Summary
Dulwich has been named the most desirable area to live in london, with a 153% increase in property enquiries.
Other top areas include Hampstead and Ilford, with Gail’s Bakery being a common feature. Experts suggest now is the time to buy in these popular locations.
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The top ten areas to live in London have the same thing in common
If there’s one thing Londoners feel passionately about, it’s where they live, postcode snobbery is a real thing.
Whether you’re south of the river ’til you die, or a staunch advocate of east London; there’s never a tepid response to the question: which borough is best?
But however much you might campaign about your area, the proof’s in the pudding (or data in this case).
Reigning supreme is Dulwich
Reigning supreme is Dulwich, which has been named the London location that has become the most desirable area to live in.
The south east London neighbourhood has seen the biggest increases in property enquiries, making it the most popular.
According to rankings by estate agents Foxton, the number of monthly enquiries for houses in Dulwich is up 153% compared to 2023.
The estate agents used property enquiries to list 60 areas in the capital that are most desirable.
With leafy Dulwich taking the lead, Hamstead came close in second place with 104% enquiries per month compared to last year.
In third place saw Ilford
In third place saw Ilford in east London, which saw a similar number of searches – an increase of 101%.
Other places in the top ten include Kingston, Stoke Newington, Ealing and more.
And, well, beyond being in London and having pretty high council tax bands, there is a theme that ties most of these areas together: Gail’s Bakery, even if its been classed as overrated by many reviews.
The esteemed bakers is cropping up all over the capital and features in almost every area of the ten list, bar two (Wapping and Ealing).
It seems Gail’s and gentrification go hand in hand.
Top 20 most desirable places to live in London
Dulwich
Hampstead
Ilford
Kingston
Stoke Newington
Ealing
London Bridge
St John’s Wood
Wapping
Putney
Temple Fortune
Woolwich
Hackney
Canary Wharf
Crouch End
Notting Hill
Balham
Islington
Camden
West End
Clearly people who have visited Dulwich like what they see, and the area comes with a bunch of lovely perks.
There are plenty of celebrities who lived in Dulwich
There’s the leafy Dulwich Park, Dulwich Picture Gallery, or the grounds at Dulwich Hamlet FC, where you can catch a game of footy.
There are eating and drinking options (besides Gail’s), which include renowned wine bar Drop Dulwich and The Lordship Pub.
There are plenty of celebrities who lived in Dulwich as well, including Ronnie Corbet, Enid Blyton and Margaret Thatcher.
Current resident celebs include The IT Crowd’s Richard Ayoade, Jason Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the BBC news presenter Ros Atkins and Game of Thrones stars Lena Headey and Iain Glen.
In spite of this, and its proximity to Dulwich College private school, experts say it’s fast overtaking other areas, which are now becoming too expensive.
Director of estate agent Benham and Reeves, Marc von Grundherr, said: ‘Dulwich has grown increasingly popular of late, especially amongst younger buyers as the new “cool” place to be – a crown that was previously held by the likes of Shoreditch and Camden for quite some time.
‘The area has also benefited from the well-known ripple effect, as buyers priced out of nearby Brixton have looked for an alternative option within reaching distance, but at a more affordable price tag. However, this up-and-coming label and an increase in buyer activity has caused house prices to increase by around six per cent year on year.’
Leafy Dulwich Village – the posh part
If you’re thinking about moving to Dulwich you’ll want to strike while the iron’s hot, according to experts.
‘It’s been an extremely positive start to the year for the London property market and we’ve already seen a notable increase in the number of buyers enquiring across all but a handful of areas.”
Foxtons CEO, Guy Gittins
He went on to add ‘This is despite the fact that mortgage rates are yet to come down and such a show of intent so early in the year only bodes well for the coming months as we head into what is traditionally the busiest time of year for market activity.
‘So if you are thinking of purchasing in 2024, now is the time to spring into action, as you’ll already be facing a higher degree of competition from other buyers and this competition is only going to intensify.’
