The London banana has divided the capital since Tel Aviv-based author and scholar Saul Sadka tweeted the controversial diagram last week.
The yellow swoosh supposedly covers the nicest and safest areas of London, where visitors and locals alike will ‘have a great time’.
As for those left, almost all of them are ‘horrible’ and best avoided, according to Sadka, who says his theory is based on official house price and crime data broken down by postcode sector.
It is a theory with which residents of affluent Chiswick, leafy Dulwich and fashionable Stoke Newington, all outside of the banana’s hallowed confines, have violently disagreed.
And now, data from Rightmove also suggests that banana postcodes may not be the most desirable – at least, if you ask people who are currently looking to buy a home.
The property portal has revealed the 10 most popular areas for those searching for a new house or flat in London right now.
Just two of the places in the top 10 are within the banana, with some of them sitting several miles outside.
And when This is Money and the Daily Mail put them on a map, they more closely resemble a pear than a banana.
London banana: The divisive map created by Tel-Aviv based author Saul Sadka, which he says shows the nicest areas of the capital
It does require a leaf to accommodate far-out Romford, which was formerly part of Essex and lies 14 miles north east of Charing Cross.
Rightmove says many of these locations are the most in-demand because they are more affordable – something that can be hard to come by within the banana.
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, says: ‘While the viral banana map has captured imaginations, our recent data shows that buyers are drawn to areas outside its curve. Affordability is a key driver, with many of the most in-demand locations offering better value than the London average.
‘It’s a reminder that buyer interest doesn’t always follow the trend, it follows the opportunity.’
The Docklands in east London is the hottest spot for home buyers, Rightmove says, with an average asking price of £551,551 – lower than Rightmove’s London average of £666,983.
It is followed by Hackney, where asking prices edge over that at £671,717.
Islington, in third place, is in the banana, as is Battersea in 10th. Both have average asking prices that top the London average.
However, the rest of the locations in the pear are more affordable, from Sutton and Croydon in the south, which have asking prices of £496,748 and £395,423 respectively, to Walthamstow in the North East with an average asking price of £534,159 and Romford in the East at £424,076.
Matt Thompson, head of sales at London estate agent Chestertons, says that while areas in the banana such as Wandsworth, Kew and Sheen are still very popular at the moment, buyers are willing to move further out than ever if it means they can afford the type of home they want.
| Ranking | Location | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Docklands | £551,551 |
| 2 | Hackney | £671,717 |
| 3 | Islington | £818,293 |
| 4 | Sutton | £496,748 |
| 5 | Walthamstow | £534,159 |
| 6 | Orpington | £593,478 |
| 7 | Romford | £424,076 |
| 8 | Croydon | £395,423 |
| 9 | Bromley | £575,922 |
| 10 | Battersea | £992,370 |
| Source: Rightmove | ||
‘In the 20 years I have been in property, I don’t think I have seen the London market as transient as it is now,’ he says.
‘People are looking for value, and they are willing to move out much further to get what they want.’
The high demand in outer London areas such as Romford, Orpington and Sutton may also reflect the fact that many first-time buyers now want a family-sized home straight away.
This is partly because they are getting on the ladder later in life, at an average age of 33 in London according to TSB, but also because of the cost and disruption of moving.
‘Rather than looking for a one-bed to start off with, first-time buyers are stretching themselves to buy larger properties and that means looking further out,’ Thompson adds.
London pear could show future ‘ones to watch’
Dominic Agace, chief executive of estate agent Winkworth which has 60 offices in London, thinks that everyone has their own personal banana, depending on what they prioritise in a place to live.
He says: ‘The data is interesting but I think lots of people will disagree. It depends what you are looking for in your time in London.
‘London was traditionally most affluent in its west as the factories were in the east and the prevailing wind took the smog away,’ he says.
‘Those days are long gone though. The architecture and Victorian street and garden planning of west London have survived and still appeals to many.
‘Many of those looking to start life in London now look to the east, where lower costs allow a more creative food and bar scene that many value more than parks and architecture when they start living in London.’
He adds that the locations on Rightmove’s list might not be today’s most desirable, but could make it into the banana of the future.
‘While the banana shows some lovely London neighbourhoods, Rightmove’s list may show the future ones to watch, offering good affordability and this is where many young people will be drawn to, creating the vibrancy these areas offer.’
Meanwhile, Thompson says that, while areas further out of London used to be lacking in desirable amenities, that isn’t necessarily the case now.
‘They have all good a good local coffee shop now,’ he says. ‘Lots of areas look the same – I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not.’
