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Original poster

Moving to Halifax? Lancaster? North East?

120 replies

Rosem9 · 03/10/2025 20:09

I wonder if anyone could offer any advice. I am going to be moving from Manchester. I am retired so I can live anywhere, but I'm looking for somewhere in the north. I would like somewhere fairly near nice countryside or a nice beach for walks, that is friendly, and has a historic feel.
My budget is around £200k. I need 2 bedrooms, 3 would be better. Schools don't matter as I have no school aged children.
I've only just started looking into areas and am looking online at Halifax, Lancaster, Newcastle/Tyneside, Blyth, Amble, Carlisle, Berwick, Hull. but am open to other suggestions. Does anyone have any advice about any of these places? Thanks! 😊

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ParmaVioletTea · 04/10/2025 17:10

Not Halifax!

You’ll get a lot of 200k in Lancaster. And as it’s a university town, there’s more going on than in most small cities. An hour to the Lakes.

pinkbackground · 04/10/2025 17:14

Weardale in County Durham is lovely.

ParmaVioletTea · 04/10/2025 17:14

But not Skerton. Mischief night lasts most of the year …

You need to be south of the river. Freehold is nice as is the centre of the city and the area around St Martins - still get quite a bit for £200k. Also around Giant Axe football ground is affordable.

Littlemrsconfetti · 04/10/2025 17:17

I think some where like Wakefield would be nicer than Halifax. Depends whatvother things you are looking for?

Nolongera · 04/10/2025 17:20

I would advise against Blyth.

CheeseSandwichesAreOverrated · 04/10/2025 17:28

I moved from Manchester to the a nice village on the outskirts of Halifax and love it. Lively city, good music and links but way way less busy/traffic than MCR.
Yes, there are some areas to avoid but I think you could get a 2 bed terrace in a better area for £200k.

Hoppinggreen · 04/10/2025 17:36

pinkbackground · 04/10/2025 17:14

Weardale in County Durham is lovely.

My Parents moved there when I was 17.
I got out as quickly as I could
Nice to visit but not to live

twistyizzy · 04/10/2025 17:42

200K would get a small terrace in a decent area though

Sjkeb · 04/10/2025 17:46

Halifax is a mixed bag. Certainly no need to avoid, but chose your area with care.
It has a good town centre in terms of great covered market, lovely well developed area around the Piece Hall with some great bars and places to eat. Other parts of the town centre are less nice and it has a very lairy drinking culture on weekend nights.
It is surrounded by great countryside, being in the south Pennines, so lots of opportunities for nice local walks etc.
It is well connected by rail to Leeds, Manchester and London.
Decent parts of Halifax to consider property include Saville Park area, and Skircoat Green. Possibly Norton Tower or Mount Tabor.
Avoid Ovenden and Illingworth, and Queens Road areas, they can be rough areas with higher crime.
Just outside of Halifax and worth considering are Greenland, Sowerby Bridge, Ripponden, Southowram and Northowram.
A bit further away you have Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, but properly prices creep up out that way.

User1839474 · 04/10/2025 17:48

Rosem9 · 03/10/2025 20:27

Thanks that sounds lovely! Do you know anything about the Skerton area, it looked the most affordable.

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I would avoid Skerton. You want to be north of the river instead really.

Sjkeb · 04/10/2025 17:50

Rosem9 · 04/10/2025 07:50

Thanks! Do you mind me asking which areas are the ones to avoid? When I was looking on rightmove I saw some nice cheap houses in boothtown and one I don't know what the area was called but it was near a park called the people's park? Are they bad areas? 🙂

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People's park is in the Park ward which is close to Queens road area. It's a higher crime area, I wouldn't recommend.
Boothtown is okish. Could be worse, could be better.

