Downsizing in West Dulwich: What You Would Actually Release
Selling at the £1,000,000 West Dulwich average and buying at £700,000 releases about £257,300 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £42,700 of it.
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to. There is no obligation.
Selling at the £1,000,000 West Dulwich average and buying at £700,000 releases about £257,300 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £42,700 of it.
The downsizing sum for West Dulwich
Start with the gap. Selling at £1,000,000 and buying at 70% of that, £700,000, leaves £300,000 before costs. Costs are the part people underestimate.
Agent fees at 1.5% are £15,000. Stamp duty on the purchase is £25,000. Total £42,700, leaving £257,300 in hand.
Moving within London rather than out of it keeps you near family and known services. The average price across the county towns we cover is £732,469, against £1,000,000 here.
Where the sale proceeds go
The commercial page for this town sets out the introduction itself: Equity release in West Dulwich.
Two routes to the same cash, priced
A lifetime mortgage at 65 on the same property would release about £340,000. Downsizing nets £257,300. The difference is that downsizing costs you the house, and equity release costs you the estate.
Over twenty years that £340,000 release grows to roughly £1,198,039. The downsizing figure does not grow at all, because there is no debt.
Bands, stock and timing
Council tax follows the property, not the person. Band D in West Dulwich is £1,967, and a smaller home may sit in a lower band. Check the band before you offer, not after.
Downsizing works best when you are not in a hurry.
What a move within West Dulwich looks like
The schools families ask about here are Kingsdale Foundation School, Rosendale Primary School, Dulwich Wood Primary School, Bessemer Grange Primary School and Dulwich College (independent). 4 local schools were rated Good or Outstanding overall at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection. Ratings age between inspections, so read the latest report before you rely on one.
On getting about: West Dulwich to London Victoria takes about 15 min.
By price, West Dulwich ranks 36 of the 320 London locations we cover, at £1,000,000 against a county average of £732,469. Band D council tax here is £1,967, against an average of £2,121 across the towns we cover in the county.
Is West Dulwich right to stay in?
West Dulwich is a leafy, affluent, family suburb with period houses & a great deal of green space.
The full local guide covers schools, transport and the market in detail: West Dulwich property and area guide.
- A leafy, affluent, well-schooled family suburb
- Trains to Victoria (~15 min) & the City
- Outstanding schools (Rosendale & Kingsdale)
- The Dulwich Picture Gallery & the culture
- Belair Park, Dulwich Park & the woods
- A premium suburb at London prices and above
- No Tube, a rail-and-bus suburb
- The greenest roads are a walk from the station
- The busy South Circular on the fringe
- Dulwich Estate scheme of management & consents
| Who it suits | Out of five | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Families | ★★★★★ | Outstanding schools (Rosendale Primary and Kingsdale Foundation School are Outstanding; Dulwich Wood and Bessemer Grange are Good primaries), the Dulwich Picture Gallery, Belair Park and Dulwich Park, and a safe, leafy, well-connected setting make this a superb family suburb. |
| Upsizers | ★★★★★ | Handsome Victorian and Edwardian houses, many on the Dulwich Estate, give real family space and gardens, at a premium, but with excellent schools, green space and a good commute. |
| Professionals | ★★★★☆ | A leafy home with trains to Victoria in around fifteen minutes and to Blackfriars, Farringdon and the City suits professionals wanting space and connectivity, if not a Tube on the doorstep. |
| Commuters | ★★★★☆ | West Dulwich runs into Victoria in around fifteen minutes and, via Thameslink, into the City and out to the airports, with Herne Hill and Tulse Hill nearby, a strong rail commute, though there is no Underground. |
| First-time buyers | ★★☆☆☆ | Period conversions and purpose-built flats (often around £400,000 to £650,000) offer a way in, but house prices are firmly at premium London levels, so this is a stretch for many first-time buyers. |
West Dulwich is known locally for The Dulwich Picture Gallery. The Dulwich Picture Gallery, opened in 1817, England's oldest purpose-built public art gallery, designed by Sir John Soane, a world-class landmark on the doorstep.
Practical detail for West Dulwich: the SE21 postcode district, West Dulwich (Southern & Thameslink), Victoria ~15 min; Blackfriars, Farringdon & the City; no Tube and nearest A and E is King's College Hospital (Denmark Hill), a short drive, verify with NHS.
West Dulwich has history behind the price. In Medieval, A rural manor of woods and commons on the western slopes of Dulwich, part of the Great North Wood.
West Dulwich at a glance
| Downsizing line | West Dulwich figure |
|---|---|
| Sale price, local average | £1,000,000 |
| Purchase at 70% of value | £700,000 |
| Estate agent at 1.5% | £15,000 |
| Stamp duty on purchase | £25,000 |
| Legal and moving | £2,700 |
| Total costs | £42,700 |
| Net released | £257,300 |
| Lifetime mortgage alternative at 65 | £340,000 |
Figures are local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own numbers before acting on them.
Ask about West Dulwich
Three details is all we need. You are told before anything is passed to a partner firm.
Your checklist
- A real valuation of your home, not the £1,000,000 average
- The council tax band of the property you are buying
- Total moving costs of about £42,700
- The equity release comparison, in writing, before you decide
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to. There is no obligation.
Check broadband before you make an offer in West Dulwich
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in West Dulwich, so check the exact address before you commit. Ofcom's free checker shows which broadband speeds and mobile coverage are available at any UK property.
We can introduce you to a specialist who can combine your mobile, broadband and utilities into one bill. There's no fee for the introduction.
We don't provide these services ourselves. Switching household bills is not a regulated financial service, so FCA protections and the Financial Ombudsman do not apply. We'll only pass your details to the specialist if you ask us to. See our privacy notice.
Questions people ask
How much would I release by downsizing in West Dulwich?
Is downsizing better than equity release?
What are the costs of moving?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in West Dulwich?
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