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Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

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Property/DIY

Would you buy in Barking?

77 replies

AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 19:45

Got offer on a great house just need to canvas some opinion on the area is it okay or would you not go there ?
It wasn't our first choice of area looking at forest gate east ham but can't get much bigger than we have here e17
Please help me decide...

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2tired2bewitty · 16/05/2013 19:48

I really hope so as our house goes on the market tomorrow!

It's a pretty pleasant area, lots of nice parks, improving town centre and easy access to town and also M25 and Lakeside. We're only going because we would like to be closer to our families

AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:00

Is it friendly in general 2tired? What are the schools like, secondary we would need.

hope the sale goes well.

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AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:03

Anyone else?

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AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:05

C'mon i can take it...

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2tired2bewitty · 16/05/2013 20:05

I think it's pretty friendly for London. We moved here 10 years ago and have met some lovely people.

Can't really speak for the schools as dd is only 3. However i used to teach Sunday school at the main church in town and all the kids were very pleasant.

AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:14

Aw that sounds nice! shame you are going! Can I ask roughly which part you are in? We're looking at a house Faircross Estate, very close to tube but street itself seems really quiet.
It's great value in comparison to here E17, and just trying to work out the catch...

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rubyflipper · 16/05/2013 20:19

I'll be honest here, but you did ask.

I lived in Forest Gate as a child and have family there and East Ham as well as Barking. . I wouldn't move to any of those places. Too run-down for me. I don't like the levels of crime, either. Barking is a little better but not much, in my opinion.

AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:22

Thanks ruby, I need honesty! we liked forest gate but can only afford what we have here so no point, just want a bit more space and a garden...

so out of east ham and barking you'd go for Barking?

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AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:23

I don't mind inner city gritty but don't want racist vibe iykwim

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AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:24

Ruby flipper. That was a version of Pan's People, no?

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rubyflipper · 16/05/2013 20:30

Sure was

Where have you looked in Forest Gate?

AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:32

The bit near wan stead flats is too expensive for us and the other part the houses very small, same as we have and few gangs hanging around, local park looked like druggie hang out by dusk so gave it a miss, it was Odessa road I think...

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AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:37

Feeling jittery about this now, meeting the vendor on Saturday

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rubyflipper · 16/05/2013 20:40

Can I be devils advocate and ask whether you would move further out to Essex or Herts?

If not then I'd stay in Walthamstow, to be honest. There's more of a social mix of people, better amenities and more to do than in Newham.

AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 20:45

I work in town and ds wants to stay at his primary school dh works here too..

Problem here is the rubbish on the streets outside our apartment and they are planing to build tower block right in front of us, seemed like an ideal time to get out but we can't go ove the stamp duty, hence Barking...it's a lovely house (head in hands)

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rubyflipper · 16/05/2013 20:51

Barking to DS's primary school will be a long journey, won't it?

How about Hornchurch or Elm Park? On the District line, family friendly, safer neighbourhoods?

VelvetSpoon · 16/05/2013 21:07

Sorry (to anyone who lives there) Barking is awful, hugely rundown, and if you're a lone woman central Barking is pretty much a no-go area after about 9pm.

A friend travels through Barking daily, she says the area has massively declined over the last 10 years (and it wasn't that great even back then). She has suffered several minor assaults (been shoved/kicked by people on the bus) and many threats of violence. Just grim.

If you really need to move, you'd be better off further out into Essex - look further along the district line (Hornchurch/Upminster are both great areas, though the latter is expensive).

rubyflipper · 16/05/2013 21:38

I've had a sniff on Rightmove and there are loads of 2/3 bed houses for under £250,000 in Hornchurch. Nice High Street, too.

AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 21:45

Oh no!

We were planning to use the overground here for school, it is only 4 stops about 15 mins so not too bad...

The violence sounds really grim, I looked at the local paper the other day and some woman had been done for racial abuse on the the tube, yikes.

Some families from school have moved there though, maybe by sheer affordability the atmosphere ..

We were in Brixton when it was thought of as a no go place, priced out and came to Walthamstow and now again priced out unless we want hutch life ...what to do...

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gazzalw · 16/05/2013 21:49

We won tickets to Potted Potter in Barking and 'reader' it seemed like an alien world "up there"....didn't like the vibe at all and we don't exactly live in a chi-chi part of SW London....

Yes, I would consider further into Essex TBQH....

GemmaTeller · 16/05/2013 21:52

DH comes from Barking and would never move back now, apparently its a s**thole now!

OutragedFromLeeds · 16/05/2013 21:52

Barking is an absolute shit tip. Have you ever been there OP? It's not hiding the fact that it's a shit tip, if you go and have a look round, particularly at night you'll see what I mean!

As far as racism goes the BNP won 12 seats in Barking and Dagenham a few years back (they've gone back to labour now, but it's telling of local opinion).

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OutragedFromLeeds · 16/05/2013 21:57

It regularly appears on 'Top 10 worst places to live' lists as well

AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 22:01

I have been there, it's not a place I ever thought of going it was bit gritty but not unlike other parts of London. It can be intimidating here in E17 e market at night can be lively with soup kitchen and homeless folks.

Tanks for your opinions, I need you to be honest. I thought it might have an element of salt of the earth types too, so it's rough and scary

Don't know if I' m ready for the suburbs, need to be in reach of E17 for DH job and DS school

Oh hell

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AuraofDora · 16/05/2013 22:02

Top 10 I wonde if that is to do with the sprawling estates.. It seems mad that they can't attract more young people given the housing crisis here, you know get avibe going or something

Forgive the tablet typing sox

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