Newcastle area knowledge

[Lulurusu]

Hi mumsnet..im a lone parent of 2 boys, 5 and 8. Im moving to Newcastle from Brighton in August for a job on the West Road (NE4).

I will be renting initially but hope to buy a 3 bed house eventually and will have a small mortgage of about £110, 000 and i hope to buy a 3 bed house.

As i DONT drive i want to be within a bus commute to work, ideally id like the option of walking to work ( up to 45 minute walk is okay, 1 hour max).

I would like to rent a 3 bed house initially, up to £800 per month (less if thats an option).

Can you PLEASE advise me of good affordable areas where there are nice neighbourhoods, good schools, low crime rates that meet the criteria above (affordable rent/mortgage prices, commuting distance to work etc).

Also like to add that my 8 year old is Autistic awaiting a likely diagnosis of ADD so want to make sure that he is supported in a good school that are hot on bullying, etc

I'd be SO grateful for your help. Im really anxious about uprooting my boys from Brighton on my own with no support networks and want to make sure i make good decisions!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Xx

Try asking on the Facebook group Slings and Parenting North. It’s a great local parenting group.

We live in Ryron- Crawcrook area. It's only 20 minutes drive to the center or 40 minutes by bus. Very good connection so its fine without driving.
It has everything that the family will need- medical center, nursery, schools, loads of local family programs. It is also a very cheap area, which is surprising.
I have lived around Newcastle and this is definitely the best place (safe but cheap) to be with family.

Is the job at Newcastle General Hospital?

Is your total budget for buying £110 000?

Chapel house/park is nice and has busses that go to the west road area. I lived in Westerhope before moving out of Newcastle but liked it there too.

Also areas like gosforth and jesmond although I'm not sure if current house prices or rent.

Second joining local parenting groups for advice and tips!

There's a North East thread on this site, they will have lots of advice. £110K is a very small budget though and you will struggle to find a 3 bed in a decent area for that.

Hi. Thank. Where do i find the north east thread?

North East Thread 6 in Chat

Wingrove and most of fenham is nice, not flash but good facilities.

Fenham is ok! And westerhope has some lovely areas!

I'm the opposite side of newcastle in north tyneside but work in newcastle. You'll love it op, it's a great part of the world and so much to do with children!

Chapel house, chapel park, some parts of west Denton, newbiggin hall, westerhope & Fenham. Try all of those areas. Best of luck

Tynemouth, beautiful coastal town, very quaint and safe, and still on metro line - may be opportunity for scholarship for The Kings School too

@ninetieseyebrows I used to rent a one and half bedroom flat for 800 in Tynemouth. There is no way she can find a 3 bedroom there from that budget.

Fenham would be perfect for you. There's some very affordable houses there (alongside some v pricey ones though). It has good transport links but you could easily walk to the west road or to town from there. It has a lovely community feel for somewhere so close to town, it's close to the library so lots of scope for groups etc and Nunsmoor park is close by too which often has lovely things on like bat spotting nights, free pizza nights, yoga in the park etc. And it has a street called two ball lonnen which makes me smile. In short it's a lovely, friendly place to live!

Oh and there's two fab schools in Fenham too.

Is £110k your total budget? You will struggle even in the NE to get somewhere decent. £200k is doable. That’s the price of a family home in Chapel Park which is perfectly decent place to live.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130783979

Slightly over your budget but it wouldn't be impossible to get a 3 bed semi for around £110k either.

Ah good point @Tina8800 I also lived there but a very long time ago, so not so hot with rent costs nowadays, I lived on Percy Park Ave, loved it there.

@ninetieseyebrows The Kings School hasn't been independent since 2013. It's now part of Woodard Academies and is called Kings Priory School.

Whitley Bay!

3-bed flat £800pcm.The pedestrianised streets are lovely. The beach is great. There is a strong community presence and arty feeling with carnivals and festivals, a market, a cinema etc. On direct line to central Newcastle.

Oh really? I'm so out of touch! It was a brilliant school when I worked there (a long time ago!)

Wow Fenham must have really changed, when I was a student there in the 90s it was the dodgiest (but cheapest) place to live.

Hilarious local knowledge! Miles and miles from the West End of Newcastle and Kings is now a state school 🤣🤣🤣

Bensham in Gateshead might be a good shout. Especially the streets closer to low fell. Metro nearby and on the main bus route to Newcastle. Can recommend Caedmon school in Bensham for SEN. The brilliant Saltwell park is a 20 walk away and Gateshead high street has had a revamp over the years.

Everything Hiker says. Even down to the school. It is really fantastic, excellent provision for SEN, great little school with a lovely diverse population. Bensham/ Low Fell is very convenient for Newcastle and the closer to Bensham/Shipcote you get the cheaper it gets.

<secretly side eyes Hiker as we clearly have kids at the same school>

Kingston park is ideal for you. Metro and bus links into town. Can rent a 3 bed semi for £800. You would need more than £110 to buy but you may have a deposit as well as mortgage? You could get on the ladder for a bit more .
Local primary school is excellent.
I wouldn't go for Fenham. A bit nearer but lots of student digs ext. Check latest Ofsted's for schools. Kingston Park also has a good range of shops.