Local Estate Agents - What Is Still Available?

Crystal Palace is home to over 20 different estate agents, from reputable national agents like: Haart, Gales, Your Move and Abode, to smaller independent branches such as Longmint Ltd and On The House.

This year we got yet another new arrival in the shape of Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, on Westow Hill, even though they have prime location, I fear they might struggle to compete against the other major estate agents in the area. The friendly agents were helpful when I enquired about their property listings and even offered to email me any suitable rental properties when they became available.

KFH currently have quite a few properties for sale in Crystal Palace, though most are well out of my price range and would still be even if I already had the 10% deposit of at least £30,000. Not surprisingly the majority of properties on the list are flats and maisonettes, but there is a delightful two bed cottage available on Alma Place, for £315,000. If only...the one bed flat on popular Auckland Road for £185,000, is a much more realistic purchase and comes with the freehold.

Buying my own property is not something I have really given much thought to, as I like the freedom that renting can give you, especially at a time when it is still expensive to buy and selling your home can be a damn near impossible task. Bearing this in mind I decided to see what KFH had available to rent in Crystal Palace. Not a great deal... The best I could find was a one bed flat on busy Church Road for £700 pcm and a two bed, two reception room cottage, that was sadly over my budget at £1,200 pcm, for the prime location of Haynes Lane.

Lettings are not much better at Acorn estate agents, further down Westow Hill, out of a possible 80 properties on their list, only a handful were actually available to rent and these were far more expensive than I had hoped for.

Acorn appeared to have a greater selection of slightly more affordable properties to buy from a one bed flat on Anerley Hill, a snip at £85,000, to a one bed garden flat for £90,000 on South Norwood Hill. Both of these properties are small but if you want to live in close proximity to the triangle, then you will most definitely have to sacrifice on space. If you want extra room then you had better be prepared to spend in excess of £180,000, for a larger flat or maisonette in the local area.

If your heart is set on settling in Crystal Palace, then you may have no option but to buy as it can be almost impossible to find a house to rent and considering the nature of the prices in the area, you will need to have a pretty healthy bank balance. One of the best estate agents in the area for these types of properties is Winkworth, they cater for those who can afford what most of us can only dream about, like a six bed house on Fox Hill for £900,000! Or a four bed semi-detached house on Thornsett Road in Anerley, for £475,000. If you are lucky enough to have a budget this large then other good estate agents include: Cooper Giles, Conrad Fox and Pedder Property, who support the wonderful Bigger Picture Gallery, on Anerley Hill.

If you are happy to rent, then going through an estate agent can be a much safer option. Yes you may have to pay more for the privilege, but with the number of cowboy landlords on the loose, it definitely pays to make sure you are protected. Most leading estate agents should be part of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, which ensures that the tenant's deposit money is secured by the government, (under the Housing Act 2004) and returned once your tenancy agreement and contract have ended, if you're not covered by your estate agent you can register yourself online with tenancy or deposit protection service. 

I checked out Streets Ahead on Westow Street, as they usually have a good selection of lettings and are a clear favourite on the triangle, not least for the lovely addition of the cafe, where you can treat yourself to a latte and a cake, while discussing the finer points of your agreement. They have a great selection of affordable flats and maisonettes available on popular streets, such as a Belvedere Road, Beauchamp Road and Ellery Road. I was rather impressed with a three bed flat on Spa Hill, in upper Norwood for £850 pcm and a two bed house a little further out on Ardent Close in South Norwood, for £875 pcm.

Online property sites like rightmove, findaproperty and primelocation are also worth checking out, although there is likely to be some duplication in properties advertised as most of the listings come from national estate agents.

If you have already signed on the dotted line and are preparing for the upheaval then you might need a hand moving all your beloved treasures, it is amazing how much stuff we acquire in between moves so what last time fit in three van loads, has probably now doubled to a lorry load, especially if you have children. Luckily there are also some affordable removal companies here to help lighten the load, such as British Removals, Moves Express, AJ Removals and our very own Man With A Van.

What are your experience with the local estate agents? Did you find a great high street let or secure an affordable sale in a popular area? If so we would love to hear about it.

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