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!!

mrsmadevans wrong side of the bridge Indeed - been a fair few years since I heard anyone say that!

woodchuck you're right that these areas are expensive (did a quick Google yesterday and was astonished at how high prices are - on a par with my current location on the Cornish coast!!) but they did say they could stretch to a bit more, or even consider a 3 bed with extension potential - well doable with their budget.... And that South-southeast area is waaay more 'English-Friendly' than some of the 'deeper' Welsh locations - I was born in England but moved to Wales at 3, bit my sisters were a few years older and did come in for a bit of light ribbing!

Love South Wales though - If I wasn't hooked where I am I'd go back in a jiffy!

And yes mrsmad - went back August bank hols and agree the Bear looking as inviting as ever, and both there and the Bridgend as rammed!! ☀️☀️

Go and have a look around!

I would agree with:

• don't go too far up the valleys - generally not such nice and very depressed areas as well as being further out in transport terms.

• further west you may have more language issues - schooling especially plus Kidwelly way and the like Welsh is a lot more of an everyday language than around Swansea/Cardiff.

• the easiest move for you in every sense would be to either the suburbs of Swansea or Cardiff. Better transport links, wider choice for schools and houses. I would probably rent for a while in a good suburb of whichever of the two cities you choose and get to know it before buying.

• Out of the two, on your budget I would go for Swansea as eventually you will have more choice of where to buy. Swansea itself is a bit of a sixties nightmare but there are lovely suburbs, especially those out towards the sea and Gower, and yes you could get maybe not a 4 bed but certainly a decent, sizeable 3 bed for £250 ish which is in an good area with good secondaries. Cardiff is great, but it's more expensive overall. But you could rent in either city and spend 6 months getting to know what's what.

For example:

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/51458568?search_identifier=d65e7cebdc77f78bdb10428370ead90b

Parts of Neath are lovely! Great access to lots of places, some good schools. Easy to get to the cost and mountains.

Op, I would personally avoid all of those areas, especially if you have children to bring up there.

Everywhere is OK. Just avoid Merthyr Tydfil and the Gurnos estate.
West of Cardiff is great (St Fagans and all the little villages).
Avoid anything East of Cardiff apart from Penarth.

With that budget you're really going to struggle in lots of the places mentioned.

It's nice around Burry Port and some bits of Llanelli are lovely. You do need to go on a road trip though.

Here is a 4 bed detached in Gowerton, Swansea

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63830550.html

I’m from Llanelli and sometimes dabble withe the idea of heading back to live but the reality is that for a nice house, in a nice area it’s probably going to cost a fair bit. If you go a bit more rural you can get a bit more for your money.

I don’t know the Cardiff/ Bridgend area but of the Llanelli/ Swansea area I would say maybe Kidwelly but would probably prefer Burry Port. Llandeilo, cheaper parts of Gower (maybe even penclawdd, llanmorlais, three crosses) and Bishopston school is a really good one.

Oh yes, and Carmarthen, it’s really lovely there!

I'm from South Wales Valleys and I love it. I've lived and worked all over and I'm now working in Pontypridd.

OK - it's a bit run down and there's no Marksies any more but it has plenty to offer. Being a University town there's more diversity than you would expect. There's a great range of housing at cheap prices. The WH Smith is better than you would expect from a small town.

You have the National Lido - 28 degrees all year - and the fabulous Ponty Park. The people are ace, and friendly. And historically you just can't beat the Valleys.

You're not going to be able to afford much on £250k and it certainly won't stretch to anywhere "naice".

The only downside for me would be the journey into Cardiff. Driving is horrendous.

I'm also fond of Aberdare - pretty town with great cheap housing.

There's more to a home than "naice" imho.

Merthyr has a Marks & Spencer...just saying

You’ve had some excellent advice - sounds like you need to visit!!

I live in Abergavenny now, having lived in Cardiff for a decade and various places in the Midlands in between.

Abergavenny is a lovely place to live, beautiful countryside but enough in the town (cinema, theatre, good restaurants, sporting clubs) to keep you busy. 30 minutes on the train to Cardiff for shopping/rugby/night out.

Schools are good, the local comp is on the up and many kids go to Crickhowell High as an alternative, which is excellent.

