You can get unfurnished apartments, although most are probably furnished.

Would you be renting on your own or sharing? You can obviously get a lot more home for your money if you share (and it's a good way to meet like minded people). Plenty 30 something professionals share if they're single.

There's a bewildering number of websites you could look at for property, but here's one to start you off

http://www.londonpropertynews.co.uk/

It's all "what ifs" right now, but I would certainly consider a share. Just curious as to what to do with my furniture in NYC if the option works out. Can cross that bridge when I come to it though.

Thanks again for your insight - v. helpful.

"Finsbury Park & Belsize Park are worlds apart. I think there's been a typo here!! The comments that Kate has made are relevant for Belsize Park but definitely not Finsbury Park!"

Ooops Charley, you're right, I was having a brainwash. I meant Primrose Hill. Sound similar, right? Okay okay...

_____________________________________

I wasn't being picky, I just would hate the thought of somebody going to Finsbury Park and expecting to see film stars and tree lined streets!!!

Kate and David, thanks a lot!

Another very good website is http://www.upmystreet.com/

It gives statistics about crime, health, average house prices and what sort of people live in the area.

If you're working in Docklands, then either rent a flat there or rent somewhere central. Don't start messing about with suburbs, it really isn't worth the hassle.

Also, if you could advise a rough budget, then one can recommend with more accuracy.

Ha ha ha I never knew that us North-of-River folks were referred to as crackheads but then I never knew Finchley (where I live) was so desperately depressing either...

(It's utterly standard suburbia with nice houses, nice local restaurants, reasonably good travel times into London, good access to M1 and I really enjoy living here myself.

Then again, I take it quite well when MK slags off something I'm keen on - it reaffirms my thoughts on the matter as I think I'm as far removed from his/ her opinions as it's possible to be!

"nice houses, nice local restaurants"

I can't stand nice, nice is too bland. It's better to have fabulous or awful, but nice just annoys me.

You might want to check out Putney. It links with the Jubilee line at waterloo. It's full of young professionals (and a few old amateurs like myself)and is also popular with yanks, as is Fulham.

Neither are cheap though.

Also if you want to know what your travelling is like the Transport For London website has a journey planner which gives routs and more importantly times for any journey in London

Thanks - in this day and age I don't think "cheap" exists anymore! I'll look in to your suggestions.

Don't forget that Canary Wharf is also served by the Docklands Light Railway, which runs to Greenwich. The nearer you get to open space there, such as Greenwich Park and Blackheath, the more expensive it gets, but it could be another option to look at. It also has overground suburban railway services connecting with the Underground at London Bridge.

Fabulous is great for special occasions but for every day life I really appreciate a nice neighbourhood (with neighbours we know, some well enough to socialise with, that's not common for London), with some restaurants where the food is good, the owners friendly and the prices reasonable and amenities such as shops, a council that believes in recycling, parks and open spaces.

Nice is perfectly good for me!

"a council that believes in recycling, parks and open spaces."

You're making reference to Barnet council's compulsory recycling scheme. This gets them money from rebates (etc. I can't remember the exact details). Also, you fail to mention the 1000GBP fine if a recyclable item finds its way into your ordinary rubbish (garbage...do I need to translate?) bin.

I just couldn't live in Finchley, I agree that the restaurants are good value for money. I love Rani (do you know it?), and they practically give the food away, but the restaurant itself would benefit from a complete refurbishment. However, there are too many houses, no noteworthy shops, no bars, no London feel. It's rather like a "nice" girl, I can't be bothered to explain what I mean by that, I just hope that some people will know what I mean.

I dont care what it is that gets my council to take recycling seriously, I just care that they do...

But then I pay more than I need to for my electricity too in order to stick with a more environmentally friendly supplier.

Yes, I know Rani. Can't say their food thrills me but I am not that keen on Indian veggie food - I'm Indian and lentils and veggie curries have always been my least favourite food.

As for the rest... shrug. I am not into the kind of bars that are full of people air kissing and "daaaahling, ho good to seeeeeeee you"-ing and for the rest I'm happy to do a short hop away from the house to enjoy those and the retire back to my comfortable, suburban niceness.

ho = so

Oh the shops bit - I'm not into designer clothes, not into shoes at ALL (shock, horror, yes really) and don't feel the need to spend £100 rather than £5 on a tub of moisturiser so the shops work for me but I can appreciate that for those who need their designer labels and exclusive stuff, Finchley is not going to do it for them.

though not a Londoner i've spent weeks, off and on, in the Crystal Palace area - a nice mix of ethnic groups and fairly middle class it seems - clean, safe, great transit - trains to several London stations and buses everywhere. Also fine vast park - great for jogging, baby-bugging, walking, etc. Lots of stores, super Safeway supermarket, caffes, wine bars, etc. - and from some digs fine views over London spread out below - one of highest places in London area, reason BBC plopped two of their radio/tellie transmitters here.

Oh I'm very surprised that you don't like Rani. I love it for the fact that its vegetarian, and even without any meat, every single dish has identity, and unique flavour. And their buffet is around twelve pounds per person for a few courses, and to be honest that's how much I'd pay for a glass of wine/cheap champagne in a bar, so it really is super value.

But, if we may go back to the original issue of where to live... There's no sense in spending half a million on an average family home in Finchley when they only need a one/two bed apartment which could be located on top of work or somewhere central. Of course, they may wish to rent or spend half of that amount, but I use it as an example that can simply be scaled up or down, and applied to the rental market too. Actually, reading some property pages recently, there is very little difference in rental prices between central London and the suburbs, there's nothing like the difference one observes in sales.

Oh I wasn't suggesting Finchley as the best option for the OP. I was responding to your assertion that it's so depressing!

Skies are grey, and every house (virtually) looks the same! I'd have to go on prozac if I lived there I think, but maybe Rani would rescue me, but then again all that food, and I wouldn't fit into anything in my wardrobe. Tragedy!