To live in a 4 bed mortgage free for £250k

[ScoobyCan]

Where can I find a really good 4 bed for £250k?

Not joking - that's where we are at post divorce. The world is my oyster but ideally I need a great primary, secondary, and a flexible school hours (9-3) job (DC have medical stuff going on so can't manage wraparound childcare). Anywhere?

No I know it's hard to send your kids private.
I'm very friendly with a couple who ran a business employed about 20 staff all on a part time basis. Very school friendly job
They never holidayed. And she was run ragged in work with very little profit.
They ran that business for 20 or so years. And it was entirely so DC could go to Bolton School and later help towards uni fees. They've closed now. But it was there goal and what they wanted ( ooh very outing all this ha ha) Company ran its last legs just covering wages.
I'm a firm believer in you do what you have to do if you can for your kids

@SwimmerGirl40

I live in Trafford and you won't get a 4 bed in a decent part for £250k. For a 3 bed semi in Urmston/Flixton you're looking at £300k absolute minimum. Stretford has gone up massively in price too. Sale/Altrincham are out of the question.

Trafford is generally excellent for schools. Secondary has four grammars, but some of the high schools are dodgy (already worrying about that for when my DS is older!) You would need to be very careful where you bought. Happy for you to PM me if you did still want info on the Trafford area.

Having previously lived in Eccles, it's a complete hole, and has gone further downhill in recent years. Monton is ok but personally think it suits younger couples trying to get on the first rung of the ladder.

OP, have you considered Birmingham? Parts of the West Midlands? It's where I'm from originally and generally cheaper than the Manchester area. Sutton Coldfield is nice, could be at least worth looking what you could get there.

Oh I don't know I think if you look hard enough you might get a bargain do or upper in Urmston. ( I like urmston) got a nice centre and feel to the area
Your probably right about Sale etc
Monton is nice always liked Monton public transport is the pits though
Both
And love Ramsbottom
What about Cheshire way Northwich etc I know a few who have recently moved there very country feel to it good shopping. Although expensive in a uber after a night in town.

@ritzbiscuits
Thanks. I live in Sale and have done for a few years. Hence why I said Sale and Urmston would be out of the OPs price range but Stretford and Flixton would be worth a look.

Dunfermline
espc.com/property/15-bennachie-way-dunfermline-ky11-8ja/35761206?sid=255573

Also Dunfermline
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71023438.html

I live in Urmston a 4 bed i reckon something like £300k plus. I think ours is valued at £340 for 4 bed semi. 4 bed detached is £400. You might get a 3 bed doer upper for £250 (if you were lucky) that could be converted to a 4 bed but would require investment.

Nice buts of Stretford similar price so no its not going to fit OPs bill even though its got the schools and hospitals points covered.

@SwimmerGirl40 I think it's all pretty mad in Flixton now, the whole Urmston area has gone crazy all of a sudden. Worth a quick rightmove search though

@Wow2806 Northwich is a good shout, I used to work out that way. Look up Davenham, Hartford in that area. Feels a bit more out, but your near lots of nice rural Cheshire, close to Knutsford not far from Chester.

Inverkeithing

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71846641.html

To correct myself, I've just had a look. There are plenty of 3 bed semis for £250k-ish (eg good streets, in catchment for outstanding primary) but you'd have to extend over a garage to get 4 bedrooms.

Is a 3 bed an option?

I didn’t realise Urmston/Flixton had gone up that much. We bought our 3 bed semi in Sale/Brooklands 4 years ago for £260k and I remember Urmston, Flixton and Stretford being cheaper. We aren’t planning on moving so I haven’t kept an eye on prices.

We’ve just finished the work we wanted to do - a kitchen diner extension at the back, with skylights, it’s a lovely open room now, plus a loft extension which is a double bedroom and shower room. I can see us staying put for a good 20 years.

@SwimmerGirl40 sounds fab. We bought a doer upper in Urmston 6 years ago, before it was really on many people's radar. I think the development of the centre and things like the Urmston 'market' like Altrincham are all of a sudden attracting lots more people.

@ritzbiscuits
My friend just told me that Urmston is the new Chorlton - bit of a yoga vibe for those that have been priced out of Chorlton (but with better schools than Chorlton), don’t know if this is true?

I’ve only been to Urmston twice, it’s actually a bit of a pain to get to from Sale, despite being next door... I was impressed with the area around the train station, good bookshop, florist, nice cafe/restaurants - all independent ones.

And a lower crime rate than Chorlton.

Chorlton and Dudsbury have shockingly high crime rates.

Have sent you a DM @SwimmerGirl40

Dh just sent me link to large 4 bed detached in (smelly) davyhulme: £695k. Craziness. It was fugly too....

you could get a 4 bed in stretford (you only want to be around victoria park or moss park though - you won’t afford near longford park) for 250k, but prices shooting up.

@ZenNudist Haha! The prices have gone insane haven't they! PS Davyhulme isn't that smelly anymore!

I think with that low a budget you will struggle anywhere besides the outer reaches of Scotland

Wirral - mainly West Wirral or South Wirral (avoiding Birkenhead)

lots of good schools (inc 6 grammars that cover intake from the whole of the borough)

Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool has recently moved into a brand new build and has excellent facilities.

Great transport links with the M53
20 mins from Liverpool
20 mins from Chester
30 North Wales
45 mins from Manchester

Access to beaches and country parks in the area.

Your budget wouldn't cover some areas like Caldy and Gayton but you could may be lucky and find something on the outskirts of Heswall or West Kirby. Other areas like Newton/Pensby/Greasby are nice too.
It is a diverse area with millionaires in Calday deprived areas such as Birkenhead and Rock Ferry so research is needed.

@mycatismeowican 13 pages of suggestions would indicate you’re wrong