Owning your own home

Walthamstow is the correct choice.
An upstairs Warner flat would be a great option as it would hopefully give you access to a garden and the potential to extend into the loft at some point.
I know Surbiton and Forest gate a bit, considered the later but didn't feel it had the potential Walthamstow has (less pubs).

4.5 months without an oven and this beautiful thing arrived this morning.

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I'm in Stratford at the moment and was looking basically everywhere North-East of here, so Leyton/Walthamstow/Leytonstone/Forest Gate and feel quite familiar with the area from cycling around and walking the dog.

We were keen on Forest Gate geographically and it has some lovely bits (Winchelsea Rd for example) but when we actually started looking at properties, I wouldn't say your money goes far enough there vs. Walthamstow, etc. to offset the trade-offs. It's just not quite there yet - Walthamstow, Leyton, Leystonstone are just nicer places to be.

You could consider some of the nicer bits of Morden / Wimbledon Chase. Good rail links, Morden town centre is a bit of a wasteland but Wimbledon, Raynes Park close by. Big houses if you can take 30s semis quiet roads and fairly quick out to Surrey hills. Cultural fucking desert though. Walthamstow uurgh (too long spent working up that way)

I've just moved from Walthamstow (renting) to Aldersbrook (flat purchase)- which is basically within walking distance of the nice bits of Leytonstone/Forest Gate/Wanstead.

Was extremely eager, almost desperate, to stay in Walthamstow but there just wasn't anything that ticked all the boxes coming up at a sensible price.

Lucky to have a completely renovated 2 bedroom flat here with a 999 year lease and a separate garage. Have Wanstead Flats about 50 metres from my front door and can ride or run singletrack up to Epping Forest without touching road once.

Only weird thing is that there is no station or shops nearby, but really doesn't bother me at all.

EDIT: replied to the wrong person, oops

Ohhh

* notes their 606 layout for later *

leasehold sounds like a bunch of annoying pish tbh

Leasehold is just renting. But on a timescale that makes most believe they own something, and with a set of conditions that make you take on the job of the landowner.

It sucks.

But then land ownership in the UK (inc Scotland) sucks and creates a scarcity problem that isn't real.

Nice! The cut through Belgrave and then over flats to Bushwood should make Leytonstone tube about 15min walk - Wanstead probably similar.
£10-15k of Vitsoe shelving in that gaff?

Leasehold is just renting. But on a timescale that makes most believe they own something, and with a set of conditions that make you take on the job of the landowner.

I do have my problems with leasehold - I'm quite active in the leaseholdscandal and do some work with LKP - but there are some key differences. Yes, in law, a leaseholder is effectively a tenant. However, unlike a renter, you can sell your lease. That's a huge difference for those of us who see Leasehold as a stepping stone to owning outright.

Also the conditions make you financially responsible for what the landowner decides to do with the building, but doesn't make you responsible for the work itself - unless you're on the board of an RTMCo or a part Freeholder. And imo both of those are better positions to be in than being obliged to take whatever nonsense the freeholder decides to do with the property.

There are definitely downsides and it's great that the leasehold scandal has such traction, but it shouldn't be a flat no for property buyers, especially those of us without the budget to buy freehold.

Lovely light, even with photographer's licence factored in it looks like a great place. Congrats!

Another oddity I talked about here was when you sell, you effectively need the freeholders permission and for them to complete some paperwork. Our freeholders solicitor shut a few months before our sale and trying to first find the new one then get them to complete the necessary paperwork was an utter pain in the cock.

Yep, going through this right now with the old LPE1 form. Our upstairs neighbour is a nice chap but our solicitors sent him the form with no info / context whatsoever which was super unhelpful. So he didn't feel confident filling it in. I've had to explain to him how it all works. It all assumes a very high level of knowledge about our shared freehold situation and a lot of paperwork to hand which he doesn't actually have.

I'm not meant to fill it in because that would be a conflict of interest.

I've read horror stories of neighbours falling out and withholding the LPE1 out of spite to make sales fall through...

If your place isn't simple freehold never fall out with your neighbours.

This is the before and after photos

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Oh FFS, I still can't sort multiple photos out. Above is the after and the below is the before.

Impressed as they were in and out in less than a day

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And the inside is pretty tidy.

(Sorry for the 3 posts on 1 garage door, much more than probably needed)

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Oh FFS, I still can't sort multiple photos out.

I usually have to make a post with on photo then edit that post to add the additional photos, one at a time.

Offer accepted!! I'm certain this has been asked elsewhere but surveyor recommendations for Leyton way? thanks in advance

edit - also is 2k for lawyer inc searches crazy money? have one recommended through a friend but want to gauge cost

I guess it depends what you consider trade offs? I'm 5 mins walk from all the arches on Winchelsea Road and the flats. It's also 15/20 mins walk to the centre of Leytonstone depending on how much of a wiggle I get on. Granted South of Romford Road end has a lot less going on but you can get a lot more for your money on that side.

And imo both of those are better positions to be in than being obliged to take whatever nonsense the freeholder decides to do with the property

It turns out if you simply object to everything, refuse to pay and/or be generally unreachable those obligations don't mean a lot. Signed, a joint freeholder.

(doubly so if you're non-resident)

Good illustration of why the 2 party joint freeholder situation can be a bit shit; one party just sticks their fingers in their ears... la la la I can't hear you.

That seems quite expensive to me (caveat: I got a deal on mine and it was 5yrs ago, but less than half that).

All these people on here saying good cycling from NE way: really? I always find it's a slog out of lots of suburban bits of Essex before you get to the countryside and then Essex not as good as Kent (fewer hills for a start). Am I missing something?

That's one of the main reasons I stay SE but would be good to know if I'm being too closed minded

I've got my eye on one of those. Looking forward to a report!

Is that the Virgin Mary I can see in the potato painting?

Seems about right to me - if they come recommended and are good then you won't regret spending a bit extra on them.

I paid £2k plus searches for buying and selling so it seems a bit steep.

It's worth paying for someone good though, you're about to spend a lot of money and they're one of the major people to ensure you don't fuck it up.

I definitely find Kent more interesting than Essex, but in terms of ease and accessibility, I think getting to Essex from Walthamstow is much easier than Kent from, say, Catford. 20 mins ish from Waterworks roundabout (A406) to the lanes.