i need to be convinced london is great

I am another London lover! I live in SE London and enjoy that I can call myself a Londoner some days and escape to Kent 'the garden of England' on other days as my mood strikes.

Don't get too hung up on living near a tube station because many train stations have mainline services to central London in much quicker times that the tube. I can get to Victoria in 15 minutes non-stop or Charing Cross in 20 minutes.

Poor Croydon gets a bad name because of UKBA experiences, but as it is a neighboring borough I go there occasionally for the train station or shopping. I've always had luck shopping in Croydon because there are so many shops and sales are always happening. There are even rumors that one of the malls is going to become a Westfield and hopes are it will improve the shopping image.

Poor Croydon gets a bad name because of UKBA experiences

Might also have something to do with last years riots and the general disgust of many people for areas to far south of the Thames. Just a thought.

Might also have something to do with last years riots and the general disgust of many people for areas to far south of the Thames. Just a thought.

There were riots in Manchester, which is somewhat ummm... NORTH of the Thames!
LOL! (I know, the riots started in the South!)

Anyway, Croydon IS London, yes, but I mean it does not have the same "Living in London" feel that I was talking about. Croydon feels like parts of Queens, NY, to me!
And I love Queens but it does not feel like Manhattan.

I like Croydon. I really DO actually like it there. Great, easy shopping! No need to go to Oxford Street for Clarks Shoes! Tons of sales!

But, not to live. Not for me. Too far out. Not snooty enough for me! (Why lie?!)
I like to live with gastropubs, trendy cafes, and stupid cheese shops, that I am TOTALLY unable to afford... LOLOL!!!!

We actually did look at some apartments in Croydon, and you do get a lot more for your money - and there is a cool little tram that goes up the streets from the train station...
One flat was sooooo lovely. 900 pcm, super modern and so lovely - brand new stainless steal dishwasher and fridge - big fridge. Close to the trains, and seemingly safe-ish. Parking. Shared garden with a water fountain! Pretty treelined street...
So, there are good deals in Croydon.

Also, you really need to think about being North, or South. Because, the last thing you want to do is to have to travel through all of London to work everyday - But, remember, we have the Overground, which goes along the edge of the city and helps to avoid having to do that - So, if you are not driving, it is OK.

My husband MUST drive to work, and he works in Surrey, and Sussex.

So, we only looked in the South of London!

I love Islington, but it was a no-go for us. I think that is in Zone 2 (not sure, you can check), and it is in the North, and we really could not afford anything there anyway!

It seemed to me that we were getting a lot more for our money in Zone 3, in general, and it was way more chilled out, which we liked!

Zone 3 goes all around the outside of the city centre, and has Overground links, which are awesome, and regular Southern train links, and then there is also the DLR line on the east side, which also feels a bit like Queens to me - But it is very, very cool - Oh, there is a very cool sky tram over there that i saw and know nothing about - It is getting built up for the Olympics, really nicely... So, you have a lot of wiggle room!

Ok, good luck! PM me whenever you want, or post again if you have questions!

And, really, I love London. I do not miss Manhattan, because London is fantastic - i miss my friends, but not the city! Which, if you knew me, would SHOCK YOU!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

I just wanted to give my input and say that I LOVE LONDON!

London has so much to offer. I love it because I love the theatre (even though I'm not an artist or performer by any means, I'm a social worker!). The theatre scene here is incredible, some of the world's most amazing playwrights and actors begin their careers on the stages London, or return here to perform! My two favourite theatres in particular are The Young Vic and The Royal Court. Both put on incredible productions and do not charge exorbitant amounts of money for tickets.

Besides theatre, London has museums and galleries, festivals and concerts, posh places to have afternoon tea, and amazing restaurants and nightlife. Movies premiere here, random events happen in Trafalgar Square, and the public is welcome to participate in these! There is so much to do here with new things popping up all of the time. TimeOut magazine and the website showcase what is happening that week in London. There is something for everyone.

It is easy to move to London and think that the people here are cold and unfriendly. And sometimes, this is completely true. I'm always amazed at how people will refuse to give up their seats on the bus for an elderly/disabled person, or how people will push you out of their way to get onto the train/tube during rush hour. However, London is a great place, and people can surprise you with their kindness.

Once you are living here and have a job, you will most likely make friends with your co-workers who can show your their favourite places and welcome you into their circle of friends.

I hope that this helps. I do love London, I hope that if and when you move here, that you will too!  

I can't convince you that London is great, although I am sure it is, or it can be, but I can convince you that the North is brilliant! Good luck with your decision.

THIS!!!
I love, love, love being up north. I live in a small city, but it doesnt feel city like at all. It has all the conveniences of a big area (large shopping mall, a decent shopping in the city centre [though, it could be a lot better], even an American Sweet shop!) but the feel of a small town. Seriously, everyone here in this city knows each other by one degree or another - for example last weekend all of my friends (some best friends, some I've known from previous work) on facebook were invited to a BBQ. My FB feed filled up with notifications of tags, etc. We weren't invited as we didnt know the couple who held the BBQ, but they all know each other...

