Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Help needed! First time buyer flat in ivatt way (n17)
I'm a single first time buyer in her early 30's. Until now I'd just been looking at 2-bed flats as I planned to get a Flatmate in and also because I haven't lived alone before ( currently house sharing pin leytonstone). There hasn't been loads in my budget (up to 330k) so I've been reconsidering 1beds again. If I did get a 1bed I wouldn't want to go up to my maximum budget, so prob not over 250k or so.
Yesterday I viewed a flat which I immediately really liked, near turnpike lane tube. It's on Ivatt Way (N17) and the asking price (225k) is well within my budget ( which is in the early-mid 300k range). It's really spacious, has a balcony which is a plus, a big kitchen ( I love cooking) and is in good condition. And being near the tube would be a definite plus for me as I'd be living by myself.
I lived in Finsbury Park for several years so I'm not completely unfamiliar with the area but I don't know it well.
I would really appreciate any input to couple of questions, I'm really sorry if they're carbon copies of other threads!
- Is buying around turnpike lane ( flat is on ivatt way) safe/good idea? Especially as I'd be living alone. As I say, love the flat and got a nice impression of the area but taken a bit aback at how low asking price is (225k)?
- I've heard that Haringey( ladders etc) is very family focused and whilst I think this is a great thing, it makes me feel slightly apprehensive as a currently single first time buyer with no children. Do you think this would be an
issue?
Any other thoughts would be great, in relation to the area the flat is in , the general area or anything else!
Thank you v much,
Katherine
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Abi on
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Hi Katherine
We bought in South Tottenham at a similar stage of life - so bit further south and east to where you're looking but a comparable distance to Harringay ladder, Tube etc. We find it's great as a base for all kinds of things: getting into London quickly, local places to eat which are improving all the time IMO, and also for green space, which is something nobody really talks up, but it's actually a huge plus in the wider area. We moved here from Islington, and in this respect we have a LOT more in terms of parks and routes for running, walking etc which just came as a pleasant surprise. I can see that you'd be near Downhills Park, which is somewhere we regularly visit from a bit further afield as it's a lovely spot. In terms of places to hang out, you'd be close to Blend which does fab coffee and food.
FWIW we also don't have kids yet and in terms of this aspect I think this is a much better area than, say, Crouch End, where I'd feel like a freak for not managing to produce any...i can see why families love the area but it's also 'urban' and close enough to the West End and also East London that you could easily spend most of your time in those areas without having to travel far. Wood Green (which you'd be closer to) also has some really cool stuff going on in its arty district - look up the Chocolate Factory and you'll get a flavour of that.
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Permalink Reply by Katherine Peter on
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Hi there
Thanks so much for that, really helpful. I did notice a couple of nice looking places like the Salisbury pub and a tasty looking Italian restaurant both of which I took to be good signs.
Great about the green spaces that's really good to know. Plus relieved re the child aspect :-)
Would you say it's a fairly safe area around Turnpike Lane tube/ good-ish investment in terms of buying? I get slightly confused by all the different areas in haringey - ladder, gardens( ?) etc
Thanks again,
Katherine
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No immediate personal experience, but I've had plenty of friends living close to where you'd be that did not report any problems in that respect - think there are other threads on this topic currently on this site, so worth doing a search! Also we're in an area that gets (more than) its fair share of bad press around safety, etc, but (touch wood) I have never in five years been a victim of crime locally, while I have done several times in other more 'desirable' parts of London.
Wood Green sometimes gets a bit of an unfair rap in this respect, but I think this is due to it being a major shopping centre so there is more going on.
Oh and you should check out the Westbury which does great Sunday roasts and is close to TPL tube.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Re confusion with Haringey and Harringay and its environs, this might help.
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Hi Hugh
That's really helpful thanks! Hadn't even realised there was a difference between Harringay and Haringey! So would Ivatt Way fall more in the Gardens neighbourhood?
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Yes I've heard that area is really nice and Ally Pally is such nice space , but I think im prob priced out of there. I've always found the supermarkets etc in wood green to be quite handy, be nice to have them nearby.
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Ooh thanks for tip re The Westbury, always a bonus to have a decent pub roast nearby!
V helpful with regards safety issue. I always felt fine in finsbury park, and same with Leytonstone. I suppose it's just a thing of being careful, but that's the same with anywhere.
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If you've felt fine in Finsbury Park and Leytonstone you'll feel fine around Turnpike Lane in terms of safety.
It's a great area for all the reasons others have mentioned.
Having flat hunted in the area a couple of years ago (I ended up buying next to Seven Sisters), I am suspicious of how cheap the place is. I would ask the vendor/EA/solicitor what works have taken place and what works are due to take place. I would suspect at that price that something significant may be coming up (e.g. all windows, roof). I have know people to end up with extra charges of between £5000 - £15000 depending on what work has gone on. Obviously, it may still be worth your while buying even taking on board these extra costs and I definitely don't want to put you off. Just talk to our solicitor and make sure you have it all covered.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah on
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I'm a woman in my mid-30s and have a 1 bed flat between Turnpike Lane and Seven Sisters (slightly closer to Seven Sisters). When I bought just over a year ago I thought I was making a compromise but it turns out I LOVE the area. My flat was much cheaper but that's because it needed a lot of work, now that I'm nearing the end of that (and as an ex local authority property there was also over 10k of major works to be done) I'd say the value is around £230k now, maybe more. Ah - I just checked and I see Ivatt Way is council flats of the same era and style as mine. See this property that sold for £230 a year and a half ago: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41654675.html - not my property but the one that gave me the confidence to buy mine!
I would say check to see if any major works are due or if completed, whether there is a final invoice yet. At that price I wouldn't be surprised if that stuff is still looming - but I would still take the risk. When I bought the agent said there were no major works due, then when my lawyer turned up the major works in the resale pack it was a good bargaining chip to lower the purchase price to 5k below asking.
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Thank you. I hadn't considered that and have made a note of it as something to enquire about with the agent.
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Permalink Reply by Rob B on
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Ask the agent by all means, but it's unlikely they will know/tell you. It's a job for your solicitor to find out really. It's a good idea to know though, as you will need to budget.
On that note, when I sold my flat last year there were major works pending (which I disclosed to my buyer in advance). I told the buyer up front that I would not consider a reduction in price because of them. As far as I was concerned, once the major works were done the buyer was taking the benefit of the improvement - so why should I lower the price? The asking price was based on the property "as is".
Sarah - you did very well to get a discount! I would have told you to take a running jump ;)
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It certainly wasn't for the whole cost of the works but things had been dragging at that stage - the vendor's solicitor took forever to get back to mine with the resale pack and various bits that had been left out of the documentation. A sale had already fallen through so I took a chance they wouldn't want my purchase to also fall through. So we agreed to split the difference. It was a big chance though as prices continued to skyrocket. By the time we eventually completed it was clear I had a very good deal. Of course when the next major works estimate came through it was for even more money and I still don't have a final invoice...
As I said though - no regrets!
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