Going walkabout

On Easter Monday, my husband and I decided to go check out an area that has recently become of interest to us -- Battersea/Wandsworth/Clapham. We took the train to Clapham Junction and turned right out of the station. We did a right on Plough Road and headed to York Road, which runs from Wandsworth Town right along until it turns into Battersea Park Road. We walked and walked and walked, doing a huge circle around Clapham. We grabbed some soft drinks and went to check out Battersea Park. We loved it. Gorgeous area -- good transport links; not too suburban and not overly, densely urban; independent shops galore with nary a Starbucks or McDonald's in sight -- bliss. We looked in a couple of estate agents' windows and saw what looked to be some fairly decent 2-bed flats in the area, in our price range. We knew we couldn't afford a period property but we thought surely something in a low-rise purpose built would be a reasonable expectation. Apparently, we were wrong.

On Tuesday, I rang up a couple agents to register and when I told them our budget and the area we were looking at, I was pretty much laughed at. A snooty Foxtons agent informed me that the only thing I might find in that price range would be in a high-rise council tower block. I think he was full of shit. I know that 2-bed flats not in high-rises are not the easiest things to find, but they DO exist. The bloody agent just couldn't be bothered looking for me. I'm sure he's used to dealing with people with a budget nearly twice mine for the same space requirements. Sorry, Wankertron, but this is my budget and I'm sticking to it. So meh. My dream of becoming an Urban Goddess is quickly diminishing.

This evening we are going to look at a house in Worcester Park, which is still Surrey but in Zone 4, so closer to London than where we are now and cheaper/faster for transport. I've never even been there but hubs is insisting that it's a fine area to live in. He's already asked if he could put in an offer if we like it. Gulp. Am I really going to remain a Suburban Surrey housewife? I need a drink...