If you have your heart set on living in a certain part of London then you are not always in a position to make demands of the area in terms of the houses that become available. You have to think about the location first and foremost if you know that a specific region or road is perfect for you. You may also have to face up to the idea that few houses make it onto the market in your chosen area.
You do have a really positive option if this is your situation. When a property on the street you want to live on makes it onto the market and it is not really up to your standards then you could actually invest in the property in order to give it that lift that will make all the difference.
Investing in renovation in London is quite a popular activity because people recognise that they are not always going to get exactly what they want when they want it. Instead of compromising, they take the more positive route of taking matters into their own hands and changing a property that becomes available to suit them.