Anyone got a house to sell in Bishopston?!

[redllamayellowllama]

We've narrowed our search to Bishopston but are currently in London. I've been subject to lots of estate agents telling me that properties will go if we don't hurry on down. The earliest we can be down for viewing is next weekend so, quite frankly, I want to tell them to get lost.

But, this property is my idea of heaven, bit I've been told it will definitely be under offer by next week.

So, I got to thinking, I've got buggies and maternity clothes through Mumsnet, I wonder if I can get a house?!

EA in "still very annoying" shocker!

Only kidding, but on the EA front, personal experience would suggest that you avoid Taylors like the plague. Kendall Harper are also prone to their cowboy moments, but do seem to have a very strong presence in Bishpston.

I've had first-hand experience of Andrews Westbury branch (selling off my fathers house after he passed away) and found them to be as professional and contientious as you could expect an EA to be. Suppose that reality is that you'll end up going with whoever has the property you want, but figured I'd give you a heads up.

Re Southdown Road, you would be unlucky to miss out on WoT primary, but as others have said, no-one could guarantee it for you. Other advantage of Southdown is that you can get straight into Blaise Woods via the golf course without crossing any main roads etc, so its great for the kids in that respect. Canford Park is also lovely for the little'uns (and bigger'uns as well).

For your budget, you may have more luck looking in Henleaze than WoT - although some of the properties are very expensive, you can also pick up some really spacious 50s-60s semis for a good price (if you don't mind a bit of work) that should get you into Henleaze. Also agree with people's comments about Horfield primary, and there is probably more value for money to be had in that area. Just suggest you avoid the main roads (like Wellington Hill West). Wouldn't worry too much about the commute either - it wouldn't add on more than 10 mins max to/from Henbury.

Good luck. Expect there'll be a few more coming on the market in the near future.

Hi all, just reviving this as we are due to go doing this weekend to look at 9 different properties. I'm feeling quite excited about it all, especially after a positive meeting with a mortgage advisor today.

So, we're looking at 2 on Southdown Road, 1 on Lampeter Road, 1 on Lyndale Avenue, 1 on Reedley Road which isn't online yet but is another doer-upper and this Sea Mills Lane house which we feel is going to have some kind of catch; we're prepared for the railway station already but think there is something else we're not seeing.

Thanks again for all your help, any thoughts you can offer on the above would be much appreciated. Will come back with full reports after the weekend.

The Sea Mills Lane - I don't know the road itself, but sea mills is not the most salubrious area (sorry, don't want to piss anyone off that lives there! )

Parry's Lane/stoke bishop is very smart, HUGE houses but as you get out of the other side of stoke bishop there is a lot of what I assume (by the way they look) council housing. I drove that way just this evening and I would guess that sea mills lane is right on the edge of what looks like a council estate.

That'll be what the catch is, if you ask me.

My thoughts on the Sea Mills house - you'd need to check flooding risk if it's that close to the Severn. Also, as it's tidal, the view might be nice at high tide, but a lot of the time you'd be looking at (and smelling....) a large expanse of mud. You're also the wrong side of the Portway (major two/three lane commuter road into Bristol), and by the look of it quite close to it, so traffic noise and fumes might also be an issue. Generally I think that corner is a a bit cut-off from everything else because of the road and the train line. And as Golly says, that area is certainly not as well-off as further up the hill in Stoke Bishop etc. But you would have a very nice fish and chip shop about ten minutes' walk away (and a Co-op and other takeaways on Shirehampton Road), and the station is handy for trips into town without a car.

Location-wise, with small children and schools to think about, I'd say the Lampeter Road one is the best of the ones you've linked to - all the shops of Westbury village, close to a decent school, Canford Park, bus routes into town etc. But you really need to come and have a wander round to get the feel of the place.

I agree with exexpat - Lampeter Rd is really handy for Westbury Village and for walking around generally. Southdown Rd is slightly further from local amenities, but not unwalkable. Reedley Rd is probably the "smartest" address, so I would imagine the "doer-upper" might need tons of work. It is a nice place to live though and very close to Elmlea school (depending how far down the raod the house is - if it is the far side of Parry's lane you may need to just check the distance....). Stoke Lane shops would be handy for you and there is a well-regarded pre-school on Reedly rd too.
The Sea Mills one is going to be a similar situation to that beautiful house in Henbury. Nicer house - grottier area.
Good luck with the search. Let us know what you think!

Interesting day of viewings. Everything in the ideal location in terms of schools, proximity to WoT was a place that would serious renovating, but was already at the top of our budget. We love the area though. So, we're quite interested in this house and are very much contemplating making an offer. Thoughts?

I really don't know your budget but if you were to offer on that property, I'd go quite a bit lower than that asking price just my opinion. It needs a lot of work and bear in mind that it is borderline southmead which is not as desirable as if you were to go a bit further up wellington hill west towards Kellaway. I think (just my personal opinion) that I would be looking more up that way than where that house is...you would still get in Horfield school I should think

don't know what you think of terraced houses but to give you an example to compare what you get money wise
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-17869647.html
or this
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-31749287.html

My thoughts are that you will never again have to worry about where you are going to store your clothes

Good luck, can't offer any more advice really because I don't know that area so well.

Redllama - I think you could turn that into a very nice house. CHST is right in that it is not as well regarded an area, however I don't think it's particularly bad either. I have a friend on Cransley Crescent and another on Kelston Rd, which are very close to where you are looking, and neither have had any problems living there as far as I know. There are some handy shops at the end of Wellington Hill West which could be easily walkable, Henleaze rd wouldn't be too far and both would be nicer than walking around Southmead Rd. Good luck with it all.

We looked at quite a few places in a similar state that were in WoT 'proper' and were going for at least 60k more than this one, which would have left us nothing to do them up with; the inflation of properties near to certain schools was obvious. We actually had a wander up to Horfield CofE as they had a jumble sale on and liked the feel of it - we also spoke to the neighbours who were lovely, spoke highly of the road and have a daughter at Horfield who is very happy. Proximity to Southmead concerned our local friends, but i guess we have to compromise somewhere. A lot of the roads around were no through-roads so access from/to Southmead is limited.

I would double check the admissions policy for Horfield C of E and then go for it.

House is empty and needs work doing so you probably have room for negotiation with the price.