My partner may have to go to London to work and I really, really dont want to follow. I hate going down there. Cramped, crowded and people just cant be bothered to say sorry or thank you. I used to live outside NYC and loved, loved going there (would much prefer if partner took work in possible employers NYC office rather than London) and would live there in a heartbeat. London though... no

(I know this isnt what the OP wanted to hear)

Oh, maybe moving to outer lying suburbs of London, rather than living in city boundaries?? Or staying up north or the midlands? (Birmingham and similar cities can get to London in just about an hour or so) That is if your hubby is up for a commute?

But, not to live. Not for me. Too far out. Not snooty enough for me! (Why lie?!)
I like to live with gastropubs, trendy cafes, and stupid cheese shops, that I am TOTALLY unable to afford... LOLOL!!!!

This just goes to show that people have different ideas about what they expect about 'living in London'.

There are so many different neighborhoods and people just have to find what meets their expectations with their budget! I love the diversity of the East End but also like the tranquility of my leafy green neighborhood (unfortunately without trendy cafes and gastropubs!)

I've lived in London for all of 2.5 months so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I've approached it with a very inquisitive mind and have gone out of my way to explore a bit.

My immediate observation is that London has more of a "British Empire" feel than it does a medieval/Tolkienesque sort of feel.

If you want the "big city" NYC feel, go for the Square Mile or Canary Wharf and get a high rise apartment home.

If you want to be at the center of culture, entertainment, nightlife, etc. there is the West End of London. Everything from the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden to the bustling shopping spots in areas like Oxford Street.

If you enjoy the countryside feel, I highly recommend North London as someone else already suggested. Honestly, I think this will be what you're searching for based on your posts thus far. I live in North London and like it but don't love it (I'm a big city person though). If you want to enjoy the greenery, there's Hampstead Heath. If you want to go eating or shopping, there's Camden Town. I live right next to Holloway Road and I'm within walking distance of the cinema, two casinos, supermarkets, everything from cheap to fancy restaurants, and even department stores. As I told my friend, a film was starting in 5 minutes and I wasn't even out of my flat yet - 5 minutes later I'm in the cinema seat. He lives in Colorado and complains he's got to commute 15 minutes just to get to the nearest grocery store. There's a huge convenience factor when living in the big city.

You will still get the small town feel in residential areas of North London - I know all the local shop owners, restaurant owners, etc.

If you like "posh" areas, there are Chelsea (Kate Middleton lives there), Knightsbridge, Mayfair, etc. Knightsbridge is where the iconic Harrods department store is located; their claim to fame is that they sell "everything" but they're extremely overpriced. Knightsbridge is full of tourists. An area like Mayfair has more of a residential feel to it, but they are *extremely* extravagant - I don't know if I've ever seen more Bentleys in my life.

I don't feel like there are a lot of Americans here as someone previously mentioned. If anything, I feel there aren't a lot of Americans here except perhaps in Chelsea. I have otherwise not heard an American accent just walking through the streets with the exception of tourists.

Restaurants will vary. I've eaten exceptional meals at restaurants in North London for £5 (dinner price!) to terrible food in Chelsea for much, much more.

Rush hour traffic on the tube has not been mentioned yet. Especially in Zone 1, you will literally need to squeeze yourself onto the train. If you're claustrophobic, this may not be your cup of tea. The rule of thumb is that the farther away you are from Central London, the less packed the train will be at rush hour. For example, if you get on at High Barnet, no one's going to be on the train, but by the time the train gets to Camden Town, expect it to be packed and stuffy - but at least you've got a seat.

If you do live in North London, get near the Northern Line. I think what will ultimately close the deal is that it's probably the best tube line. You can generally get anywhere with ease, and it stops at King's Cross where you can transfer to a number of other lines (e.g. Picadilly Line to get to the West End) or even hop on the Eurostar to Paris.

So, in essence, it depends on which "part" of London you're living in. You can't really define all of London easily because it differs from one area to another. You can't visit Chelsea and make a sweeping generalisation of all affluent areas of London and apply that same stereotype to an area like Totteridge Lane. Likewise, you can't extrapolate the rest of London based on what you saw in Croydon (when London gets romanticised in the media, they certainly aren't going to portray Croydon anyway just as when NYC is romanticised in the media, they aren't portraying the Bronx)

With that said, I feel English people in general are friendlier than the people of any other given country, and I feel Londoners are generally less friendly and down-to-earth than people you might meet in the Home Counties or up north. Yes, I'm stereotyping, but that's been my observation.

There ARE peaceful parts of London, but they are generally far from the tube station. You've got to balance how much you want convenience compared to peace. I'm a 15 minute walk from the tube station and I've never been awoken at night due the noise outside, but if you're sitting on the sofa relaxing after a long day at work, you'd be surprised how much the thought of a 15 minute walk won't exactly thrill you .

(Eisd, great response! Really awesome!)

There are also a lot of meetup.com groups in London, if you wanted to look into that, as a way of meeting new people once you move in.

