What should you look for when choosing where to live in London? This article isn’t designed to tell you where the best areas of London are, but more to help you work out what factors are important to you, when deciding whereabouts to live in London.
Personal Circumstances – your own personal situation is a vital consideration in choosing an area to live in. Probably the most important factor is related to the location of your work. If you already have a job contract, then you’ll need to work out how far away from work you wish to live. 45-60 minutes per single journey is a reasonably average amount of commuting time for most Londoners, although many people have much shorter or longer journeys. You might choose to live on the same tube line as the station nearest to your workplace. Alternatively, you might absolutely hate the idea of travelling on a humid underground system in the summer months and prefer to use a bus or rail route to get from A to B. These are all your personal decisions and there is no right or wrong answer, just make sure you have a think about it before you make a commitment.
Also falling under the ‘personal’ bracket is your social life. If you already have mates living in London, then you might want to live reasonably near them. Many people move to London and assume that they’ll see their friends all the time. But if you happen to live in Southgate and your best friend lives in Crystal Palace then that’s well over 60 minutes away. You’ll end up compromising by always meeting in Central London, which is fine, but if you want to be popping into your friend’s house for coffee and a catch-up all the time, you’ll need to think about living closer to them.
Local amenities – if you’re the type of person who enjoys to live near an active night scene, then keep that in mind. You might choose to live nearer Central London than further out in the sticks. Also, some London areas really require that you have your own transport, particularly to get to the supermarket, whilst others have everything within walking distance. However, there are some things that you need to remember. An area with a busy high street full of bars, restaurants, market-stalls and shops might seem like a great location to live near, but if you want an early night and you can’t sleep because of all the commotion outside, then you might wish you’d gone for a slightly more ‘boring’ location. Again, there are no right or wrong answers, these are simply your personal preferences.
Investment – if you’re looking to buy a property, then it’s a good idea to try an area out by renting there first before you commit to owning property there. In London, you can choose to buy in an area which has already been popular for many years. An area falling into this category will most likely have good transport links and a multitude of bars, restaurants and shops on it’s high street. Wimbledon and Clapham both fall into this category. Properties here, to rent or buy will be quite pricey, but they are unlikely to wane in popularity. On the other hand, you might want to choose an area which is considered to be ‘up-and-coming’. To be honest, there are very few areas of London that haven’t already up-and-come! Even areas that used to be quite dodgy have now been swallowed up into the territories of their wealthier neighbours. However, there are still some areas which could have potential for investment. Look for areas which are due to get new transport links in the near future. For example, areas in South-East London which are about to feature on the London Overground map are well worth a look. Remember that up-and-coming areas, might not already have all the local amenities that you desire. There might be one good pub or bar on the local high street, but the idea is that more might follow.
Crime – London is a capital city and some areas are more edgy and dangerous than others. If you’re female and living alone, you might want to live closer to Central London so that you have a quick journey home after a heavy night out. On the other hand, if you’re not into late nights and parties, then you might prefer to live a little further out and be content living in a more village-like location.
Take some time to decide exactly what you want to get out of living in London, before you commit to moving to a London area.
Rebecca runs http://www.moove2london.co.uk – an online guide on how to move to London for young professionals and graduates. Do you know whether you want to live in Clapham or Islington? The site provides detailed information on 28 popular residential areas, including listings for letting agents, recruitment agencies, trendy pubs and bars, restaurants, transport links and open spaces. There is also a wealth of information available on working in London – from how to sign up with the best temping agencies, to graduate career advice and interview technique. Finally, for those unsure on how to use London’s extensive public transport system, there are step-by-step guides to ensure you turn up to work at the right time on your first day.
Author: Rebecca Noori
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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