Property

East Street market is an ecclectic mix of different things that can be bought really cheap. Walworth is a unknown tourist delight which has plenty of history and worth visiting if you are a tourist. Historically Walworth was owned by Church of Canterbury, and used to have corn fields. Michael Faraday who invented electricity was born there, and the primary school Michael Faraday was named after him and is close to East street Market. Historically Walworth was part of Surrey until London expanded. Original London pre-mediavael times was very small and only included the land between Tower Bridge and not even as far as Westminister.
The SouthLondonGuide website gives more information about the history of Walworth (and other areas in South London) and is a delight to read.

There is an element of truth in what has been said by comment1, but it has been put too bluntly, is over-political and is possibly not what people want to read. Just be aware of some of the pitfalls of the area - if you are to personally live there and the investment benefits if you are not. The regeneration of Elephant & Castle may well be a starting point to improving Walworth. Moving people about is obviously not possible(or ideal) and regeneration is ideal and I strongly hope that this area does have some life pumped back into it, so that there is proportionally a better calibre of people living there, and that those who need a kick up the backside are finally motivated to get out of the poverty that they are in. Having been extremely poor myself I know that people either work twice as hard to get out of their poverty, or don't and create misery for others. The comments by comment 1, are a non-pc version of the reality that does exist. She is clearly venting her frustration at those specific poor people who made her living experience in this location not so pleasant and being frank about the living realities of the area, rather than just the investment potential that has been cited on the website. If your website does not wish to hear from people who have actually lived in the locations you are promoting or hear anything negative about these locations then it should not include a comments box or it should vet them before posting them on its website, or better still make it clear to readers that you do not wish people to email personal content/stories.

I grew up in this area from the age of 4 to 9 years old. I went to Michael Faraday primary school. I remember the grim tower block houses. My parents had bought a shop on the Albany rd. We later had to move into council accomodation in St George's Way (though as private and not council tenants) because the shop was bought by the council in order to demolish it. It was on the edge of Burgess Park. I recall going to hte adventure playground in burgess park and the after school playcentre in my school that was for kids whose parents couldnt pick them up straight from school. In many ways it was very advanced. The after-school facility was and still is an excellent idea.
I was too young to appreciate how close we were to central London. But I recall being able to see Tower Bridge from our flat balcony - we were on the 4th floor.
But I didnt have the best memories there because my parents were Indian Kenyan migrants who had a lot of racism in this area. Our shop was frequently the target of being robbed, having windows smashed and my dad being threatened with a broken bottle. Our car was frequently joy-ridden, and we were once attacked by boys with airguns. Both at the shop and on the council estate was an awful living experience.
The area is full of low-lifes and rough people. There weren't many shops around, everywhere was quite sparce, and the tower blocks really do make the place look awful.
A lick of paint would do the trick.
I recently went back as a 32year old woman and was able to see the benefits of the location from a working perspective, but the place still has awful memories for me. The estate that I lived on has greatly improved and been demolished wiht new flats in its place, only 2 blocks remain including the one that I lived in - Quedgeley court.
The flats were very nice even when we lived in them, our block at that time was also very nice, but the people in the area are what ruin it. The lifts were frequently stinking of piss, the milkmen had already stopped coming to the flats, and by the time we left in the early 80's even the postmen refused to go there. All because people who are on benefits, who have not bothered to get out of their poverty and who have no appreciation for how close they are to the city are the type of people who live there. If they were to look for jobs they would be in an enviable position 20minutes from Waterloo as you point out.
The location itself is fantastic, and aside from the somewhat depressing skyline the area has a lot of potential. But if the people are still the same type that we encountered - it does not bide well for non-white/non-black residents, or more affluent people.
I strongly believe that council tenants ought to be located outside of London, so that the flats that they occupy can be used by people who would appreciate them - people who work in the city. It is a real shame that that is not the case. What is the point of having dossers and layabouts who don't work in this location. Even in Holborn there are council flats with people who are on benefits. These people ought to be shifted out of the city - since they have no intention of working, so that the rest of us who do work, can reside closer to work.
Apologies that I cannot be more positive about this area, but it is best to be honest so that people know exactly what they are up for. People can see both sides of the situation and then make the best choices for them. There is clearly a reason why people have chosen not to live in this area in spite of its proximity to London, and that is simple down to the layabout people who live there. London would definately benefit from shifting long term benefit council tenants out of the area.