There are a lot of meetup.com "American in London" types of groups. There is even an "American Spouses in London" group. I have never met up with them tho, so I cannot tell you much more... But they are active!

I think I am the person who said there are a lot of Americans in London, because I do run into them often. It might have a lot to do with what I do for a living! I always run into Americans that live in London through my job!

And, as was mentioned... Rush hour tube... It really sucks!

I think you'll find there's a huge difference between the London you visit and the London you live in. If you are both on entry level salaries or minimum wage, yes, London could be a challenge, and you'll likely have to share a place for a few months to build up your savings/references etc... But millions of people do it, so it can't all be bad, right?

I am a huge fan/advocate of southwest London. Get yourself to Zones 3/4 and live in the leafy riverside areas of Kew, Twickenham, St Margarets and the more expensive village, Richmond. District line ends in Richmond (always get a seat in the morning!) and high speed rail links you to Waterloo in 20 minutes (never get a seat ). Spend your weekends cycling along the Thames' tow path, hiking around Richmond Park (largest Royal park in greater London), meeting up with friends on the riverside next to Richmond Bridge or watching cricket on Kew or Richmond Greens. When DH and I lived there we were on a serious budget but we had a great lifestyle with tons to do in our price range. I had a look just the other day and 1 bed flats in Kew can still be found at around £1k/month.

Here's the Richmond Upon Thames flickr group. Makes me want to re-re-expatriate again! http://www.flickr.com/groups/richmond_upon_thames/pool/with/1339309729/

Only warning - southwest London gets the bummer of being in the Heathrow flight path. Depending on where you are it can be pretty annoying - I had one BBQ that was "planed" out, but what can you do? That's living in a city for ya.

If you like "posh" areas, there are Chelsea (Kate Middleton lives there),

Does her husband know?  The official residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is Kensington Palace. 

Oh... maybe she... gets around...

 

LOL!

I'm sure they have several (unofficial) residences... All a lot nicer than mine.

But, yeah... I think I read someplace that she may have married and moved into a palace or something... Not sure tho...

i really appreciate all the detailed responses. i'm going to look back at this thread when it's time to start picking a location. because of those new rules that were enforced on monday, we had to rush to apply for my visa. hopefully everything works out.

If I was young and childless and wanted to enjoy my youth while living in the U.K., you bet I'd be high-tailing it to London. No other place like it.

Very envious you even have a choice in the matter. We live where DH's job (academic) takes us, which for the moment is Norfolk. It's nice and quiet here, and a lovely place to raise our son, but it sure ain't London. Realistically, London would be difficult to live in with kids (the schools are a major issue) but with nothing else holding you down at this point in your lives, I say go for it. The robust job market and cultural opportunities alone would be worth it.

I think it all just depends on your lifestyle and preference huh?? I mean, if your very social and active and like lots going on and a fast paced life, big cities like London are amazing!

See, I'm the "In between" girl!
Though I love London, at this point in my life I don't think I could live there. I could live in the country out skirts of London, but not actually IN London (But would like to have easy train or tube access to go if I wanted to!). If you would have asked me 10 yrs. ago when I was in my late teens and early 20's, I would have been all living in the heart of London. But now getting older, I'm finding that I really love my space! I don't enjoy living in small places and especially not apartment living (I get claustrophobic!). I like the pace of life being a bit slower and it being a little more quiet, but if I need excitement, I go to the city! I also REALLY enjoy outdoors activities like hiking and such, so being by a big city but not necessarily IN the big city caters to me best. I can take advantage of the best of BOTH worlds depending on my mood! 

I think it helps to be really clear about what you mean by "IN London."  As people touched on earlier in this thread, people have their own ideas about London, and socially constructed boundaries can vary widely from person to person and from one geographical area to the next.  For example, when using a phrase like "downtown London" or "Central London" two different people might have vary different catchment areas in mind.

I think the wikipedia page gives an interesting overview of London's development (in terms of how it came to be comprised of the "City of London" vs. all the boroughs that together make up Greater London) and the expansion of what "London" has come to mean:
 

Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London. The small, ancient City of London at its core once contained the whole settlement, but as the urban area grew the City Corporation resisted attempts to amalgamate it with its suburbs, causing "London" to be defined in a number ways for different purposes; and the situation was once open to legal debate. Forty per cent of Greater London is covered by the London post town, within which 'LONDON' forms part of postal addresses.

The London telephone area code (020) covers a larger area, similar in size to Greater London, although some outer districts are omitted and some places just outside are included. The area within the orbital M25 motorway is normally what is referred to as 'London'. and the Greater London boundary has been aligned to it in places.
Outward urban expansion is now prevented by the Metropolitan Green Belt, although the built-up area extends beyond the boundary in places, resulting in a separately defined Greater London Urban Area. Beyond this is the vast London commuter belt. Greater London is split for some purposes into Inner London and Outer London. The city is split by the River Thames into North and South, with an informal central London area in its interior. The coordinates of the nominal centre of London, traditionally considered to be the original Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross near the junction of Trafalgar Square and Whitehall, are approximately 51°30′26″N 00°07′39″W.]  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London