To think there are areas in South Wales we should avoid?

[Vexed80]

Not really an AIBU but wasn't sure where else to post and could do with the traffic. I currently live in the North of England with my DH and 4 kids (eldest two in their 20s). I have been offered the potential of a promotion that will mean a huge wage increase but it means a move to South Wales. I don't really know the area at all but looking at sites like Zoopla and Rightmove, it looks like property is pretty cheap (in comparison to where we are). Starting to panic that it's because the areas are not great? Can anyone give me advice on any areas I should avoid or am I just being ridiculous?? TIA!!

I'm from South Wales - take a look at some areas in Cwmbran - Croesyceiliog, Llanyravon, Ponthir, Henllys, Sebastopol, Griffithstown are lovely with good schools,a nice shopping centre with free parking and they are not too far from the M4. You will get lot for your money there.

Caerleon is nice too. Usk is lovely but a bit pricey.

Porthcawl gets my vote.
Waves to in laws 👋

To live I mean.

I love pembrokeshire but probably too far for your work. Carmarthen is seriously up and coming, it is becoming a cracking place to live.
Whoever said Ammanford is ropey is wrong in my opinion. I have family who live there and they still have a 'doors open' policy. Of course you do get crime but it is a lovely community place and it has a train station which goes to swansea, cardiff and beyond. Also the other way up to Shrewsbury which is a really pretty route.
Llandeilo is lovely but I wouldn't want to live there as I'd find it a bit small now.
My dream place to live would be Monmouth.. I just love love the atmosphere there. The only thing that puts me off is no train station. I wish there was a train station!

Im from monmouthshire, since the bridge toll was abolished house prices are mad, very little chance of a decent 4 bed with that budget. Ditto nicer areas in Cardiff - Penarth for example. Avoid Newport and small valley towns, Wales is beautiful but there is still a lot of poverty and drug issues in smaller communities.

Valleys will get you a lot for your money, but you may have to search hard for a flat garden. They have a tendency to be a bit 'local place for local people' (I speak as a valleys girl)though and people from the next valley can be looked at a bit askance, let alone proper 'outsiders'. Saying that, there is a lot of people from outside moving there because houses are so cheap. One benefit can be beautiful countryside if you like walking, downside there can be little to do outside of working hours. Schools may not be so great.

Vale of Glamorgan might be better, though there are areas of Barry that aren't so nice. Penarth is lovely and has good public transport and some good schools.

Cardiff is ok but you'd have to pick a nice bit of Cardiff. Not so keen on the Caerphilly area. Swansea is outside of my knowledge really, but parts of it are nice. Wouldn't move to Newport!

Yeah a friend of mine moved to Wales for the same reason, there's definitely some no go areas, choose wisely OP.

Sorry, jumping on the OPs thread, but what do people who know the area think about Llanelli, Burry Port, Kidwelly kind of area?

I'd avoid Pembrokeshire as the council are busy buggering up the schools.

I wouldnt move to the valleys

If you are from the valleys I think they can be lovely places to live (at least some areas). I have worked in the valleys and personally I loved working there, I have worked across a lot of south wales and the valleys was my favourite place to work.

There is often a strong community spirit and the people are really friendly. However there is no denying there is massive poverty, and I don't think I would move there straight off the bat. I think you'd have to chose really carefully and be confident you wanted to live in the valleys If that makes sense?

I wouldnt move to Newport either, I much prefer the valleys to Newport tbh. Really wouldn't move to Newport. Again there are nicer parts but to me the general town feels really run down, lots of drug use etc.

I agree abergavenny, crickhowell, Monmouth are lovely and safe bets. Caerphilly as well. Penarth is lovely but expensive. I like Barry but again it can be quite run down in places.

Some people have mentioned llantwitt but I think llantwitt has quite an isolated feel.

I agree with the poster who suggested the cwmbran area

As an incomer, I honestly wouldn’t bother looking anywhere other than Cardiff unless I absolutely had to.

