A Beginner's Guide to Moving to Fulham

Fulham. A place like no other, and in Senior Office Manager Sian Millward's humble opinion, one of Southwest London’s most desirable areas to call home!

Whether you're upsizing, downsizing, or buying your first home, look no further. Some would say I live and breathe Fulham, and that's not far from the truth! I have been a loyal Fulham resident for several years, I currently work in D&G’s Fulham branch and if anything, this job has made me love it even more!

Types of People

Conveniently located, Fulham is often the destination of choice for many. It's a total mixed bag including people upsizing from Central, young professionals starting their first jobs or families looking for friendly neighbourhood with excellent schooling. Once you move into Fulham, you rarely move out!

“Even though you can get to central London in under thirty minutes, it feels like you’re not living in the city!” says Camilla, a local resident and one our Senior Lettings Negotiators in Fulham.

Whereas Ben, also in Lettings describes it as a “vibrant community perfect for families, students and young professionals alike”.

I live in Sands End with my partner and dog, Snoop, and I appreciate the safe community and since having Snoop, I just love the abundance of friends (four legged and two) we’ve made at Imperial Park [see pin 1 on the map].

Types of Properties

The River Thames borders the majority of Fulham and the housing market here is upscale. From chocolate box cottages and modern apartments to beautiful period homes, this area really does have it all.

Fulham is made up from a mixture of “provinces”; we have Munster Village, a series of peaceful roads coming off the popular Munster Road which is peppered with locally owned boutiques and cafes. Sands End has a variety of new build riverside apartments such as Chelsea Creek and Fulham Reach, along with period properties.

The ‘Villes’ is comprised of many family houses, and the Alphabet streets are a mixture of Victorian houses which form a ladder up the west side of Fulham right by the river.

Last, but certainly not least, we have the Lion houses in the heart of Parsons Green. The Lion Houses are some of my favourite roads, located within the prestigious and very sought-after Peterborough estate, a stone’s throw from leafy Eel Brook Common with a distinct village atmosphere. I often walk to work daydreaming of owning a house on Quarrendon Street, which according to Rightmove has houses with an average price of £3.7m. One day, I hope!

Camilla’s favourite is Crookham Road! She says like many others in the area “it’s a quiet and beautiful tree-lined street, just five minutes’ walk from both Parsons Green and Fulham Road. It’s also my lucky street for lettings!”

Fulham’s Hidden Gems

Fulham is completely packed with bars, shops, restaurants, and other great amenities. In addition to the usual Starbucks and Tesco’s, the main roads are filled with local cafes, restaurants, and shops, where the owners all know you by name. Munster Road has recently opened a sourdough store that sells out by 12pm every day, I would highly recommend getting your hands on a loaf or two [2].

You can also find London’s only Michelin Star pub in Fulham - the Harwood Arms. They do a ‘mean’ Sunday Roast! Speaking of, The Crab Tree is an iconic one to visit, located on a picturesque stretch of the Thames between Hammersmith and Putney bridge.

From trendy to traditional, boutique to mainstream, these are all words which I would describe Fulham’s hidden gems.

North End Road is Fulham’s hustle and bustle shopping street with a local market and fish monger [3]. On Wandsworth Bridge Road you can find Randall’s Butchers (my boyfriends’ favourite) and the always-packed Italian restaurant, Il Pagliaccio or PAGGs for short [4].

An office favourite is the BYOB Thai restaurant named Poppy’s 2, “It’s delicious and well-priced!”. The White Horse pub is my go-to spot, which overlooks Parsons Green, also nicknamed the Sloaney Pony [5].

If you’re into your fitness (unlike me!), you’ll be spoilt for choice here as there are gyms that cater for everyone! From the famous Chelsea Harbour Club, Virgin Active [6], F45, ONE LDN and Pure gym.

Schools, Parks & Transport

Fulham has some of the best schools in London including Lady Margaret’s, Fulham Prep, Fulham Boys, and plenty highly regarded French schools.

Along with Parsons Green, Imperial Park and South Park you have Bishops Park which is a big attraction here; bordered by the river Thames walk, it holds water fountains, weekend farmers markets for foodies and tennis courts for those avid Wimbledon fans [7].

Transport links are plentiful in Fulham. There are four underground stations all of which are on the district line; Fulham Broadway [8], Parson’s Green, Putney Bridge [Pin 9] and West Brompton – you can be in Central London in no time. Further benefitting from overground connections via Imperial Wharf [10]. I personally take advantage of the Boris bikes scattered conveniently around Fulham, they're a wonderful way to move around the city.

Lettings vs Sales

Fulham is extremely popular among renters because it strikes the perfect balance between central and residential. There are great links to the city to get to work quickly, but because it’s a little further out, you’ll be able to find properties that are much better value for money!

With so many parks and local joints, it is wholesome and peaceful; somewhere you can feel like you’re escaping the noise of the city. It is becoming increasingly popular as central London grows outwards, so that it is hard to find someone who doesn’t want to rent in Fulham! Camilla says, “most of our properties go to multi-offer, giving our landlords a range of attributes to choose from; price, profile, or length of tenancy – whatever personally motivates them!”

During the last two years the community vibe along with the race for more space has really boosted the appeal of Fulham in many buyers’ minds. The borough presents a brilliant compromise between the more expensive areas of Chelsea & Notting Hill but also more convenient than Putney & Barnes.

“The Fulham Sales Market has benefitted greatly recently, with buyers finding better value for money, be it roomier flats & houses or outside space that would be unattainable in more central areas.” says our sales manager, Tom.

With Fulham property being in such high demand, speak to our property experts at the Douglas & Gordon Fulham branch today, to find your perfect home.