Sjkeb · 04/10/2025 17:55

Queensbury, Shelf, Lightcliffe and Hipperholme are all near Halifax and worth considering

HellsBells13 · 04/10/2025 18:01

Rothbury is expensive and most 2 beds are 250k

User1839474 · 04/10/2025 18:03

CoffeeAndCakeBringMeJoy · 03/10/2025 22:27

The Ribble Valley, especially Whalley/Clitheroe may work well, they’re both lovely places to live. Further north, I have family members who have recently moved to Grange-over-Sands, which having visited, albeit during the beautiful summer weather, is something of a hidden gem and property is cheaper than it is within the Lake District National Park. Arnside is across the bay from Grange, and according to said family members is equally lovely, although I haven’t ever been there so can’t speak from personal experience.

There’s nothing to do in Grange though. It’s full of care homes. Lancaster has much more going on, or Morecambe or Ulverston.

pinkbackground · 04/10/2025 18:17

Hoppinggreen · 04/10/2025 17:36

My Parents moved there when I was 17.
I got out as quickly as I could
Nice to visit but not to live

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Not for a teenager perhaps but plenty of people live there happily - countryside, low crime, lots of walks, community activities. Depends what you want out of life.

Original poster
Rosem9 · 04/10/2025 18:30

This is all really helpful, thank-you everyone! 😊 💜

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Original poster
Rosem9 · 04/10/2025 18:37

DenDenDenise · 04/10/2025 09:52

Plus in Halifax there is the Piece Hall (17th Century) - which is the most incredible music venue - it's been transformed, again little shops you would not find anywhere else, farmers markets and an incredible Christmas market - atmosphere is lovely.

Thanks! That sounds great 😊

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coxesorangepippin · 04/10/2025 18:44

Heptonstall/rawtenstall/tomorden area are all cheap and have access to fantastic hiking areas.

Also not too far from the Ribble Valley

coxesorangepippin · 04/10/2025 18:45

Clitheroe and Whalley are expensive, no chance of a house for 200k I wouldn't think

coxesorangepippin · 04/10/2025 18:47

.

Original poster
Rosem9 · 04/10/2025 18:53

GoatyMcGoatface · 04/10/2025 10:03

Boothtown is all right, there are some nice old houses there. It's quite convenient.

The area round People's Park is very much geared to Muslim culture - Muslim shops and takeaways, and several mosques are located there - most people who live around there seem to be Muslims. I'm not a Muslim and have never felt unsafe walking there or anything like that, people are friendly, but I might feel out of place if I had a house there.

PP has mentioned some good areas. I'd add Skircoat Green which is really nice but expensive, not sure you would get what you need for your budget.

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Thankyou! There did seem to be some lovely old victorian houses in Boothtown for quite cheap.🙂
I'm not Muslim but I'd be fine with living in an area with a big Muslim population, where I live in Manchester now is like that and it's never been a problem. 🙂
I saw Skircoat Green online, I think it would be too expensive unfortunately as it did look lovely.🙂

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Original poster
Rosem9 · 04/10/2025 18:56

TheMightyFax · 04/10/2025 10:18

Boothtown is fine, it’s walkable from town. The areas around Peoples Park are very dodgy, I feel quite unsafe walking round there and trying to drive round there is bloody scary.
Hebden Bridge is full of BBC types who have moved up from London so the house prices could be out of your budget.
Halifax like most places has its good and bad points. Good points are the Piece Hall, lots of history, excellent walking and beautiful view whilst being close to both Leeds and Manchester.
The down side is the hills mean it can be bleak in winter, it rains a lot, and if there’s so much as a sniff of snow, everything grinds to a halt. The high hills forces all the transport into the valleys so the roads are congested and in poor repair due to high volume of vehicle and the weather.

Thank-you! I will bear all that in mind! 🙂 I'm used to the rain in Manchester at least!

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Original poster
Rosem9 · 04/10/2025 18:58

Hoppinggreen · 04/10/2025 10:54

Don't move near Peoples Park
I grew up in Halifax but now work as a Relo agent all across The North and I have relocated people to both Halifax and Huddersfield.
If you want to PM me specific streets or similar I would be happy to give an opinion

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Thank you! I may well take you up on that once I've had more of a look! 😊

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