Cheshire/Wirral

[stinkingbishop]

Hello all. We moved up last year and have been renting but are now about to buy. There's a romantic house on the front in Hoylake which is falling down but could be lovely. A sensible purchase in Saughall west of Chester. And some pricier, smaller places in Hoole and Christleton to the east of Chester.

We may have to up sticks quickly and move back south depending on jobs, so the house needs to be a good investment. So...

Is Saughall under priced because it's not as naice as west of Chester? Would Christleton be a safer haven for our money? Or Hoylake, given the golf and the easy commute to Liverpool?

WWYD?

PS - I work in Chester, DP in Liverpool, and we have pre-school twins.

Hoylake gets my vote. The sea, nice shops and restaurants nearby. Halfway between Chester and Liverpool...

It'd make DP v happy. What with the Liverpool train and he's now obsessed with volunteering for the lifeboats!!

I would go for Hoylake for the reasons above I would love to live nearer the sea well its 9 miles away but you know what I mean.

Hoylake as its lovely plus commuting by train is ace. Can you post links to the houses?

Hoylake is nice, merseyrail is pretty reliable and makes it an easy commute for both of you... But a fixer upper isn't going to make for a quick sale if you have to sell up before you've fixed it up, right?

brownsauce I know!

Will post links if you all PROMISE YOU WON'T BUY THEM!!!!!!!

Hoylake - looks ace in photos, reality is needs 100k spending (major issues with roofs, windows, sea damage, damp, bits being torn down and rebuilt, has been on market for 3 years etc)

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33296320.html

Saughall - just needs lick of paint, on market for 2 weeks (so actually cheapest of the lot)

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41325847.html

We really can't afford the Christleton one. It would need to begin with a '7' and even then we'd have no furniture!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41095414.html

PS I think issue with Saughall one is it's on the road to Blacon. You can actually see some of the houses from upstairs. And that's a bit scally isn't it? But going the other way into Saughall the village seems lovely and has a v good nursery and primary and...wait for it...a WI

But then Hoylake would just be so family-tastic. The twins could run feral on the beach for a full hour and still not make it to the sea...

I have also looked at that Hoylake one, so that's the one I'd go for :)

I should add that we can't sell our house and even if by some miracle we do, we can't afford that one anyway. Perhaps we could become friends and I could come and visit the house you every now and then? :)

Yay!

We could have naice ham!

I'd go for the Saughall one but I'm very biased because I'd hate to ever live in an attached property ever again unless I had no other options. Bad neighbours can make your home a living Hell...even in detached, I suppose, but far worse if you're in an attached property. Plus I'd hate having all that work done - I like somewhere you just have to redecorate. Also my DS1 attended The Ridings Infants for reception and part of year 1 (before we emigrated we lived on Parkgate Rd) and it was (8yrs ago) a great school.

But, you're right...it is a bit close to Blacon

I love the Saughall one but I don't know anything about Blacon. While Hoylake is a lovely place, I can't imagine paying that much for an end terrace. However the setting is lovely.... so I see your dilemma. Sorry I guess this isn't very helpful.

Saughall is priced lower because it is adjacent to Blacon which is considered a rough area. The houses are nice but it will always be much easier to sell a house in Christleton as this is considered a naice area.

Christleton and Upton by Chester are in catchment for the two best secondary schools in Chester, so will always sell better than other areas. Upton may be a good bet for you - it has a train station with a direct line into Liverpool, so you don't have to travel into Chester itself to the station.

Right. Food for thought. Thanks ladies! You're all invited for tea wherever we end up .

I grew up in the Wirral. Hoylake will be in the grammar schools catchment if that is important and there is a decent train link and it's right on the seafront.
The house in Saughall is gorgeous, but I don't know the area.

The Saughall one looks very cold with all those blankets on the sofa!

The Christleton one looks overpriced to me for what it is.

And the Hoylake one sounds like too much work! Why not look for another in Hoylake that doesn't need too much doing?

.... sorry not much help (but can I come for tea too please?)

We love Hoylake. Beach, parks local shops and places for coffee. Walkable to WK if you fancy. Lots of tots groups.
Love that we have direct access to Liverpool by train if I feel like a blast of city life. Trains every 15 minutes.
Don't know the other places so can't compare.
So I vote for Hoylake but perhaps another house?