Moving to Cheshire in hurry, need advice please.

[onlyeatsyoghurt]

I'm starting a new job in Knutsford in November (DH writing this, with clearance!). We currently live in Surrey. We're thinking of buying a house in either Hartford or Sandiway near Northwich. We've decided that Knutsford is too pricy!

Does anyone have any advice on these areas, or others in the vicinity?

We're really up against the clock so any input would be greatly appreciated. It's safe to say we've all had enough of trips up and down the M25/M40/M6 looking at potential locations. DD(4) and DS(2) probably think we've gone insane!

Hartford is great but make sure you're on the right side of the catchment area line. Its a beautiful area and the houses around are beautiful as well.

Sandiway, I can't remember if its Sandiway or Cuddington that you want to be in which is daft seeing as I live only a couple of miles away from Cuddington!

I live in Cuddington- which is sirt of sandiway. The schools are good and knutsford is about a 25-30 min drive away.

I currantly live on this estate www.delamerepark.co.uk/ and its really quiet- and most of the properties are still inhabited by the origional owners (was made late 70's)

You can get a 4 bed mews for about 230 and 4 bed detatched for quite a bit more.

Sandiway is lovley- most of the houses built in the 70's but if you want period you will pay heavily for it.

Weaverham has a great high school but the area isn't brilliant- you can commute easily from sandiway and cuddington as is less than a mile so it is your local high school.

I will post more in a bit

As I am currantly looking to move (see posts) I am also getting to grips with the local agents and would definatley reccommend colby conduct for the area.
also if you are in the area and the kids are driving you a little insane there is a great park in sandiway and the pub 'the white barn' is on the A49 and very family friendly.

What size house are you looking for?

Have you considered Hartford or Frodsham- both nice areas but you will pay a lot more for them- an extra 25% usually.

Sorry if I'm getting a little over excited but I have been researching my own move for a month so I am happy to help where I can (plus my dp is watching football!

Also Hartford is lovely but it borders Castle- avoid like the plague!

Frodsham's lovely if you fancy going that far :)

Thanks for the replies everyone! Really appreciate your input. We are looking for 4 beds (ideally detached) and can spend about 350K.

here are some

Also check out lille leigh- primary school is one of the best in the country and its really nice- my mate lives there and loves it

sorry little leigh

MrsVidic lives very very very close to me!

Little Leigh is lovely . Norley and Kingsley are also very nice and have good primary schools.

Do I Rebl? I second Kingsley- infact there is a new development- v high spec being done there at the moment- don't know what you would get for your budget though.

I have a beautiful house on the market in your price range. Four bedrooms, ensuite, huge kitchen, just lovely. We renovated and extended it ourselves. Village location, good schools, 20 mins drive to Knutsford.

Been on the market two weeks. - CAT me if you want the details!

I think you need to avoid making a hurried decsion if you don't know the areas well. It can be hard to gauge an area from visiting it and far better to try a place out at different times of the day etc, which I realise is an almost impossible task in your position.

I'm going to stick a fly in the ointment and say I wouldn't move towards Northwich/Hartford/Sandiway - sorry - I've just never warmed to that area, which is a shame because we could afford a much bigger house there - which is perhaps what's attracting you at the moment.

Do you have a property to sell? Can you come up and rent for a while?

I live in Cheshire and I know it well. Depends what you are looking for and how much you want it to mirror your life in Surrey.

In your position (and with your budget) I would be looking at Holmes Chapel and South Warrington. I must admit we have considered living in Knutsford ourselves and I agree with you that it's overpriced. In truth, the high school has a poor reputation too - good primaries but many of the kids are creamed off for private school. For us, the high school was a deal breaker.

Holmes Chapel has a high school - have you looked there - I think the schools are ok? The prices are much more reasonable.

South Warrington is ideally placed for the motorway network and you could reach Knutsford in about 20/30 minutes. The high school is called "Bridgewater" and it gets the best results in the town at GCSE. There's some lovely countryside on the edges there.

Wilmslow is pricey but lovely - you have to be careful around Handforth though - cheaper prices but not nearly as nice - and the high school is verging on similar to Knutsford.

