Blatman Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 I know central London doesn't have many "inspiring" roads...hehe. But I'm not sure I could live without a quick fix now and then... We haven't really decided on how to live, either a little bit outside and spend time commuting (and less on housing=more for hobbies), or live near and travel out on weekends/joyrides. One compelling reason to live near the edge is we might be able to afford a house/flat with an attached garage. I just want to know how other people have solved the problem, or if the solution is to live some distance away. Most likely, both I and the wife will be working in the city. Depends on so much.... I rent a lock up for one of my Westfields. It's behind a private block of flats in a nice area. Less than a tenner a week, and it's fine for tinkering too. The only down side is that it has no power, but it's never really been an issue for me. As for commuting from "a little bit out" to offset house costs for commuting costs... forget it, unless you're going to ride a motorcycle to work. Commuting on the tube or the overground train network is something I'm *very* keen to avoid. The (small) saving on a dwelling would not make up for 10 nightmare journeys every week (we don't call it the crush without good reason...), which you'll pay through the nose for too... It also depends whereabouts in London you intend to live. Let me know where, and I should be able to give you some pointers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Anyone else live in London and how have you solved the problem? Forgot to say, I'm a Londoner, born, bred, and lived in for most of my life, and worked in for *all* of my life. It's the greatest city in the world... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike-SEiW Posted December 6, 2004 Author Share Posted December 6, 2004 Well, I'm a bit embarrassed to say, there are a few alternatives, most likely either SW7 ( in my parents flat) or perhaps W11, W8 or W2 somewhere near there. A private locked shed would be fine with me. I hope to be admitted to Imperial College starting 1 Oct 2005. So the commute doesn't equal the small savings on housing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike-SEiW Posted December 6, 2004 Author Share Posted December 6, 2004 £220k would get you a two bedroomed flat/maisionette with garage where I live. And thats about 40 mins max to central London via train/tube Where is that? Always interesting with alternatives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike-SEiW Posted December 6, 2004 Author Share Posted December 6, 2004 But Scott, Mike likes watching good football. So he's got to go sarf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frau Vesty Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 mIGHT BE TOO COLD FOR HIM UP HERE TOO Scott, he's coming from Sweden, remember Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Well, I'm a bit embarrassed to say, there are a few alternatives, most likely either SW7 ( in my parents flat) or perhaps W11, W8 or W2 somewhere near there. A private locked shed would be fine with me. I hope to be admitted to Imperial College starting 1 Oct 2005. So the commute doesn't equal the small savings on housing? You'll pay through the nose big time on storage for a vehicle in any of those postcodes, even for a shed, so the commute to save storage fees would definitely be more economical. It's just wether you can stand the commute. I think I'd live in town and store the car in my favourite suburb, so choose North, West or South West London for the best areas, IMHO, especially if you're starting from Notting Hill/Kensington/Paddington. I reckon a lock up in Ealing/Brentford/Osterley/Isleworth near one of the tube stations would be ideal as it'll be a short-ish tube ride, and the rent on the garage should be cheap... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike-SEiW Posted December 6, 2004 Author Share Posted December 6, 2004 Oh yea, sure. I wasn't hoping to find storage nearby. How far out would I have to go in order to find a good place to keep it (i.e. how long on the tube)? What kind of rent should I be expecting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frau Vesty Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Mike if you go to www.rightmove.co.uk not only can you search for properties to buy/rent, you can also search on garages/parking places. It's one of the bigger property websites used by lots of estate agents, so although it isn't going to be comprehensive, it should give you an idea of how much stuff is around, where it is and how much it is! It does tend to run quite slowly though, so make yourself a nice cuppa before you start searching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Oh yea, sure. I wasn't hoping to find storage nearby. How far out would I have to go in order to find a good place to keep it (i.e. how long on the tube)? What kind of rent should I be expecting? Ealing/Brentford/Osterley would be 30 to 45 mins on the tube from Knightsbridge (Piccadilly line). And about 10 to 15 quid a month for a basic no frills single lock up, I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conibear Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 And about 10 to 15 quid a month for a basic no frills single lock up, I reckon. surely you mean a week Mike I live about 13 miles as the crow flys to central london, i can get to victoria in 20 mins, if i get the fast train, the costs i stated are for south london ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike-SEiW Posted December 6, 2004 Author Share Posted December 6, 2004 Cool, it seems some of you are not that far away. The plan is to live cheapishly the first year while I'm studying, i.e. keep the car outside the city and live in a small flat, and then when I get a job with a fat paycheck (fingers crossed ), perhaps we might be able to upgrade within a few years to a house with garage, or perhaps a garage a bit closer. That site: www.rightmove.co.uk is great! Thanks for the tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted December 6, 2004 Share Posted December 6, 2004 Move north...you know it makes sense......Not many southeners either which is ALWAYS good!! Yea its great up here esp where scotty is LIVERPOOL think his post code is WW1 or should that be WW2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 And about 10 to 15 quid a month for a basic no frills single lock up, I reckon. surely you mean a week Mike I live about 13 miles as the crow flys to central london, i can get to victoria in 20 mins, if i get the fast train, the costs i stated are for south london ian Yup, per week.... Sorry folks.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilux Posted December 7, 2004 Share Posted December 7, 2004 Commuting on the tube or the overground train network is something I'm *very* keen to avoid. The (small) saving on a dwelling would not make up for 10 nightmare journeys every week (we don't call it the crush without good reason...), which you'll pay through the nose for too... Not necessarily so. I got so sick of driving around the country and in particular the home counties (incl London) that I decided to work (commute) in London instead. Wages 30% better than outside it, Thameslink trains are superb (others may not be), reliable but busy after about 8.00 am however its only 25 mins from Harpenden and I can be anywhere in West end and city within a hour of leaving home and that includes 12 min drive to station. The new eurotrains will soon be in St Pancras so its a short hop to france and Thameslink goes straight to Gatwick too. Notwithstanding that its a fantastic place, I will not work anywhere else, there is no place with a bigger buzz. IMO why live in poverty or a s***ty house simply to save commuting/getting up early? When you live in London if you cant afford taxis everywhere then you end up using london Transport or suffering sitting in the traffic your keen to avoid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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