Our Fulham Going that little bit further...

Fulham continues to be one of London’s most sought after and exclusive areas but it’s not a reputation the area has always had. Its transformation began in the 1980s and finished recently when it was crowned as one of the capital’s prime areas, now mentioned in the same breath as Kensington and Chelsea.

Its Victorian roads, bustling markets, two football clubs, parks, river frontage, thousands of period houses and apartments and an increasing number of stylish new builds are all bagged up within an elbow of the Thames between Putney and Chelsea bridges, an area once considered to be on the ‘wrong side’ of the District Line’s tracks.

But, par ticularly over the past 30 years, this perception has changed and its properties have become a favoured home both for professional 20-somethings looking to rent their first London flat and families hoping to upsize without being too far from central London.

Because, although Fulham is sometimes called a suburb its transport links make it part of the capital’s heart. At its northern borders are the train and tube stations at West Brompton while the District Line also offers Fulham Broadway and Parsons Green stations, all of which are a 25 to 30 minute journey into the West End or the City, while Canary Wharf is 40 minutes away.

Such allure has attracted, and continues to attract, celebrities including a raft of Premiership footballers, Hollywood actors, TV stars, musicians, writers and artists.

FULHAM. . . WE L IVE HERE

HOUSING IN FULHAMA wide variety of homes are to be found in Fulham’s SW6 postcode and property for sale includes period conversion apar tments, three and four bedroom terraced houses, less numerous but larger five and six bedroom Victorian houses, mews homes and an increasing number of new build developments, particularly on the riverfront where Fulham’s former wharfs and industrial areas are being slowly redeveloped. The main residential areas of Fulham, like many other parts of London, are focused on the different estates developed during the mid-19th century and in Fulham this includes the Lion-crested houses of the Peterborough Estate’s ten or so roads, the streets around Hurlingham Park closer to the river, the Moore Park Estate between the Kings Road and Fulham Road, plus the eye-catching streets of Parson’ Green and, to the west, Bishops Park off the Fulham Palace Road.

NEW BUILDS IN FULHAMDespite Fulham being intensively developed during the 19th century, demand for proper ty in the area continues to drive new homes development at a rapid pace whenever spare plots of land become available or former industrial or commercial sites are granted change of use. Developers regularly release single, luxury new homes onto the market and occasionally larger, townhouse and mews-style developments are released off-plan too, although like other par ts of London most of Fulham’s new-build activity is on its former riverfront as abandoned docks and quays are updated and where several high-prof ile developers and boutique builders are now building both smaller and large, river-view apartment complexes. Mews and townhouse style development are also being built including on former brownfield sites near Hurlingham Park, between Wandsworth and Putney bridges.

The first thing to note is that the Fulham population is and has been growing since the 1980s when after many decades of neglect Fulham became an increasingly fashionable area to live in. Such was the sudden influx of young professionals that at the time Fulham was said to be the home of a new phenomenon, the ‘sloane’ a stereotyping of the young professionals who used to frequent the White Horse pub in Parsons Green. But such a cliché was inaccurate then and is even more misleading today, although the borough does include a significantly higher percentage of 25-39 year olds than the London average. But while young, affluent professionals do like living in Fulham, it has a population as diverse as any other borough and, in fact Fulham is rapidly f illing up with older families – increases in population are predicted mainly within the 40-54 age range. Fulham’s relatively cheaper rental property (compared to more central boroughs) also once meant the area was a port of call for poor migrants freshly arrived in the UK, but as rents and property prices have risen and the boroughs population has become more aff luent, this trend has been reversed somewhat, as research by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham reveals.

Now, half of its population have a degree and 50% were not born in the UK; a high number of affluent European and American passpor t holders now live in the area.

PEOPLE IN FULHAM

Fulham is popular because it’s a relatively quiet haven despite being a short cab or tube ride from the roaring metropolis of central London. Most people who live in Fulham wax lyrical about its village atmosphere, fiercely independent shops, bars and restaurants, leafy and family-friendly parks, excellent schools and its glut of foodie shops and cafes. But while Fulham pulls in families looking for a more affordable, larger homes (compared to Kensington and Chelsea) the area is also popular with younger, well-paid professionals who either rent or buy the area’s apartments including new-builds and period conversions, values for which are fast approaching the prices of four or five bedroom houses in less desirable parts of SW London. This group are also attracted to the area’s pubs and wine bars which have a reputation as places to ‘be seen’ and make for a lively atmosphere in many parts Fulham on Friday and Saturday nights.

Fulham has also become a hub for the French, who have moved to the area to be near its famous and vastly over-subscribed Ecole Marie d’Orliac school, although French residents locally also cluster around Brook Green, which is more a Hammersmith area than a Fulham one.

But Fulham’s broad attractions include its two football clubs – Fulham and Chelsea FCs – and on match days the streets around the clubs become pretty much pedestranised as thousands of fans pour in and out the stadiums.

The area also has two famous markets, the North End Road Market between Fulham Broadway and Lillie Road and, behind Fulham Broadway, the food-focused Union Market.

But no guide to Fulham would be complete without a mention of its parks. The flagship is Bishop’s Park in Fulham’s west which has a river frontage and has recently had a Lottery-funded makeover. But other parks worth a mention include Stevenage Park and Rowberry Mead up the river from Bishop’s Park, plus Hurlingham Park and South Park down the river and Eel Park Common and Parson’s Green further inland.

WHY FULHAM?

YOUR TEAMOur dedicated team of property experts aim to lessen the stress of moving home through organisation and unparalleled local knowledge and are thrilled to be able to bring this expertise north of the river as well as south. What’s more, our multi-office marketing policy means you can talk to us about property in Fulham and Parsons Green in any of our offices.

124 Wandsworth Bridge Road SW6 2UL 020 7183 4000

Have you met Deborah?Senior Associate Director

Deborah@jphomes.co.uk 020 8767 00864 Bellevue Road, Wandsworth Common, SW17 7EG

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NIC CARTER - Sales Negotiator niccarter@jphomes.co.uk

DEBORAH BUNTING - Operations Director deborah@jphomes.co.uk

TOM HARVEY - Senior Sales Negotiator tomharvey@jphomes.co.uk

ELLIE BAILEY - Team Administrator fulham@jphomes.co.uk

124 Wandsworth Bridge Road SW6 2UL 020 7183 4000