Rightmove around "Appleton" or "Grappenhall" in Warrington and Holmes Chapel and Wilmslow and come back and we'll be able to advise you better!

MixedupMartha. Your house sounds perfect! Don't know how to CAT you. Can you send me an email to [email protected]?

brillo.. We looked at Holmes Chapel and weren't that taken (or should I say, I wasn't). Seemed busy but without much actually there. Warrington is getting a bit further away from family that we have near Ashbourne.

Keep the responses coming. Really appreciate everyones opinions!

What about Macclesfield or Congleton?

Schools good,countryside lovely,more hills!
Pricier than Northwich though,but nearer to Ashbourne.
About 30 mins to Knutsford.
Also look at Sandbach,further south but only two junctions down M6.
Good mix of housing stock,excellent schools inc single sex state comprehensives,also has a Waitrose!

yoghurt I would consider renting somewhere for a while before buying. Cheshire is a place of extremes in terms of social class so to speak, schools, landscape, town/village etc. We rented for 6 months after a long distance move into the area and are glad that we did. We would have made a terrible mistake if we hadn't. What is right for one person isn't right for the next. I love living in the sticks but others would hate living here, just one example.

MrsVidic you must do if you live on Delamere Park. How old are your dc, maybe we really know each other in rl?!

rebl- My dd is only 1 and shes the only one!

On the moving front if you are considering macclesfield- be aware there is a massive difference of area in a small space. I'd definatley rent before buying round there.

Have you considered tarporley? Its really nice and your budget would do well there.
What sort of period house are you after?

What Rebl said.
I also moved from Surrey to Cheshire. Looked all across the region from Chester to Stockport via Altrincham.

We looked at Hartford, but didn't have the bustling market town feel we were after. (Davenham was a lovely village next door, but we needed a train station). Frodsham did..
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-16673028.html?premiumA=true
We loved this house, which is opposite a great primary.

Good luck. I really would advise that you rent first though. Best decision we made.

I agree with the poster who said that Frodsham ticks lots of boxes - it has some lovely houses for reasonable prices and a couple of nice primary schools. It has a village feel to it and they have recently revamped Castle Park, which is really beautiful.

But...

I can't get past how close it is to Runcorn - the view of the chimneys as you come down Fluin Lane.

I truly wish I could see past it. I like Frodsham a lot but it seems like a suburb of Runcorn. Such a shame.

I would also echo the closeness of Runcorn to frodsham- Davenham is really nice and has a great mixture of house styles- closer to knutsford too.

Oh I'm glad I didn't upset people living in Frodsham. It's lovely but it definitely has a "rough bit", which wouldn't bother me a bit if only you could pick it up and move it along the M56 towards Manchester about 10 miles!

Castle Park really is lovely though!

Move to Lymm

I'm chuckling at the idea of the White Barn as a family place (it probably is now) as it was the major place to hang out when I was a sixth former half a lifetime ago. If you do end up in Hartford then avoid the Grange school, though that might have changed now too I suppose.

The Grange is the very expensive private school, no?!

Lymm is lovely you know, but horribly overpriced.

I think the OP would find her money went further in Knutsford!

The white barn has massivley changed apparently, its a family cheapo place now but has fab high chairs and play area etc.

The grange is private- don't know much more than that.

Lymm good- but avoid thermal

Thermal?? Vests? Knickers?

Yep, the Grange is private, but must be tempting if you're in Hartford as it's right on your doorstep. Don't know how expensive it is but we went so long ago that my brothers got a sibling discount because they were trying to increase numbers (and I got scholarships ). It is a hideous school though.

Probably right re Lymm martha 'Tis nice though Actually my SIL mentioned last night that she's been looking at prices in both and they seem to be dropping slightly in Knutsford but staying level in Lymm.

OP, I've asked my mum on your behalf and she wants more info (town? village? rural?) but she says she doesn't think there is much to Cuddington but Hartford is nice, though traffic may be bad.

If I was fantasy shopping with £350k somewhere near Knutsford then I'd be looking at places like Mobberley, Mere, Tatton, etc I think but then I like views of fields ... Could you rent for a bit and buy yourself some time to put your feelers out?