Talk to me about Tettenhall please......

[RaphaellaTheSpanishWaterDog]

Friends of ours (self-employed so can live more or less anywhere and DCs now flown the nest) have sold their house in the SW and are looking for a new challenge. They want a (preferably) detached, large-ish, period, characterful 3+ bed house - they're happy to take on a project - in a villagey location but definitely not rural as they've tried this and are not keen.

They are wanting to free-up some capital so are limiting themselves to a budget of £325k (will be cash buyers) and have stumbled upon a suburb of Wolverhampton called Tettenhall that appears to fit their criteria - attractive period properties with a villagey feel with a cafe culture (artisan bakery, deli, several coffee shops and two village greens for walking their doggies....plus country walks as well as a large Waitrose and Sainsburys nearby.

BUT it's a suburb of Wolverhampton, which I gather is a sh1thole!

We are from Hampshire so don't know the area either. They've been up to visit the area a couple of times and love the immediate environs, but not the city itself. They originally hail from Portsmouth - which admittedly is a dump - but lived for a few years in Southsea (much nicer!) so are used to having to take the rough with the smooth.....

Is this a step too far though?

Does anyone know the area and can offer advice please as I'd hate for them to make a costly mistake. Renting in the area first is not an option as they have several pets btw.

TIA x

I have worked in Wolverhampton and know Tettenhall a little my friend is from there and it is considered to be one of the more affluent areas of Wolverhampton. It is pretty and close to Cannock chase and Shropshire which is beautiful.

However nothing would make me leave the south and come up here out of choice.... I'm originally from South and my partner lives in Brighton and I yearn for the day I finish my training and get my permanent job back down there... I only came up to follow my career path

Thank you Blackeyez, your comments are very helpful!

Our friends do love the South, but to get the type of character property of a size they require and with a good, fairly large garden in their favourite Southern locations - Marlborough, Farnham (Surrey) are places they've told me they like for example - they would have to spend all their available cash and get a mortgage too, which currently they don't have (having paid it off a few years ago). For their chosen budget they could only afford a small two bed with tiny courtyard in those locations, which they think would be unfair on their (reasonably large) dogs, whereas they've seen detached four/five bed houses with much larger gardens in Tettenhall for the same, if not less £££.

I've warned them that once they up-sticks and go further North they'll be unlikely to be able to move back South if it all goes tits-up, but they have no real ties to the South anymore and are prepared to take the gamble......

I'm just concerned they might live to regret it, but having had a look at the area myself online, it does look very nice - with the exception of W/Hampton itself which does look like a dive.....

I have relatives in Tettenhall, it seems lovely, nice green spaces etc.

Thank you NotMrsTumble x

No
I totally understand when I see what you you can get up here for your money it's really quite exciting... I suppose it depends on the lifestyle they want really I guess Tettenhall will be great if they want bijou cafés, nice pubs, countryside close by like Cannock chase (would be great for dogs)... I think they will be fine!

Birmingham is better for shopping and that's nearby and transport by train is really easy into London from Wolverhampton in fact I saw on right move a stunning grade 2 listed house in Wolverhampton and it was advertised as a great commute into London which I thought was funny!

Wolverhampton isn't all bad they have a great sainsburys which I always use if I'm placed there and as I say it's not too far from Shropshire which is really very nice... Perhaps they could consider places like Shrewsbury which is closer to what they are used to...

Thanks again Blackeyez, you have reassured me at least and I'll convey these thoughts to our friends! From everything I can gather, I too think they'll be fine there. They need to make a decision soon as their sale is progressing, so they will have to take another trip up there to actually view some houses and get offering.......x