Haringey, 3rd least affordable area in the UK for first time buyers

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Permalink Reply by matthew cuthbert on July 23, 2016 at 12:56

SYD says it all.

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Permalink Reply by matthew cuthbert on July 23, 2016 at 12:57

What were the good responses to solving this problem?

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Permalink Reply by matt on July 23, 2016 at 13:19

The candidates responses? I was told they struggled to come up with something useful. Obviously a wider & multifaceted problem than just our ward or borough but, this article does show how difficult it has become in our area of London to get on the housing ladder/'ladder'. Probably why so many young lawyers and the like have moved into the area in last few years. Who would have thought!!

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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on July 23, 2016 at 15:26

None of them understood the question. The property market in London is essentially split into three groups. Homeowners, private renters and social renters. Private renters are not represented by any political party, it's as if they don't exist.

At best they thought it was about rogue landlords and HMOs. It's about people subject to eye watering rents for basic accommodation and 12 months lets with no hope of ever saving a deposit to buy somewhere and completely excluded from social renting.

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Permalink Reply by matthew cuthbert on July 23, 2016 at 18:48

This could change under Sadiq Khan and influence from the Greens on housing policy.

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Permalink Reply by matthew cuthbert on July 23, 2016 at 18:46

I did 22 years ago as a student, we used to hope John Prescott would give the go ahead for St Pancras, and he did. Harringay wasn't fashionable like Clapham, we used to dispair that others didn't see the area through our eyes, they always thought it was interesting, but didn't commit. Over the years we have had three freinds stay and start families, because they could afford here, but that has changed. I have to credit Sure Start and the Children Centres for keeping us here. Now we're wedded to Harringay and the people who live here.

I always saw Harringay as being in the horse shoe, Highgate, Crouch End, Hornsey, Harringay, Stokey, Highbury & Islington. As their children grow up an try to settle near to where they grew up, Harringay becomes the 'new area.'

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on July 29, 2016 at 4:15

I ended up here because I bought the only flat in Zone 3 that I could afford. That was just under two years ago but it's worth 100k more now so if I was buying now I probably couldn't afford it.

I lived like a student until I was 33 and even then I had to inherit money before I could get on the property ladder (small L)

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Permalink Reply by Abi on July 29, 2016 at 11:24

Same here - we lived in a student house (effectively) until the same age, both on above-average incomes. 

We ended up here because it was the one place within spitting distance of our jobs that was affordable without an inheritance - but this was 5 years ago. Possibly that wasn't the case even when you bought.

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on July 29, 2016 at 11:26

I could have done it with a second income but as a one person household the inheritance was vital. Well I call it that but actually Dad gave me the money before he died, knowing of course that he would one day, just not as soon as it actually happened. He had been looking forward to helping me do my flat up. Oh yes, that was the other factor in getting on the ladder - it was a dump that no one else would buy!

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Permalink Reply by Charlotte A on July 29, 2016 at 13:04

This is why the Pocket Living development in West Green looks like a great idea - it provides more affordable housing for people to get their feet on the ladder.  I'd have loved the chance to go for something like that 10+ years ago. 

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on July 29, 2016 at 14:59

Same here though two years ago! I think it's a fantastic idea.

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