Variety of areas will have properties that fit within your budget. Would you prefer city proper or suburbs?

Penarth and Sully are lovely but you wont get much for £250,000. Barry you will get a nice 4 bed house for that budget.

Sorry, jumping on the OPs thread, but what do people who know the area think about Llanelli, Burry Port, Kidwelly kind of area? DH has relatives in Burry Port who are really positive about it and DH says it’s lovely.

From your OP I'd say you were looking in all the wrong places!

Monmouthshire - try Chepstow and surrounding villages, it's more expensive partly due to Severn Bridge being toll free now but brilliant for travel to Bristol and Cardiff.
Monmouth is lovely as is Abergavenny and Brecon but a bit remote for me.
Cowbridge - pretty and near enough to Cardiff
Cardiff - exactly as you'd expect, big city with lots going on
Pembrokeshire - you can still get some great bargains on property and it's beautiful - again though, too far out for me.

You can get some absolute bargains living in small 'valley' towns, you just need to be careful and research the area well. You might find a lovely terraced cottage for 99k just outside Pontypridd but where will your kids end up at secondary school?

South Wales is beautiful, but you generally do get what you pay for.

Another vote for the nicer areas of Swansea. Killay, Upper Killay and Dunvant would suit your budget, 10mins to the beach and 15mins to the Gower! Choice of 4 primary schools within 10mins of each other and a good selection of comprehensive schools. Mumbles, Langland and Newton are lovely, right on the sea front but may be a little stretch for your budget x

@Vexed80, look at the Estyn reports (Welsh version of OFSTED)
Either Cowbridge or Olchfa.

And there's a new estate in Bridgend called Parc Derwin which is right next to the motorway and Mcarthur glen! And HMP Parc

Also would point out the D BIL had hell in rural West Wales for being, not from round here, when his family have lived there for 40 years. Cosmopolitan areas are likely to be better.

Monmouth, Crickhowell and Abergavenny are towns in south east Wales that have lots going on but are still fairly rural with lovely walks around them. Nothing in the way of nightclubs etc. though so may not appeal to teenagers.

I disagree. The Young Farmers clubs round that area are the best in the UK and the YFC rallies are brilliant. Dancing all night in empty silage pits with hundreds of other people of all ages all night and waking up in the back of your car in a field to a beautiful summer dawn is a fab experience and Builth the night before the Royal Welsh starts is bouncing. The country rugby clubs are good too and have a good social side.

Steer clear of Bridgend/Brackla. Awful places.

I was born and brought up in S Wales though live in England now. If I HAD to go back i would agree that South of the M4 between Swansea and Cardiff would be my choice. Some of those places you mentioned I wouldn’t touch with a barge pole.

Radyr is nice but I wouldn't go further than Pontypridd into the valleys if I'm being honest (and not as far as Aberdare). The closer to Cardiff the better. But that's just my experience. Also English children got bullied a lot where I was (in the valleys)- I think the children in the cities are much more accepting of diversity. That's definitely something I would consider.

Also MIL is originally from York and is happy to say that Swansea West, Upper Killay, Three Crosses, Killay, Dunvant are very similar to places like the suburbs of York. Lovely countryside, have a quick look on Rightmove for those suburbs, close to Gower, in catchment for one of the best secondary schools in Wales and the City centre in under a £3bn regen deal.

Some good 4 bed semi/ detached for £250k.

Swansea, it's cheaper than Cardiff but still a decent city with gorgeous beaches.

On your original lost you said Kidwelly but that's west wales, so avoid that. I'd avoid going too far up the valleys, I've lived rural in Scotland but in wales it takes forever to get places if you're too rural.

fluffiphlox has it nailed:
I was born and brought up in S Wales though live in England now. If I HAD to go back i would agree that South of the M4 between Swansea and Cardiff would be my choice. Some of those places you mentioned I wouldn’t touch with a barge pole.

I was born and brought up in South Wales too - lived all over. That area between Swansea & Cardiff has some decent places, close to the coast too. Other than that stay on the English side of the border and commute in.