing fly tipping.
- dirtbikes - arsehole kids drive motorbikes etc. on the pavement, especially around the river walk, at all hours, which is really, really noisy. The sound reverberates between the flats which is painful.
- the river - nice views, good location, but the river walk floods when they shut the Thames barrier in the winter. Haven't seen this effect the flats before, but I would probably avoid a ground floor one closest to the water.
- soundproofing from neighbours up stairs could be better, but not horrendous (depends on your neighbours...)
- postal system wasn't very secure, but I think they've improved this.
Hope this helps, if you're looking at these flats and have more questions then feel free to @ me.
Thanks for the info will definitely bear this in mind if she considers these flats.
If you live in an area with a lot of anti social behaviour then no matter how nice the area is its going to be pretty unbearable. Seems to be a very common problem.
That's very true and something she wants to avoid, we lived on Knights Manor Way in Dartford (89-98) it was fine for the first 3-4 years but steadily went down hill. We were stuck with negative equity but worked hard and saved some money and moved (via the mother in laws in Lewisham) to Well Hall Road in Eltham.
The level of anti social behaviour in some areas across London and the South East is pretty depressing. I'm gradually going off London as the problem gets worse - so many individuals seem to have no consideration for others.
I live in the new development at the old Bexley college site. For first time buyers its quite nice, tucked away from the main road so very quiet and a nice park behind it.
for things like pubs its not great, usually i will go back to Bexleyheath/ Sidcup for that.
I lived in Knights Manor Way..!! My first ever property. Studio flat I bought in 1988. Sold it 2 years later & moved to Gravesend when I got married.
Lived in a studio flat there from 89 (brought it October 88), till 98, sold it in 02 for 10k less then I paid for it...tried selling it around 97-98 but best offer was around 35k (paid 55k for it) so decided to rent it out for a few years (reluctantly) until the price went up.
Comments
What's the budget, if you don't mind me asking?
Things to consider / watch out for with these ones:
- lease - these will now have <80 years unless the existing owner has extended. At the time we were there the extensions were costing £15-20k.
- windows - the older wood windows are horrendous, and will become soaked with condensation within a couple of hours of wiping. If you buy the ones that haven't been changed, budget c. £5k.
- no lift!
- management company and costs - this is painful. You have ground rent (around £100 / year), management fees (around £1300 / year from memory, might have increased), and a further service charge for the Ocean River Walk (can't quite remember, about £250/ year from memory). You don't get much for your money.
- bins - people dump all sorts of crap in the communal bins, so management costs are inflated with removing fly tipping.
- dirtbikes - arsehole kids drive motorbikes etc. on the pavement, especially around the river walk, at all hours, which is really, really noisy. The sound reverberates between the flats which is painful.
- the river - nice views, good location, but the river walk floods when they shut the Thames barrier in the winter. Haven't seen this effect the flats before, but I would probably avoid a ground floor one closest to the water.
- soundproofing from neighbours up stairs could be better, but not horrendous (depends on your neighbours...)
- postal system wasn't very secure, but I think they've improved this.
Hope this helps, if you're looking at these flats and have more questions then feel free to @ me.
for things like pubs its not great, usually i will go back to Bexleyheath/ Sidcup for that.