Need help! Nightmare property search!

[KirstyHeath]

Hi,

My husband and I are currently toying with the idea of moving up north. We live in Purley just outside of Croydon at the moment and have a shared ownership flat however, we want to buy our own place outright. Due to my husbands bad credit rating we can only look to get something for around £120k MAX which won't get us anything here or in Kent where my family are. We have looked at Norfolk, Yorkshire, Liverpool, Wales, Northumberland, Stoke, Leicster, Brimingham but have no idea where is nice in th ese areas? All sell 3 bedroomed houses in the price range but no idea if its a bad area? Please help?

[ReallyNotAMorningPerson]

That's quite a wide range of locations. Do you both have jobs that can be taken anywhere?

[KirstyHeath]

Yes we do, I work from home and my husband is a chef - I am sure there are resturaunts etc that he can work in. Just no idea where to start - we are just looking at what we can get for our money but worried they are bad areas hence why they are cheap

[wowfudge]

You've mentioned three bed houses, is that what you need? Just thinking that you might get a two bed in a slightly nicer area for your budget.

[overthemill]

Norfolk is huge so it really does depend where you are looking eg I would say get Yarmouth not as nice as Norwich for example. Parts of Leicester are lovely but surprised if the good bits are in your budget. Narrow it down a bit: what do you want in your local area?

[TheUnwillingNarcheska]

I live in Leeds, you can find very cheap housing and some jaw dropping priced houses.

We relocated here over 10 years ago. The housing around the outstanding primary school was over-priced compared to similar housing just a few streets away but the school pushed the prices up. It is always over-subscribed so the closer you live the better chance you have of getting in. Hence the price difference.

We moved 5 years ago to get Ds1 into an outstanding secondary school and the house prices here, a mere 3 mile from the outstanding primary are tens of thousands of pounds cheaper because the post code is different and the primary school to which this house falls under is a good primary but not outstanding.

If you are looking to completely relocate I would rent first. Local knowledge is key and you only really find that out by living somewhere. But start with what you want from an area, so schools, access to transport links, shopping, rural feel, city, suburbs, local amenities, hobbies you may have etc etc Would anyone want to visit you and you visit them? How difficult would that be once you moved? We have friends down south and it takes us over 3 hours to drive down.

[addictedtosugar]

You could live in a reasonable part of teesside for that price. Tho we are often in the 10 worst places to live, there are also lots of positives.
Can you look at improving DHs credit rating while you look?

Can you afford to have a visit to some of the areas and see what you think?

[KirstyHeath]

My husband would prefer a semi rural location - we have no children at the moment but are hoping to fall pregnant soon so I guess good schools will come into too. I am looking for somewhere to buy and not have to move again until kids are grown up etc. Can anyone suggest the nicest areas in the places mentioned above? Good idea about the renting - we thought we might have a few nights away in the those sorts of places see how the towns are etc whilst looking at houses in our budget.

[PlainHunting]

You'll struggle to get a 3 bed house in a nice area of Leicestershire (The county is much nicer than the city itself). I did had a quick look on Right Move and you could get a 2 bed house (terrace or ex local authority) in Kegworth, Cotgrave, thurmaston or Melton Mowbray. They're ok areas - not great but certainly not bad. You can get 2 bed flats in West Bridgford (Notts, but close enough to Leicester) which is a nice area but not rural.

[PlainHunting]

Esst Leake another area to consider. It is Notts but on the Leics/Notts border.

[Wishful80sMontage]

Hi OP I'm in leicestershire agree with others you'd struggle in the nice bits possibly in ok bits you'd get a terrace doer-upper. Leic city itself isn't very nice, but nearby parts like aylestone/knighton/wigston are ok.

[PeterParkerSays]

East Leake is quite expensive though - I agree with the views upthread that you'll probably get a semi-rural 2 bed for £120k but not a 3-bed, either around Leicester or around Stoke.

Of the places listed above Thurmaston, on the edge of Leicester, has good transport links and has decent schools. Melton Mowbray is lovely but quite isolated and you'd need a car for your DH to get out to pubs / resturants. don't know if that's a problem for you.

Around Stoke, look at Newcastle Under Lyme, Silverdale or Cheadle. Places like Keele or Madeley are also lovely, and more rural, but probably over your budget. You may also find you're up against student landlords for housing in the price bracket you're looking at in these areas.

[Baddz]

From that list I would go with Northumberland!

[Wishful80sMontage]

Be wary looking at aylestone though there is a not very nice part you'd want to avoid right next to it that would come up as aylestone on the right move search

[Baddz]

...and Stoke is the wart on the arse of the midlands IMO :)

[Bearbehind]

OP, have far have you got with a mortgage application?

Bad credit ratings often rule out any borrowing rather than just limiting what you can get and decisions in principle don't always factor full histories into what they initially offer.

Also, your DH changing jobs at as well as moving house means no recent continuous employment which isn't accepted by a lot of lenders.

If you are planning to not add him to the application, that can cause complications too.

Sorry if you've got all this sorted- it's just if you haven't- location could be the least of your worries.

[KirstyHeath]

What are nice area's in Northumberland? Is County Durham nice or Stockton on tees? Also looked in to Preston, Liverpool? Anyone any ideas? I appreciate its vague! lol

[KirstyHeath]

I'm looking into mortgage applications atm - there are companies that do lend with bad credit however you have to pay more. Id rather do this than rent as all money is wasted! With my business I will be able to work from home until OH finds a job - loads of people relocate im sure its do able!

[Baddz]

Hexham, Alnwick....both gorgeous.

[Baddz]

I've told Dh that when he retires we are moving to Northumberland.
He thinks I'm joking.

[Bearbehind]

sorry to put a dampener on things but it's really not as easy as just paying a higher rate if you have a bad credit history nowadays.

Likewise, you being self employed adds a further level of complication as does DH changing jobs.

In years gone by all these things were easily overcome but now each of those issues will restrict your options and the combination could prove a real issue.

If you haven't already, you need advice from an independent broker/ financial advisor to work out what your borrowing ability is before you focus on locations.

[QforCucumber]

addictedtosugar another teessider here too and I agree, outskirts and semi Rural you can pick up ex council houses in the villages for around the price you are looking (Northallerton, stokesley, great ayton and surrounding areas)

[BanditoShipman]

Can recommend L&C as a broker, we used them recently.

Be aware that if you've used payday loans in the last 12 months many mortgage lenders won't look at you. (Not saying you have but good to know)

[Lollipopgirl8]

I think birmingham would be a struggle in the better bits but still doable

Very up and coming city lots of development might be a good investment worth a look

[whiteagle]

Unless he has a job his salary won't be taken into account i dont think. I think you need to move, rent and get settled in jobs. You have no kids so that makes things much easier as the upheaval is doable.

[OwlOffshore]

Semi-rural? How about somewhere around Malton or Pickering in North Yorkshire? Nice towns, with easy access to York (and the fast train to London) and Leeds.