Advice on moving to Leeds

[Len4ik777]

Hi, everyone!

New here and this is my first thread as some advice frome people who know/live in Leeds area, please!)

Looking for a rent in a small green town to move in with two kids of a preschool age.

Some of crucial criteria are:

Soft water
Affordable prices to rent 3bed house
Minimum crime and drugs rates
Good primary school and preschool,
Green, friendly and quiet town
Sports, talent activities/classes
Close to shopping and amenities

Moving from Essex, in hope of finding a better place to bring up the kids, with more affordable prices, less urban, with a possibility of settling up a small farm in future.

Please, if any helpful advice you can provide, will be forever grateful! PM me if any questions))

Thanks! smile

Im in Meanwood (ls6) which has some lovely parkland, we have a thriving community too and a number of good and outstanding schools. I work in South Leeds and it takes me about 30 mins each way. I don't think you'd get anything bigger than a 2 bedroom for 700pcm though, I have no clue about the water!

Oh sorry OP I missed that he needs his own transport. Horsforth is popular, Bramhope is a nice village (a smidge spread out along the A road but central village is lovely). Pool in wharfedale also good. Both those villages are in lovely countryside and not far from otley.

MrsWooster,

Thanks!!!

All of Leeds has a high crime rate the whole place should be avoided like the plague imo

Saltaire is gorgeous. Burley in Wharfdale is lovely. Ilkley is lovely but expensive.
If you want walking distance from central Leeds you could try Headingley or Meanwood both of which have lovely areas but can be full of students and quite lively. They are also quite leafy and have large amounts of parkland... also nearby the ruins of an abbey in Kirkstall!
Round the park in Meanwood is gorgeous. Both Headingley and Meanwood have ofsted rated 'outstanding' primary schools.

The nicest areas of the very centre are pretty expensive, I think youd be looking at a 1 bed flat for 700+ in somewhere like The Calls etc And again very lively.

Otley is a short drive from Leeds and much quieter. I think its reasonably priced too?

Len...... parking in Leeds is prohibitive and practically non existant after a certain time.

Horsforth, it ticks your boxes but you won't get a 3 bed semi in your budget unless it's a shit hole. You could try tinshill, holt park or Ireland wood. They are next door but tend to be cheaper.

A lot of the other areas mentioned are all very nice but also, like Horsforth very expensive.

Igottastartthinkingbee,
Great! And thanks for the idea!

All are great suggestions, will need to make a deep research on those most recommended picks out there) thanks for help!!

Not sure The Wharton is the best school in otley anymore Mrs Wooster. But lots of other good primary’s in otley. Can’t really go wrong anywhere round otley, menston, burley in wharfedale, askwith (If you want a proper teeny village with a good primary), bramhope schools, countryside wise.

Harrogate, Ilkley and Otley are definitely NOT what you’re looking for if you want reasonably priced rent. They’re beautiful, but very expensive.

Kippax and Garforth might suit your needs for the following reasons:
Good schools
Easy(ish) commute via train or on the ring road
Walking distance to local amenities and conveniences but close to countryside.

Best of luck, OP. Let us know what you decide!

hushnowthanks,
OK, will do check them out, thanks!))

Be aware that in some areas, the outstanding schools may be Church of England or catholic and vv selective. I speak as someone who’s kids will never be able to go to the local secondary because they don’t have a baptismal certificate

Horsforth, Rawdon, Yeadon, Guiseley, Chapel Allerton are all on the fringes of Leeds, basically towns that have merged in as Leeds expanded. Menston and Burley are slightly less attached. Otley and Ilkley are separate towns.

The point about the airport is the flightpath, which goes over Cookridge in one direction and towards Menston in the other. Guiseley and lower parts of Yeadon are less affected by noise.

Schools in NW Leeds are generally good for the area - there's been a lot of talk about a N-S divide in education recently, so I don't know how they compare with Essex schools.

Commuting depends very much on whereabouts in Leeds he's working. Traffic is slow during rush hour, so if he's working, say, on the W ring road, then not too much problem,, if he's working in the centre, he'd be best advised to take the train and if he's working in the E it'd be worth considering living on the E side of Leeds.

Thanks hun, Bolshybookworm,
I do have a baptised my older one, she is new to her first primary school in September, but I never been obsessed with a religious schools, and would prefer any nearest one, and I believe Catholic school are usually too good thus always oversubscribed, I have no idea, actually how does it work, as never had someone to spoke to... I do know a person who quickly baptised her 4yo child just a month before completing an admission form, just to get him placed into a Catholic school, as its believed to be one of the best in area... Dunno... Never understand that...

Parking in Leeds is horrific. You could drive round for 45 minutes to get into a car park then pay £15 for half a day.

I wouldn't consider it by car at all.

Bramhope is £££££££

Headingly has a very high crime rate unfortunately.

Farsley's lovely! Not sure about the water, but it's got a lovely park, some nice shops and places to eat, both cafes and restaurant. For the kids there's the rainbow factory with loads of activities, and there's a soft play in the village as well.

It's not so brilliant for buses, but near to new Pudsey railway station and probably 45 minutes commute to town in rush hour.

Just an example of a house for rent at the moment www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-53316015.html#_full-description

I don't know how to reply to the persons comment, rather than copy pasting the whole quote all the time, sorry..

Try Pudsey, Silsden and Birkenshaw. Affordable housing and decent schools.

I live in Harrogate and we pay £675 a month for a small 2 bed terrace house, so you wouldn't be able to get anything you're wanting within budget here. It is nice and green though and not too big.
Not much shopping though as all the shops are closing down it seems right now!

Wakefield may be worth considering. Anywhere near Outwood is very handy for Leeds as it has a park and ride train station which is about ten minutes journey out of Leeds

I have now lived in Leeds almost longer than I lived in the South East. The water is definitely softer, I notice the difference when I go back to visit. Leeds is a vibrant and thriving city, it has the largest financial and law sector outside London, so is not as cheap as people assume particularly in trendy areas. Also traffic can be a nightmare. If this is a consideration avoid the corridor heading out along the Kirkstall road then up through Horsforth onto Otley/Ilkley. Similar for north Leeds (although I doubt you will find anywhere within your budget in the nicer areas).

West Leeds is very untrendy and largely overlooked. It has it areas with a bad rep such as Armley/ Bramley (although I started out in Armley and had no problems). Pudsey/ New Farnley and Gildersome area have quite an easy commute to the city centre/motorways and border some very green areas. They are a bit dull but you can get to leisure centres and activities very easily in nearby Bramley and Armley. There are schools and clubs such as cubs/parents groups etc more locally. Lots in Pudsey as it is like a small town and has quite a thriving community scene. Farsely and Rodley may also meet your criteria. You are more likely to find something in your budget in these areas. Will your husband based in the actual city centre (ls1/ls2)or on the borders such as Holbeck? This will make a big difference to his commute and parking considerations.

I cant believe someone said Bramhope for OPs budget!.She wouldnt get a shed there for that.

We rent in Ilkley and pay just under £600 for a two bedroom terraced house but that's really really low hence us not moving even though we could do with somewhere a bit bigger.

I'm from Suffolk and Leeds water is definitely softer but tastes really good.

However, we are moving back to Suffolk next week, it isn't for a country bumpkin like me and my husband has fallen for Suffolk too so we are going back to the wilds.

Good luck in Leeds OP. All the best and hope you find your dream home x