Please help us choose a house in Merseyside?

[Houseinmerseyside]

I have name changed so I don't out myself.

We've moved to Merseyside and are trying to figure out where to buy a house and which one to buy. We need to move quickly because we have to port our existing mortgage or else pay a fee of several thousand. But on the other hand we don't know the area very well and are working long hours so its hard to view. But I've been studying Rightmove constantly and it's doing my head in. So I have the cheek to turn to mumsnet for help.

Our budget is around £250k and we're looking for a place with at least two bedrooms and two reception rooms though we'd strongly prefer one more of each. We don't want a bungalow but don't mind a semi, a terraced or of course detached. We do want a nice garden or decent bit of land and we'd like a place with some character. Because of work we want to live on the southport to hunts cross train line and we want to be in a safe neighbourhood.

Ideas on neighbourhoods would be great. For example, is Crosby nice? Ainsdale? Any links to houses on rightmove would be amazingly helpful. Or any other advice please. Thank you!

DP is from Liverpool. He doesn't know the neighbourhoods in detail, but on reputation he would go for Crosby or maybe Formby - both nice, safe, reasonably affluent towns with good amenities. Formby is quite a lot smaller. Ainsdale is a village bordering on Formby, so we're guessing that would be fine too. If you wanted to be in Liverpool itself, Aigburth/Mossley Hill is very nice, but obviously you'd be less likely to get a decent garden in the city.

Just glancing at rightmove I think a big garden is going to be your main problem on that budget - no shortage of Victorian 3 and 4 beds, just with town-sized gardens. If you like 30s houses, there's a fair bit more choice (and they tend to be on bigger plots too).

This is right in the middle of Crosby and I think could be gorgeous if you're happy to do work?

Yikes, a lot of clutter and not the prettiest house externally, but a great garden.

Having said that about Aigburth, this garden is pretty big.

Great reception space, in centre of Ainsdale.

Lovely big garden, bit further off from Ainsdale village though.

It depends what you want...

Crosby and Formby are lovely, they have a friendly small town feel. Ainsdale is smaller, quieter and more 'in the sticks'.

Aigburth is also nice but has a completely different feel being more central to Liverpool you definitely feel like you're in the city, it's busier and more diverse (lots of students and young professionals as well as families). I live in Aigburth so if you have any questions about this area just ask :)

Thank you so much for your responses, as they have been extremely helpful.

MadBusLady, I love some of the houses you've found, particularly the last three. Some people have more talent than I do with Rightmove, I think!

Of course, it helps to know where to look. We're renting in Formby at the moment and, while we really like it here, we had been thinking you can get more house for your money elsewhere. It seems that's true but we want to be sure of picking the right location.

We hadn't considered Aigburth before. Is it as safe as places like Formby? It looks lovely but my husband isn't sure whether we'd be as safe living so close to Liverpool itself.

We also haven't been sure about Crosby for the same safety reason. I know we sound like wimps but we've moved here from a very rural area and are in a bit of culture shock at the moment.

If you're used to more rural/quieter then why not look at Ainsdale or Southport, or even some of the more rural areas. I grew up round there and loved it - beach and countryside all within easy reach. My kids still love it today when we visit grandparents, although I must admit I'm totally out of touch in terms of where you would look for property - Churchtown village used to be lovely and not as expensive as Crosby/Formby, with a couple of excellent parks if you want open space, not sure how it rates today.

OK, so just seen your train requirements, that might be limiting you a bit. Would you consider a bus/bike ride to the station?

Rockdoctor, thanks for your answers, I'd prefer to do what I'm doing now which is just roll out of bed get ready and have a quick five or ten minute walk to the station - but for a really special house / area I'd consider it.

I love a good Rightmove sift. Definitely stick to the smaller places if that's what you prefer, I only mentioned Aigburth in case towns were more your comfort zone. More Ainsdale ones:

Bit of a winner if I say so myself. Great location, big, pretty house (and could definitely be improved in the front), decent garden.

This needs a bit more work on the downstairs space but you might particularly appreciate the open views at the back.

Garden doesn't look huge but a really characterful house, could be gorgeous with a lick of paint and new kitchen.

Look around areas on the Ormskirk line from Maghull outwards - Aughton is lovely, 2 stations and quite rural. Only 20 mins into town

Ah, missed the bit about what line you want to be on...

Do you need to be on that particular line or just able to get the train in to Liverpool? You could get a huge house in St Helens for that money - Rainhill is nice and is on the Liverpool - Manchester train line or Eccleston Park is also nice and is on the line from Liverpool - Wigan.

If you did want to look in that area I could let you know where is best avoided too.

How about the Wirral? V nice, good schools etc. Meols is 27 mns by train from central station. Changing there is easy and quick.

another one

Nice beach nearby too

I'd quite like to be on that line. Basically my husband and I work in Bootle and that line is the most convenient for us. We'd consider elsewhere though and change trains or drive in for a really special house. Aughton could work although I do like some of the Ainsdale houses you linked to, MadBusLady, particularly the second and third houses which are nicely below our budget, too. I just wonder whether we've gotten too spoiled renting in Formby - we can walk to Waitrose at the moment plus tons of nice restaurants and cafes, too, plus an easy commute. I just wonder if that's worth the higher house prices and should we just buy somewhere small in Formby? I suppose only we can answer that.

Also does,anyone know how to figure out how long houses on rightmove have been on the market for and their original prices? Up to now I have just been cross-referencing with mouseprice but they don't have all the houses listed.

Thanks again, I'm so amazed at and grateful for all the help!

If you work in Bootle it would make sense to stay up at that end of Merseyside. If you love Formby why not stay there, or look close by? I'd say living in Formby is worth the higher house prices precisely because it's so lovely.

Ainsdale doesn't have a high school anymore - not sure if this is something you need to consider or not.

Crosby is nice area but as with most places there are nice and not so nice areas. Formby has good primary schools, lovely village, and two good High schools Range is the best IMO You can get a 3/4 bed semi in Formby for your budget. this one has been on the market for quite a while

Yes, the prices are higher for a reason, I suppose. Ok so formby it probably is, or Ainsdale. We should get a chance to drive by some of the linked houses there next weekend.

No need for a high school for us. How can you tell how long that house has been on the market, please, headless? It's quite nice btw and in a good area.

You need Property Bee. You can choose to just track your own searches (ie it'll start tracking properties only from today) or if you opt to "work in a bee" you get everyone else's searches in the past as well.

Zoopla has "on since" dates too, but probably no less hassle than x-reffing with mouseprice.

I'm in Formby as well and rightmove is my favourite hobby that house is about a 10 min walk to Freshfield station. If I remember rightly, I think it's been reduced as well. The only thing is that is it across the road from The Freshie pub although that would be a bonus for me!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-26708460.html this one has a big garden

how about Hightown

Lovely, headless, i think that's the best contender so far. How's that part of Formby? Small world that you're here too. When we close on a house drinks at the freshie are on me for any mumsnetters who can be there!

Oops cross posted, hightown looks okay will have a nose about there soon.