Harringay online

Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

I'm trying very hard to buy myself a nice little flat in Haringey - ideally somewhere around the Bruce Grove area – but its proving a hell of job. Either there is something seriously wrong with a place structurally, or its tenanted (I have moral issues with turning families out on the street), or something downright fishy starts to go on with the estate agents (naming no names), but believe me there are some dodgy dealers in your borough. 

So I thought I might try to by-pass the conventional route and talk directly to some local people who might know of somewhere that is potentially coming up for sale. I've read a few threads on here and you all sound like a really nice, helpful bunch.

If anyone can help me find my own little bit of the city I've called home all my life - albeit a completely new part - surrounded by decent friendly people with a sense of pride in the place where they live (regardless of where they come from) I'd be extremely grateful. I have about £200k to spend, I know thats not much but I just need a small place ideally near a nice park (for my dog) and not too far from the train station. 

Here's hoping! Thanks for reading. 

Tags for Forum Posts: bruce grove, community, flat, help, please

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Would you qualify for shared ownership? This is in N15 and is close to parks, tube and amenities. http://www.nottinghillhousing.org.uk/sales/homes-for-sale/west-gree...

Longer term is this one: http://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/north-london/lawrence-square

Not sure of the tenure types and prices.

Good luck. Forced out of the rental sector last year and forced to make a leap. Found ourselves in N15 and love it.

will TFL contol of the Liverpool St-Cheshunt line make any difference to frequency of trains?  I would have thought Liverpool St doesn't have much spare capacity....  A friend of mine was looking in Bruce Grove but gave up as prices had gone up so much.  She has just bought in Leyton which now seems to be cheaper, so you might want to try looking there too...

Jonny, the way that residential property is bought and sold in the country is nothing short of an outrage. As far as I can see its based upon a medieval concept of all powerful landowners and 'peasant' tenants. People's lives seem to count for nothing when a profit is to be made. And thats not to mention all the sharks involved in what seems to me to be a complete free-for-all, unregulated industry. I you wouldn't believe the amount of outright lies and frankly scandalous behaviour of some of the estate agents I have dealt with in that area.   

Wise words TBD, thank you. Its been a real learning curve for me too. Just this morning I received a call from an estate agent who I had emailed about an ex-council flat just off the ladder. They told me that they had arranged 3 open days and all were fully subscribed. Its madness and they just love piling on the pressure. This US style of open houses is just another underhand technique they use to panic potential buyers into offering not only the asking price but well above in most cases. 

Its interesting you mention that this could all be yet another bubble. However waiting for 3 years to find somewhere at a reasonable price seems like a very long time, especially with the cost of rent as high as it is. Whats a boy to do? 

In the late 80s when I were a young lass, I thought I would never be able to buy my own place, prices were high and getting higher. I thought I'd missed the boat. Even garages were going for stupid money. Everyone said prices would never go down.

They did of course. I had to hang on a while and bought a flat in 1993. Even then I ended up in negative equity for a while as prices kept plumetting.

I would not buy a property in the current climate unless I had a huge wodge of cash that meant I had a small mortgage. I think think TBD's right. Grit your teeth and wait, because garages are going for silly money again:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/propertynews/10760415/Garage-is... 

Re. dodgy estate agents, I bought a flat in Tottenham four years ago, and was very impressed with Barry Parker, at Thomas & Co, 415 High Road, Tottenham, London N17 6QN tel 020 8801 6068.  Having dealt with agents who hadn't even bothered to read the specifications, it was a pleasure to deal with someone honest and "old school", very professional - and the sellers had only good things to say about him also.  They're not all cowboys!  Very best of luck with your search, best move I ever made, Tottenham is a great place to live.

You're welcome, hope he's still there!  Good luck

Haha I'm so pleased to hear that. Thomas & Co (headed up by Barry) is the ONLY agent I trust in that area. They have been straight with me all the way along and when I asked about a flat that turned out to be under offer he point-blank refused to show it to me, saying quite simply "No I'm afraid that one is under offer, as far as we are concerned its sold".

For anyone else looking thats a great test of an agent's integrity. Sadly most will simply say "its under offer but...". And of course if they are saying that to you then they will carry on saying it to other buys once your offer has been "accepted" – encouraging the whole disgusting gazumping situation (and lining their pockets at the same time). I have since used this as a really useful benchmark test with all other agents. 

We bought our house through Cousins which we found very good. We live in West Green, in a really nice n quiet rd. The house next door has just been bought n I suspect they'll turn it into flats. Please pm me if I shall keep you in the loop.

If your street already has 20% or more conversions, it is not permitted to convert a house into a flats. 

http://www.haringey.gov.uk/housing-3.pdf (see page 83, HSG11-J)

There are several policies governing conversions.

Haringey has policies to counter too many conversions with designated "restricted conversions zones" as follows

"HSG11: RESTRICTED CONVERSION AREAS
Permission will not be granted for conversions in the following
areas:
a) The Miltons: Area to North East side of Archway Road;
b) Archway Road: Area to the South West Side of Archway
Road;
c) Harringay Ladder: Green Lanes to Wightman Road;
d) Stroud Green: Area bounded by Stroud Green Road,
Stapleton Hall Road, Florence Road and Woodstock Road;
e) Muswell Hill: Roads near centre
f) Bruce Grove Ward
g) Myddleton Road, Wood Green
h) West Green Road
i) Crouch End: Roads near centre or
j) streets where conversions and/or HMO"

but these are being circumnavigated by crafty operators who use permitted development rights and others means to  flout the law. Residenst need to be vigilant and nosy enough to report abuses.

Also an article 4 direction has recenty taken effect to stop conversions to HMOs and require them to ahve a licence to operate.

http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/housing_and_planning/planning-main...

The problem comes where enforcement is needed and in Haringey this has been lacking in the past due to under-resourcing, ineptitude, incompetence and possibly some corruption too. Things are being addressed but now the cuts mean that more needs to be done with less....!

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