I think you need some idea of where you'll be working to narrow down the area! The valleys can be cheap, and you'll get more for your money, but commuting can be awful, especially along the M4. It takes DH 50 mins to go less than 10 miles.

Definitely avoid Newport though - you can't avoid the nicer areas for the type of house you want.

Rogerstone/Risca area was mentioned - very pretty area, but if you have Comp age kids, I'd be avoiding unless you can get a Rogerstone house in Bassaleg catchment.

The school catchments make a huge difference to house prices here, you'll get much more for your money in Risca, like this:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-83701697.html

which looks fab, until you realise its in High Trees, which is off Holly Road in TySign - an area so rough Royal Mail won't deliver to it! Plus its in Risca Comp's catchment area, so avoid!!!!

This house though, is in Rhiwderin, which is a popluar area, and Bassaleg catchment, much less for your money, but everyone I know would pick this over the Risca house!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72021307.html

DB commutes from the Valleys (from one of the places people have told you to avoid ) and the A470 can be a car park at times in the morning- he leaves the house at 6:30am to avoid it.

We grew up in north Cardiff and it was lovely but you won’t get much for your budget.

I live in Newport and would avoid. Currently planning a move to Monmouthshire (in fact some if the houses on my saved Rightmove list have been linked to so hands off )

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
Well that’s odd. I moved to West Wales in 2001 and have had no hell at all. Maybe it’s about how much effort you make to fit in...

I've lived in the valleys all my life and have recently bought a house with my English husband a few miles away from my childhood home. Some areas are rougher than others so you're best asking about specific areas when you find some houses. The check my postcode type website is good for crime etc. Drugs is the most common problem in most areas.

Em, come and live in Abergavenny m'dear it's lovely here .

Loads of good advice from everyone, thank you!! It currently takes me 45mins -1.5hrs to do the 9 miles into work depending on traffic, so I have no issues with traveling for work. I can specify a work base anywhere in South Wales, so I don't need to know where I'm working before choosing an area, I can choose where I want to work based on where we want to live. I do know the valleys a little bit, but not enough to make a judgement of whether they are good places to be with kids. My only concern is finding somewhere my youngest children can go to a decent school. My older kids have already done uni and are working at their own careers. As long as I can find somewhere the kids are happy, then I will be happy too.

Given that your priority is schools I would say Usk/Monmouth/Chepstow if thinking eastern valleys. Torfaen lacks an outstanding secondary school, though has lots of excelleny primaries, and Newport is similar in that it only has Bassaleg for secondary which is incredibly oversubscribed making catchments are a bit tricky.

The issue you have in those areas however are that anywhere east of the Brynglas Tunnels (Newport) are a write off at rush hour because of the Assembly's ridiculous inability to approve a relief road.

Cardiff has a lot of great schools but the budget would obviously get you less in more desirable areas.

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/best-state-secondary-schools-wales-16536448 this is worth a look for you. We use Estyn rather than Ofsted so look at some reports and do a radius search in Rightmove around those schools to see what you can get.

Pembrokeshire/West wales is so very beautiful, coastal with cheap house prices. But the hospital services are cut back year on year.

In that case, I would look at schools first, and then try and find the best area in that catchment.

Or, if you have a particular area in mind, ask about schools in the area, there's bound to be mumsnetters who can advise!

As an example, the 2 schools I mentioned in my previous post, you can expect to pay £50-100k more for a house thats in Bassaleg catchment than one thats in Risca's.

If you have a look at the ratings for the schools, you'll see why! Its shocking the difference 3 miles can make!

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/risca-community-comprehensive-7540665

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/bassaleg-school-7540694

It is worth noting that the ratings are based on the attainment of the particular cohort in the school at that time. If you have a poor few classes it can drag a school's score down unfairly. It's definitely worth reading the Estyn reports alongside the colour coded system.

Unfortunately there is a lot of deprivation in many towns in the valleys and it's reflected in disengaged, difficult parents.

I think you’re going to struggle to meet all of those requirements- though i think it would be the same in many places.

If good schools are your priority then I’d suggest Monmothshire, North Cardiff, Penarth or the rural Vale of Glamorgan. There are a lot of marmite school standards in the SW area at the moment. Unfortunately, you’re likely looking at a 2-3 bed with that budget in the better areas. Is there any way your older two can find their own place to accommodate your little ones? They might prefer to live a little closer to the city center at their age?