Another northern where to live plea

[NouvelleMamanNouvelleVie]

I've seen a few threads where you guys have given great advice to people not sure where to live.

Aibu to ask for some tips too?

Small children and I'm realising I need to be closer to my parents. They live in Doncaster but for one reason and another that's not an option itself.

I like york. Husband likes mountains / sea. I'm less keen on living up a mountain to be fair. I'm also terrified of being isolated.

We would love somewhere with some things to do, places to walk, countryside, maybe a forest to explore or canals to walk alongside. Somewhere with nice views.

I appreciate I'm being very picky.

Budget at a stretch is 400k. Maybe 425.

Please be kind, this move is the cause of an awful lot of anxiety and I have bad pnd that improves when I can see my mum!

York is wonderful for a family in the main. Great schools. Not too sure how far 400k will go tbh and there are some very rough areas (which no one ever talks about but it’d be a missive not to mention it) and you do have to pay to not be near them. you’re not awfully close to Doncaster either in York. You also need to be ready for the tourists and it being a bit ‘edgy’ in the town centre on a weekend.

I would defs look at at Sheff you wouldn’t believe it but you’d have much more countryside on your doorstep than in York. Stocksbridge is lovely amazing countryside and walks, close to pretty little village/towns like Penistone and Holmfirth and also has it’s own cute little shopping Sq called Fox Valley retail park - not your average retail park. Has a Next, Boots, H&B for essentials but then some more higher end shops plus some really nice independent bars/restaurants.

I wouldn’t live in Pen or Tintwistle - the traffic can be really shite! Nice to be able to pop to though.

Dore inSheff is beautiful too but depending on what you want your money might not go that far. Defs look though.

There’s some lovely villages around Hudds too but you’ll be closer to Doncaster in Sheff

Also something to consider are the countryside/green belt villages between Pontefract/Wakefield/Doncaster. Your money will go really far, you’ll no doubt have a station nearby with direct trains to York and or Leeds/Sheffield/Meadowhall and the countryside and housing stock is very lovely. Have a look at Wentbridge, Thorpe Audlin, Kirk Smeaton, Hooton Pagnall, Nostell and Ackworth. Some great pubs and little shops. Plus you’ll have have very good road connections to the Mototways in these villages - good for work.

If you think Sheffield is expensive you won't like Harrogate or York! How about Retford? Or whats wrong with actually living in Doncaster? My home town, plenty of nice villages like Bawtry or Tickhill

York - definitely York. I’ve lived there, it’s fantastic (aside from the tourists). I don’t know why you would try and find somewhere else.

I lived in York and worked in Doncaster so it is definitely possible.
I really like York but it doesn't have either hills or the sea.
It has good schools though.

How close do you need to be to your mum? Eg is she doing childcare? You want to pop across for an afternoon? Some places that have been suggested are a long way from Donnie.

Sheffield is fab, and access to the peaks might give your husband some of what he is looking for.

How much house are you looking for with your budget? Lots of the areas suggested are pricey so you'd be looking at a smaller 3 bed or something that needs work.

I've lived in York, Harrogate, Sheffield, have family in Huddersfield and Retford.

Retford has none of the things you want, except proximity to Doncaster.

Out of all of those I'd go for between Sheffield and Huddersfield. Penistone area.

York is closest to Doncaster. But it makes Harrogate look cheap these days. Village around Selby?

York is lovely but pricey. The ‘rough areas’ are not like rough areas in other cities. 😂 it’s very flat though ( the vale of York). Pocklington is small minded little town with a drug problem sadly. But there are some nice villages around there, in the woods...I would go Ryedale... North Yorkshire Moors but also pricey. Not sure where the mountains are around Harrogate??? You need to be in the Lakes for mountains really....and the coast in Cumbria is sadly not that nice but East coast is lovely.

*in the wolds! Not woods!

Scarborough! Its beautiful and not far from York either

Ooh yeah wouldn't want to go somewhere with a drug problem, I'm an anxious mother as it is 😂

These suggestions are brill, thanks. Yep I'm surprised how 400 doesn't go far at all in the north these days. Shame as I was hoping for a forever house with a big garden and 4/5 beds. Guess I got that wrong... but we're definitely not afraid of doing work to a place.

In an ideal world I would pop to mum's for a cuppa. Current trip time is two hours and it's too much.

Which areas of York are to be avoided? My current city is quite touristy too. I just avoid going into town on a Saturday.

I will definitely look at the sw Sheffield places.

Is chesterfield any good?

I used to live in Don so I'm looking for somewhere fresh iyswim and with VG schools, of which Don is a bit thin on the ground. I don't know the surrounding areas though hence my plea for suggestions xx

@ChorleyFMcominginyourears

Scarborough! Its beautiful and not far from York either

Massively socially deprived Big drugs issue Transient coastal town

@Hailtomyteeth

Sheffield is rough?! 🤣 south west Sheffield is MN crunchy mum central...

@NouvelleMamanNouvelleVie

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86156632#/

Just about in budget, not a rough (🤣) place to live and you’d be amazed how fast you can get to the countryside from here...

Chesterfield is nice but is a fairly impoverished small market town. I'd suggest you look at the villages to the west if the M1 in Barnsley borough.

[quote FitterHappierMoreProductive]@NouvelleMamanNouvelleVie

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86156632#/

Just about in budget, not a rough (🤣) place to live and you’d be amazed how fast you can get to the countryside from here...[/quote]
That would be a million in Harrogate or York.

Areas of York that are lovely Bishopthorpe road and Fulford. All expensive though. Areas not so nice are Tang Hall but Heworth is also quite nice and that adjoins TH. Be careful about flooding in York.

One does have to avoid York centre on Saturday afternoons-full of stag and hen parties, roaring and vomiting on the streets!

Yep I'm surprised how 400 doesn't go far at all in the north these days.

£400k does go far... but the places you are eyeing up are "naice" rather than just plain nice. You want it all and a desirable, respectable postcode to boot. Of course that comes at a cost. It's quite offensive to assume THE NORTH is one homogenous area of cheap and available housing stock.

Most people live much more normal lives in much more normal towns or bits of towns. I've just sold my big gardened 4 bed in catchment of an outstanding school for £240k... but it's just a normal suburb and won't have the wow factor you want.

Added to that, in a global pandemic with more people than ever working from home, surely you know you're not the only one to fancy a big house with a garden near the sea

Some parts of Bradford are really culturally diverse and exciting places to live with a great sense of community and less than an hour from Doncaster. Good prices for housing too but already starting to rise.

A lot better than boring and-as someone said up thread-narrow minded expensive Harrogate where the lack of diversity is appalling although there are tiny-really tiny- signs that that is beginning to change.

It really can't come quick enough-the twee white bubble might be about to pop!

[quote FitterHappierMoreProductive]@NouvelleMamanNouvelleVie

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86156632#/

Just about in budget, not a rough (🤣) place to live and you’d be amazed how fast you can get to the countryside from here...[/quote]
That's lovely! 😊

Harrogate is incredible but £400k won't get you much. Knaresborough is cheaper and just as pretty IMO

What about Ramsbottom? Silly name aside, it is absolutely beautiful and buzzing. I'd live there.

Or Clitheroe which is a lively place to raise children. Or Ribchester which is quiet and pretty.

I second Tickhill or Bawtry, we desperately wanted a house at Everton but it wasn't too be. Grindley on the Hill, Epworth, Haxey, Misson, Misterton, Oldcoates, Firbeck. We moved to the Isle of Axholme and it's 25 years back in time, warnings go out on the community Facebook page if someone suspicious is driving around in a van.