... It is still a unique high street and hasn't yet become a soulless "Starbucked" clone of a place -  just look at how awful Balham has become.

The majority of the shops/restaurants have been here for decades and continue to thrive. The local schools are fantastic (I have 2 children under 9). Streatham Common and Rookery is little gem and we even boast our own cinema!
Anabella

... It's a lot more relaxed than other London suburbs and the Common is a lot bigger and more beautiful than the Clapham Common. Rent-wise it's soooo much cheaper for what you get! And I love the overland – brilliant! And it's soooo much more relaxing not having to put up with the chaos and dramas of the Northern line!
Rebecca

... There are a number of good new bars on the high street (Perfect Blend, Mint, etc) and also a Sainsburys local has just opened.  The bowling place is also being converted into a "boutique shopping centre" and the Bingo hall is also being sold for redevelopment.

The problem is, there is still a high oik/chav element in SW16. There's a long way to go before Streatham comes anywhere close to Balham and you wouldn't want to walk along the High St at night due to unsavoury characters. I did and got seriously mugged!

I remember Streatham when it was incredibly posh (John Lewis etc) and Balham was the dump. How times change. The council needs to dig deep, attract some proper brands to the main road (not Iceland et al), empty the bins once in a while and force independent shopkeepers to clean up their tatty frontages. Harsh but true!
Steve

Property is relatively cheap and transport links good. Croydon's ok for shopping and Balham and Clapham not too far away.

Norbury is definitely South London but it lacks the menace of other areas. In the few years we have been here we have developed a genuine affection for the place, its parks and some of its people.
(Ignore the post claiming the tube is coming to Norbury!)
Dave

Two of the best south London secondary's (Graveney and Dunraven) are in Streatham too. And it's on the up. Have you seen how quickly the renovated properties with shutters are being snapped up?!!!

Instead of a pokey flat without a garden, I have a beautiful, spacious 'Arts & Crafts' house with an 80ft garden, just a 2 minute walk from Streatham Common and The Rookery.

This is a beautiful place to go walking (I had assumed it was just a marketing gimmick used by estate agents, but no!). And Lambeth Council has been investing more money into improving the planting, so I look forward to seeing that in spring/summer 2006.

I think more and more people are waking up to the fact that Streatham and Norbury are excellent alternatives to the overpriced Clapham and Balham.

There is a large development of executive flats being built in Norbury at the moment, with another scheduled for Streatham Common, and prospects on the horizon for a revamped leisure centre and ice rink. I also understand that Lambeth Council has a multi-million pound budget for improving local education.

As others have said, there is still a way to go, but there is evidence of development all the time - with Thai restaurants and fancy bathroom stores appearing on the High Street - and I'm glad to be here now while I can still afford it!

I'm confident it will be a happy and safe place to live as well as a sound financial investment.

Norbury High St however could do with a revamp by adding some new bars and restaurants especially now two luxury developments have been built with a third on its way.

Norbury is also a hidden gem for green spaces as there are many parks and tree lined islands. There's even a view point on Norbury Hill which you can see most of South London from.

I am happy here...it's nice and quite...birds sing in the garden and I am looking forward to summer. Somerfield is just off the high street, or Sainsburys which offers a greater variety is less than 10 minutes on any of the many buses that head to Streatham Hill. Great...

"Chandlers" cafe/deli owned & run by Kay with home made lasagne, shepherds pie etc at reasonable prices means that its always packed out with young mums or sixth formers from Graveney school, one of the best schools in Wandsworth, that's also in Furzedown.

When we get a wine bar as well it really will be an excellent street!

There are quite a few excellent restaurants, like Caterino's/UnoPlus Italian Restaurant, Hap Lee Chinese, British Raj Indian and a Vegetarian curry house (I am yet to try this one) to name a few. As well as numerous takeaway, every kind of Indian, Chinese, pizza (including Pizza Hut and Dominos), and our share of those terrible fried chicken places that seem to blight every street in London.

In terms of bars and pubs, Norbury doesn't have the greatest number, especially with the closure last year of the Sussex and the William IV (Beefeater). However, we still have The Norbury and the Wetherspoons near the fire station and the Pied Bull, The Greyhound and The Waterfront are only a 15 minute walk away near Sainsbury's and Streatham Common (only 5 minutes on the bus).

