Moving to London and Finding a Place
I'm starting my 1st year as an analyst in London (City, not Canary Wharf) this summer and I'm looking for a studio to live in.
I'm moving in from another country and I'm not too familiar with the housing market in London. I would greatly appreciate any help with this matter.
Where should I start looking for an apartment? Websites? Agencies? Any companies that rent out studios? Something else?
Which areas would you recommend?
Should I fly in to London prior to moving to see the places before moving in/making a contract? What would be the best way to handle all this logistically?
I would really like to find my own place (not share). How much should I realistically look to pay for living alone?
Obviously the closer to work the better, but I don't work in IB so the hours are not going to be as bad. Hence I don't think I need to necessarily live super close. Also, it's not too important for me to live in an area with good night life etc. (although I do understand why this is important for many people!)
Any tips for finding an apartment or living in London in general would be greatly appreciated.
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Where to look: Zoopla, PrimeLocation, Rightmove
Area: depends on how you want to commute to work. If you want to walk (say 20-30 mins) you could live in Shoreditch, Waterloo, Southwark, Clerkenwell, Whitechapel or Covent Garden (good luck finding an affordable place in the last one). If you want to take transport like the tube or bus then you can pretty much choose anything within zone 1 and you'll be a 25-30 minute commune from Bank, Liverpool Street, Moorgate or Monument stations.
Cost and logistics: contracts move fast so if you have the time and money I suggest you spend a couple days in London doing as many viewings as possible. Timelines also move fast; you could view a house Monday morning, make an offer by Monday evening and have the landlord accept it by Tuesday morning. As for costs, living alone in the areas mentioned above (with the exception of Covent Garden) will cost anywhere from £250-300 per week. London is expensive unfortunately and these price ranges will get you a decent 1 bedroom but it'll still be pricey (here is an example for Southwark)
If you don't need to live super close and want an area with a young crowd and great nightlife then Shoreditch should be a good bet.
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I would check it out on the property. If you take the flat I linked in my earlier comment, it is gone. This flat has just been added and is available from the end of June so flats for the start of July will be on the market next week or so (some even earlier).
My suggestion is to spend this week making a list of places you like and blast emailing agents with all the questions you may have. Book 2-3 days of packed viewings ASAP and see them.
You can start searching at Zoopla and Rightmove. If you need need help, you can find agencies on these websites. If you need to find the neighbors - search on Spareroom.
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If you want to live alone, then you're paying a significant premium. Even people working full time FO jobs usually will keep living in shared accommodation in London for quite a few years as it saves so much money. Are you sure the cost will be worth living alone?
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