House prices Feb 2014

[robbieduncan]

I suspect I live in Lower Sydenham (Trewsbury Road). As above when we were looking to buy last year turning right out of the station (up the hill) was ruled out early on as it feels less safe than walking down the high street later in the evening. Been here 10 months now and no signs of trouble down this way...

[Eagle]

Always assumed Trewsbury is Middle Sydenham , or just Sydenham . Lower Sydenham starts further down.

I think the area called Lower used to be derogatory because of the huge gas works and the resulting pollution. Many of the houses were for the workers at the gas plant. This all stopped with North Sea Gas.

[JRobinson]

the few streets east of Mayow Park are very nice, and still well under £500k.
Queenswood, De Frene, Adamsrill, Burghill, Niederwald, St Christophers, and Fairwyn.

[stuart]

Kirkdale Village has Miriam Lodge. Will you Mayow People be getting a ....

[Tim Lund]

I was going to say that my impression of the sort of people living round there was that they were more hipster, and "village" wouldn't be quite right.

[Tim Lund]

The natural trend setter that you are, rod Taylor, wouldn't notice the impact he has.

[Alfred Adler]

I am slightly surprised how people who have been living here for years fail to appreciate the demographic movement that has been going on in London over the last five years. The simple truth is the London Overground line and a realisation that SE London was undervalued, has given Sydenham exponential (I needed to google that word to make sure I spelt it correctly lol) rates of growth, which, coupled with the overall London boom, has made prices go through the roof at a time of limited supply. Where are young professionals going to buy? Putney, Wandsworth, East Dulwich? Unfortunately, they have been priced out of those areas but they have decent amount of equity from selling their flats in those areas. They are now looking for somewhere that is a decent area, with good housing stock, access to amenities and good transport links. As a result, Sydenham has boomed. The more these professionals realise how quick it is get to Sydenham from London Bridge and Canary Wharf the more they will feed the boom. Anyone for estate agency shares?

[Tim Lund]

I am slightly surprised how people who have been living here for years fail to appreciate the demographic movement that has been going on in London over the last five years. The simple truth is the London Overground line and a realisation that SE London was undervalued, has given Sydenham exponential (I needed to google that word to make sure I spelt it correctly lol) rates of growth, which, coupled with the overall London boom, has made prices go through the roof at a time of limited supply. Where are young professionals going to buy? Putney, Wandsworth, East Dulwich? Unfortunately, they have been priced out of those areas but they have decent amount of equity from selling their flats in those areas. They are now looking for somewhere that is a decent area, with good housing stock, access to amenities and good transport links. As a result, Sydenham has boomed. The more these professionals realise how quick it is get to Sydenham from London Bridge and Canary Wharf the more they will feed the boom. Anyone for estate agency shares?

CanI be excused?

So you're joining the East Dulwich Diaspora? A friend who's lived in East Dulwich over thirty years tells me many of his friends have moved here for the reasons you give. It's a matter of endless speculation why the Sydenham vibe has never matched East Dulwich's, and you're very welcome to add your contributions here should you come here on Sydenham Road vs. Lordship Lane - see endless threads on the matter in the Town Hall.

There was also this in the Summer 2009 Sydenham Society Newsletter

Investing in Sydenham

With so much general talk of recession, it is good to see that major investments are in line for Sydenham town centre. These include:

• Transport for London funded improvements to both Sydenham Road and Sydenham Station
• Lewisham Council’s improvements to Station Approach
• Investment from private developers (assuming that planning permission is granted), for the Greyhound and the Cobbs Corner area.

These are all connected. Behind it all is London Rail’s anticipated future total of 5.9 million passengers a year using
Sydenham Station – compared with just under 1 million today. This is a forward planning total, and growth will not happen
all at once, but the increase in footfall passing through the ‘Sydenham Gateway’ is going to be massive. It is easy to see
why, in spite of the recession, the developers Wealdfrost want to get on with developing not only flats, which will be
extremely convenient for the station, but also a pub and ground floor retail space

I welcome these changes, but I do also worry about the area becoming unaffordable for people who have grown up here, and now can't afford to live close to their parents, as they grow older. This is why I want a - well planned - expansion in the housing supply, and why I feel it is the responsibility of established local amenity societies to call for this.

See the thread "Does the Forest Hill Society want more affordable housing"

So that people - the young especially - find it easier to have a decent life, and bring up their kids?

[Eagle]

I am amazed at your suggested figure for the so called Sydenham Gateway.

I had to check not the 1st of April.

Where are they all coming from?

[robbieduncan]

I am slightly surprised how people who have been living here for years fail to appreciate the demographic movement that has been going on in London over the last five years. The simple truth is the London Overground line and a realisation that SE London was undervalued, has given Sydenham exponential (I needed to google that word to make sure I spelt it correctly lol) rates of growth, which, coupled with the overall London boom, has made prices go through the roof at a time of limited supply. Where are young professionals going to buy? Putney, Wandsworth, East Dulwich? Unfortunately, they have been priced out of those areas but they have decent amount of equity from selling their flats in those areas. They are now looking for somewhere that is a decent area, with good housing stock, access to amenities and good transport links. As a result, Sydenham has boomed. The more these professionals realise how quick it is get to Sydenham from London Bridge and Canary Wharf the more they will feed the boom. Anyone for estate agency shares?

That pretty much explains why I am here. Good transport links to Gatwick and Canary Wharf and the availability of a much larger, better made house on a bigger plot that we could get anywhere on the Northern Line corridor.