Leaving London for York - top tips?

[herbaceous]

I've seen lots of previous threads about moving to York, but wondered if I could start yet another one just for me, me, me.

We have been looking for a while to basically cash in on our London house and buy somewhere else, with good schools, open spaces, friendly people, lots of culture, good train links to friends down South, and enough to keep us and our 8yo son busy until we keel over.

We fell in love with York last summer, and although we wobbled a bit (looking at fairly tedious London suburbs with 'meh' secondary schools), I think we're going to bite the bullet.

I now of course spend approx 7 hours a day on right move, reading Ofsted reports, picking friends' brains, and have just got myself all confused about where to look at living.

We want somewhere near open spaces (I love the look of Rowntree Park), but that isn't going to flood every year (although I believe there's some cunning community insurance thing), in the catchment for one of the outstanding secondaries, walkable or cyclable to the city centre, four/five bedrooms, with a garden, and with a friendly community.

Fulford seems great, but one friend I've been speaking to moved there from where we live ATM, and said it's been much harder than she expected to make friends. People tend to be family-oriented, or just stick to the friends they've had for years.

The South Bank area seems great from all aspects other than schools, while Heworth and Heslington also seem nice but have no idea about them.

Looking to spend about £500K.

I'm also confused by school catchments. On the map from the council each secondary has a very defined catchment area, yet on Right Move houses are said to be 'inside admissions area' even if they're outside the official catchment. What gwan?

I'm a TA and tutor and writer and editor, so am hoping I can find some kind of lovely job up there in time...

What's Acomb like? Seen some amazing houses, but not sure what the environs might be. Also, the only school around seems to be York High, which does not get s good write up!

I'm biased, I live there!

There are definitely some not so great bits, but West Bank Park is lovely and it's not far from holgate. Good value, big gardens, shops are getting better!

For instance:

Askham Lane, York, YO24
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72650642.html

You will find all over york that streets can be lovely at one end and not do much at t'other, as is the case here!

Here you go. Look at the charts on page 97 onwards. Should help you work out which schools you can and can’t get into from different locations.

www.york.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/236/guide_for_parents.pdf

(If the link doesn’t work just google “York school admissions guide for parents”)

Well, indeed! That was the very house that started my question! If it's york high or nothing, though, it seems less of a bargain.

Hello again all.

We came up to York again today to look at some houses in our narrowed down areas - South Bank, Fulford and city centre.

Love the South Bank area, with its parks and buzziness. We saw a house on Bishy Road, though at the quieter end, which was lovely but perhaps too far a walk from the station, and one on Millfield Road which was a bit small. Then we crossed the river and saw one on Grange Garth. I love being near the river, but the Fulford side is oddly sleepy, I find. Then one off Gillygate, which was really lovely! Though fear being driven demented by traffic and tourists... And that all our neighbours would have kids at private schools and they wouldn't like us as we're too common...

😂

Which one in gillygate did you see? It's busy grind the day but I have a friend who has a flat overlooking the monster and it's really pretty quiet on an evening.

Ps if it was this one, can we be friends?????

Precentors Court, York, YO1
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-61119010.html

That's the one!

Haha.

No, sadly not. East London houses aren't worth THAT much.

There was a fab one up on nunthorpe crescent, South Bank, but I think you might have missed it now the nunthorpe streets might be good for you - more garden and a driveway etc.

Would you consider 'village' life?

This has just come on in Bish - opposite(ish) the post office, 3 pubs, nice primary, Tesco five mins drive, nice walks, awesome summer fair at Bishopthorpe Palace....!

Sim Balk Lane, Bishopthorpe, York
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72778019.html

Sunshine - I saw that one on Nunthorpe Crescent! It looks ace, but yes - think we've missed it. Am keeping eyes peeled for similar houses though so we can pounce once we have an offer on ours.

NMW - I think village life might be too much of a culture shock straight away. I thought we'd 'decompress' by moving to a fairly urban area firstly, to help us get to know people and get a network, then maybe move to a more village place in a few years.

Also looked at the Nunthorpe Crescent house - agree it's v nice but the box room is absolutely minuscule. Really not much around at the moment.

Hello again all.

Things creaking into action here - we've just got an offer on our house, though it's greatly below the original asking price so not sure whether to take it or not. They also want to move by July! Cripes!

In other exciting news, our son has an audition as a minster chorister, so might be going to the minster school. Not sure what his chances are... But it does rather affect our viewing area, as school catchments become less of an issue. But we won't know until end of May, and need to get going! LORDY.

We sold last year in East London after knocking 35k off the initial asking price. Keeping in touch via Rightmove, it seems houses there are staying on the market for months unless priced realistically.

We’re in the midst of buying a lovely house in York about 10 mins walk from the Minster. It’s a modern house - not at all what we set out to find, but it ticks all the boxes (except the elusive ‘character’).

We stayed in York for a week which we dedicated to house-hunting...and eating lovely meals. I really recommend this as a way to get a proper feel for different areas, traffic levels, local shops/ restaurants etc. Good luck with everything!

Exciting news, @Herbaceous! Did you find out more about the EP house? It's still showing as 'under offer' and not 'sold'. I wonder if the people making the offer still have something to sell??

I have mentally discarded the EP house, as it's too expensive really. Even though we loved it so.

Though I am so RUBBISH at making a decision and sticking to it, I could easily be persuaded back!

We're going to see what the position is of the sellers of Gillygate, and if they can move quickly too may go for it! It would be handy for the Minster school, if DS gets in, and in the catchment for Joseph Rowntree if he doesn't.

So we'd be in York for the summer! All a bit too quick really.

My friend used to own that EP house, beautiful but parking is a total nightmare, my kids nearly got run over crossing that road and next door is a noisy student house.

Exciting! I'm sure the right house will present itself - gillygate would be perfect for TMS and you'd be able to walk everywhere.

I also think the busy road would have driven you bonkers at EP- obviously gillygate is busy, but you expect that from a city centre and actually it's more noisy tourists than anything else!

If you are still looking, you might be interested in the area around Fishergate. I live there, and think of it as being a bit like Bishopthorpe Road's scruffier little sibling. Alms Terrace and Belle Vue Terrace both have a particularly strong sense of community. It's 15-20 minutes walk to York Minster, you can get to Rowntree Park easily along the river, the schools are good, the are some great pubs and cafes, along with Alligator foods. It doesn't have the proper high street that Bishy Road does with a butcher and greengrocers, but it's a short walk either to Bishy Road or the city centre, and also much closer to Fossgate (good for going out at weekend without being surrounded by hen parties) and the new shipping crate community/independent shops development at the bottom of Parliament Street.

Ooh broomstick, I was just looking at somewhere on Melbourne Terrace - sold, but I did think it looked promising. Fishergate does sound good.

We've now accepted the offer on our house. FFFAAARRRKK.

So, the options are: a) buy Claremont Terrace, which is pretty great, great for visitors, and near everything. Though I worry slightly about schools if DS doesn't get into Minster, and potential lack of community. Though EA said it was strong on that street. But she would say that, wouldn't she! Spend 'change' from London house on investment property. If necessary, move to leafier area in few years.

b) Pester agents for the 'perfect' house, preferably new to market or those that would take silly offer for quick sale. If we don't get house in time, rent.

c) Buy more expensive house, such as East Parade (which no longer says 'under offer') and downsize later.

As I imagine you're all agog, an update - just put an offer in on the Claremont Terrace house. AAAAGGGGGHHHHH.

Exciting! Hope you get an answer soon

Great street! A friend of mine uses to live up there. Fingers crossed for you.

Ooh is it good, Sally? We liked it - right in the action, yet quiet.