With beautiful Victorian and Edwardian period houses dominating the area there is also a great selection of attractive period conversions
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What to know about Balham & Clapham South
From trendy boutiques, buzzing bars and even a golf course, there's enough to keep everyone busy – and rents are relatively affordable too, even though they have risen as Balham's charms are being discovered.
The Balham branch of Marsh & Parsons has houses and flats for rent throughout Clapham South, Abbeville Road, Streatham, Balham, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway and Wandsworth Common. "The attractions of the area," says lettings manager Nichola Snook, "are the wide open spaces – the commons of Wandsworth, Clapham and Tooting. You can also be in the West End and City in 20 minutes via the Northern Line and Thameslink trains."
The area is also blessed with excellent schools, including Alderbrook Primary, Holy Ghost and Henry Cavendish, as a well as a French Lycée, all of which are a big draw for growing families, and it has the lowest council tax rates in London.
The most exclusive – and expensive – houses to let by Marsh & Parsons are between the commons, Abbeville Village and the Nightingale Triangle, says Nichola. And on the Heaver Estate there are double fronted houses.
"The area is like Fulham was 20 years ago," says Nichola. "It is becoming very trendy and now has branches of Waitrose and Sainsbury's as well as a growing number of trendy bars and restaurants and popular boutique shops."
As one of the premier estate agents letting properties in the Balham area, Marsh & Parsons prides itself on its local know how. From the best schools in the area to the finest boutiques, bars and restaurants and the cost of a resident's parking permit, estate agents at Marsh & Parsons have their finger firmly on the local pulse.
Property Types in Balham & Clapham South
With beautiful Victorian and Edwardian period houses dominating the area there is also a great selection of attractive period conversion in Balham. Additionally, a selection of mansion blocks offer an alternative form of period property in Balham and Du Cane Court offers an impressive Art Deco building.
So, what will you get for your money in Balham & Clapham South?
Marsh & Parsons has studio flats to let in Victorian conversions with prices starting from £250 a week. Rents for a one-bedroom flat start from £275 to £375 a week, although ex-local authority flats to let are slightly cheaper. For two bedroom flats tenants can expect to pay between £325 and £550 depending on the location and specification.
As one of the area's most popular estate agents, Marsh & Parsons are renting houses from £550 a week for three bedrooms, rising to between £625 and £825 for four bedrooms, but in the most popular roads in the Nightingale Triangle SW4, a four bedroom house will let for £850 a week. Although some houses in Balham come with parking spaces, resident's permits are cheap and cost just £95 for 12 months.
What else can you expect from Balham & Clapham South?
Balham and its surrounds have a buzzing and trendy nightlife and is home to London's longest-running brewery, so it is only right that it has excellent pubs, which include: Gigalum, overlooking Clapham Common, which has a wonderful beer garden; The Duke of Devonshire, on Balham High Road SW12, which serves delicious Sunday roasts; The Nightingale, a great traditional pub with good food in the heart of Balham's Millionaires' Row; The Avalon with leather sofas, pub grub and a TV showing Sky Sports; and The Grove, a recently refurbished pub with a dining room on Oldridge Road SW12. Balham's social scene has always been at the cutting edge and the Banana Comedy Club was the springboard for the careers of Al Murray, Eddie Izard, and Mark Thomas. If it is a lazy afternoon of tea and cake that you are looking for, head to Bertie & Boo Coffee Shop and make sure you don’t miss the delicious carrot cake!
For more formal dining, there is Newtons on Abbeville Road, which serves European cuisine with a hint of Thai; Double Espresso on Station Parade SW12, serves probably the best pizzas in London; Nanglo on Balham High Road is Nepalese – not to be confused with Indian, which is served by the ever-popular Bombay Bicycle Club on Nightingale Lane SW12. For fans of belly dancing and Persian food, Dish Dash holds classes every Wednesday night as well as a stylish bar. Restaurant critics have piled gushing praise on Exhibit near Balham Tube station and it is home to the stylish twentysomethings and media types who flock there most nights for the food, cocktails and DJ. Every Tuesday, it shows a movie and a dinner and film package costing just £20.
Shopping in Balham has improved dramatically, not only with the arrival of Waitrose but also a host of independent boutiques, which include Fifi Wilson's women's fashion shop and Josephine Ryan interiors. There are also three street markets in the area at Hildreth Street SW12, Battersea High Street SW11 and Northcote Road SW11. Additionally, Balham offers a selection of independent shops including the award winning My Back Pages Bookshop and the family run Chadwick’s Butchers!
For the more active pursuits there are of course the three commons, as well as cricket pitches, angling ponds, Australian Rules football, tennis courts, cycle paths, leisure centres and gyms. The Central London Golf Centre in Wandsworth has a nine-hole course, driving range and golf shop.
Green spaces in Balham & Clapham South
Balham is ideally located for a wealth of green open recreational spaces. Balham offers easy access to Clapham Common, Wandsworth Common and Tooting Bec Common. Tooting Lido in Tooting Bec Common is the biggest open-air pool in Europe and is open between May 26th and September 30th, while Clapham Common presents one of the city’s biggest firework displays for Bonfire Night and Wandsworth Common offers a huge 175 acres of green space with a rich selection of amenities.
Transport in Balham & Clapham South
Balham boasts an excellent location with convenient transport links with both London Underground and National Rail services. London Underground services are available at the following stations:-
Balham (Northern Line, Zone 3)
Clapham South (Northern Line, Zone 2)
Click here for a London Underground map.
Balham Station also offers National Rail links to the City and the West End.
There is a great selection of bus services from Balham. Click here for information about bus routes in Balham.
Which London Borough is Balham in?
The majority of Balham is located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Please click here for more information relating to council tax bands, parking permits and healthcare services in the borough of Wandsworth.
How can I find out about schools in the Balham area?
For a comprehensive list of schools in the Borough of Wandsworth please click here.
Which London Borough is Clapham South in?
Clapham South is situated in the London Borough of Lambeth. Please click here for more information relating to council tax bands, parking permits and healthcare services in the borough of Lambeth.
How can I find out about schools in the Clapham South area?
For a comprehensive list of schools in the Borough of Lambeth please click here.
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