Otherwise, the ample bars, restaurants and clubs of Clapham, Brixton, Croydon and Streatham, are less than half an hour away by bus or night bus.

If you can't afford to live in Clapham, Balham etc. then Norbury is next in line, plus you can get a seat on the train at Norbury. Everything is there that you need as others have commented. What would be nice is a few more restaurants and a nice bar, instead of chicken and rib take-aways on the main road.

We rented for a couple of years, and being a young couple we lived in the city centre, noisey Camden, Angel, Clapham North, Paddington, you name it.

Living in Norbury now I don't miss those places at all, if we need the city centre it is in easy reach, plus Ikea is about 15 minutes away.

There are some signs of increased investment in the area, with an updated Somerfield supermarket and regeneration of some of the high street shops which is good.

My advice is take a look at what is available here, becuase affordable housing in London is difficult to find. With a few more bars and restaurants, this place would be perfect.

More restaurants and bars are moving to the area and with Balham just a 10-15 minute walk away night life is comparable to Battersea Rise, especially now Balham Kitchen and Bar has opened. Streatham Hill also offers a Holmes Place gym as well as the wonderful open spaces of Tooting Bec Common. We are delighted with the move and with house prices rising in this area it is and will continue to be a financial success!

We've since moved into a fabulous 4 bedroom Victorian terrace off the High Road, and seen Streatham develop and gentrify tremendously over the past four years. There's still a way to go, but we are satisfied that we made the best possible decision to move to SW16, and judging by the amount of other young professionals and 'Fulham-type' families moving in now, we're not the only ones!

I still work in Battersea and it takes me less than half an hour from door to door and the walk through Norbury Park in the morning is lovely. All our neighbours are very friendly and helpful, I couldn't wish for a better place to live. Jenny Fischer

Also, there are plans for the area around Streatham Station, the pool and the ice arena to be redeveloped into a state of the art leisure complex! The area benefits from the open spaces of Tooting Common and the famous Rookery Gardens and Norwood Grove at the top of Streatham Common. Now is the time to buy! Watch this space!

We have found a community spirit lacking in what are considered more 'popular' areas and everyone so far from our neigbours to local shop owners have been friendly beyond our expectations - house prices are still rising and despite the reputation given by people never having lived here, we certainly feel that we have made the right decision.

Good train links into London Bridge and London Victoria - or a couple of minutes on the train takes you to the Tube (Northern Line), so if you are thinking of taking the plunge - I don't think you will regret it.

Streatham Common is within walking distance and a Tube line extension to Streatham is on the cards.

Most Streatham Estate Agents use the Findaproperty website, which makes life easy when scouring for properties online or registering with agents. Demand in the area is very strong and at these prices can only get stronger.

However, I can wholeheartedly say I love Streatham to bits - one of the things that has always stood out for me is the community spirit and the diversity of age and culture. There is always an optimism in the air that Streatham is on the way up, and now more than ever I believe this really is true.

People living in the surrounding Balham, Clapham and Brixton areas are increasingly realising they can get so much more for their money and are spilling over into the area, thus increasing market value of the properties.

It's taken Streatham a long time to pick itself up since the last recession, but the High Street is becoming more and more appealing with each month passing by.

The most important thing is that everyone really believes in its future prosperity and it won't be too long before this little gem in south west London will reach new heights....

New bars and restaraunts are opening all the time and things are definately looking up. Buy now, while there are still a few bargains to be had!

People with vision will be able to see that this area is the next Clapham/Balham. Look at Cavendish Road in Clapham now, 12 years ago, no-one would have given it a second look. Now look. Streatham currently provides fantastic value for money, not forgetting they have had the go ahead for a tube extension also.

Nightlife in local Brixton is fab and you're only a short cab journey from Clapham and Battersea.

Streatham Common is fantastically maintained with lots of little private sun traps for you to spend some of the weekend. It's far nicer than I thought it was ever going to be.

Streatham is a great area for any age. There really are some lovely properties in the SW16 area and there are good schools for the kids. Lots of open spaces near by ie Tooting Common and Wandsworth Common and of course the transport is great, 20 mins to Victoria and 15 mins to Waterloo. There are also many restaurants and pubs nearby for those whom want them!

I feel that the area has great community spirit and can only get better from here!