Dunstan Grove, Campion House, SE20

Set right at the top of Campion House on Dunstan Grove, this two-bedroom modern flat extends to around 765 sq ft, with two proper double bedrooms, a wonderfully bright open-plan living space, private balcony, allocated parking and a long lease of around 115 years.

Being on the top floor changes the character of the flat quite a bit. Sloping rooflines, skylights and a big open outlook give it distinct loft vibes rather than the slightly boxy feel modern apartments can sometimes have, and because the main living space stretches to over 21 ft, there is enough room for the kitchen, dining table and sitting area to each have their own space without ever feeling carved up.

The kitchen runs neatly along one side with gloss cabinetry, integrated appliances and plenty of worktop space, leaving the rest of the room wonderfully open. Two large skylights pull daylight down from above, while glazed doors at the opposite end lead onto the balcony, so the whole room feels bright from several directions rather than simply relying on one bank of windows.

And the balcony is a good one. It sits high enough to give you a proper sense of sky, with an open view across the rooftops and treetops beyond, and enough room for a small table and chairs. Morning coffee, a glass of wine after work, laptop outside when the weather behaves — it is a genuinely useful bit of outdoor space rather than something added to tick a box.

Both bedrooms are doubles and run to around 17 ft in length. The principal is currently arranged with a full double bed and plenty of additional furniture, while the second bedroom is being used brilliantly as a combined office and occasional sitting/guest room. For a first-time buyer working from home, that flexibility is particularly handy: you can have a proper workspace without sacrificing your living room, but still have somewhere for friends or family to stay.

The bathroom is equally practical, with contemporary grey tiling, a full-size bath and a separate walk-in shower — one of those details you probably wouldn't put at the top of a property search, but will be very pleased you have once two people are attempting to get ready at the same time.

There is also useful storage off the hallway, secure bike storage and an allocated parking space. The building dates from 2016 and the flat has an EPC rating of B, so this is a relatively straightforward, low-maintenance home to own compared with something older.

Tenure-wise, there are around 115 years remaining on the lease. The current service charge is approximately £262 pcm — with ground rent of £100 per annum.

The location is one of those slightly brilliant SE20 pockets where quite a lot is within reach in several different directions. Crystal Palace Park is only a few minutes away, so morning runs, dog walks, lazy laps of the lake or a coffee at Brown & Green can become part of normal life rather than something you need to plan. The park also hosts its weekly food market, with street food, bakery stalls, deli produce, wine, beer and plenty of Sunday grazing material.

Anerley is the closest station, around 300 metres from the development, with Penge West approximately 400 metres away and Penge East around 800 metres. That gives you Overground and Southern services from Anerley and Penge West, while Penge East adds the Victoria route into the mix — unusually good transport choice for a flat at this price point.

Penge itself has become increasingly good fun. Craft Metropolis on the High Street has ten taps, a frankly dangerous quantity of interesting beer in the fridges and Yard Sale Pizza available alongside it, while The Bridge House combines a proper local pub with one of the area's most active little theatres upstairs. There are cafés, restaurants and useful everyday shops all along the High Street, without the whole thing feeling overly polished or corporate.

Then in the other direction you have Crystal Palace itself. The Triangle brings the Everyman, restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, vintage shops and independents into the picture, so the nice thing about living here is that you don't really have to choose between Penge and Crystal Palace — both become part of your patch.

For a first home, it gets a lot right: genuinely generous living space, two bedrooms you can actually use, somewhere to work from home, your own balcony, parking, a park around the corner and several different routes into town. And, perhaps most importantly, it has a little personality of its own.

Parking - Off street