House hunting Folkestone

[Fely06]

Hi all, I’m thinking buying a property in Folkestone, currently living in Bromley. I will have to commute to London ( Canary Warf) 2-3 times a week. I don’t drive so looking for an easy commute ( even will come with a premium) Please could you let me know areas to avoid in Folkestone? I have no kids, so would be more interested in a nice community, safety neighbourhood . Never been down there, but somehow my heart is taking me there :) Also looking for good vet, gyms near by , parks and of course nice restaurants and cafes. Any advice would be much appreciated! Xx

@Fely06

Hi all, I’m thinking buying a property in Folkestone, currently living in Bromley. I will have to commute to London ( Canary Warf) 2-3 times a week. I don’t drive so looking for an easy commute ( even will come with a premium) Please could you let me know areas to avoid in Folkestone? I have no kids, so would be more interested in a nice community, safety neighbourhood . Never been down there, but somehow my heart is taking me there :) Also looking for good vet, gyms near by , parks and of course nice restaurants and cafes. Any advice would be much appreciated! Xx

Areas to avoid? Folkestone 😬 Go down there and look around on a Saturday night. It's GRIM!

Ah, Saturday night can’t be nice anywhere else.. is it so bad there? 🤔

Try Hythe or Sandgate instead of Folkestone. Folkestone is a bit meh.

Sandgate is a through road to folkestone and Hythe is full of retirees. Plus you'd need a car to get to the nearest train stations and the OP doesn't drive

It depends on your budget but Cheriton/the West end of folkestone is nice and within walking distance of folkestone west train station. The east end /black bull road /George gurr crescent and anywhere properly in town is the dodgy part. There are lots of choices for restaurants in the area and some lovely cafes especially on the Old High Street.

Thank you! My budget would be around £160-£170k .. I’m reading mixed feelings about Folkestone. Wonder if I should change my area of searching 🤔

Lots of lovely flats you could get in Folkestone for that price. It's a really mixed town. The main high street is grim but the old high street and the Creative Quarter are lovely. Lots of lovely cafes, pubs and restaurants. We moved out of London 3 years ago and my commute to central London is only 20 minutes longer door to door than it was from zone 3.

That’s so good to hear —thank you :)

No mixed feelings here I like folkestone! 170k isn't going to go too far though in close proximity to the stations so you might have to look a bit further out, here are a couple that might be interesting

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/92817020#/

This is nice, 5-10 minute walk to folkestone central station or into town

This is also close to the station but would take you longer to walk into town. There's a morrisons very close by and the sports centre is within walking distance too

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76016020#/

Basically Ashford is less dodgy but more expensive, and Dover is worse than folkestone

I was considering Ashford too. But villages around town seems to have a better recommendation, but I don’t drive and being closed to the train stations to commute is a must 😢. As well the property must have a private garden

my two friends are about to complete on a 2 bed flat in a block, its listed, not sure where but i gather its in the ' nice part '...its taken them several years to find a place...constantly outbid etc....time wasting sellers holding out for higher prices etc....seems good places get snapped up very fast within hours of going on market....my friends said cheaper places more available in the ' ukip / chavvy ' areas....i guess they are quite snobby...!!...I dont know the area at all...!!

Lots of properties on Broadmead Road. Is it any good around this area? Thank you!

I've walked down it a lot of times from Radnor Park into town, seems nice enough. Really near the station and the park and a short walk into town and the creative quarter end. Definitely worth a closer look!

Thank you so much!

Broadmead Road isn't in one of the bad areas, easy walk to the train station and into town so definitely good to consider or have a visit to when you can come and look in person

Booked a viewing on the following weekends . Can’t wait to see Folkestone as a place to live .. Current market property demand seems to be very high. Well worth checking it out :)

Lots of love for Folkestone - we moved here after a day trip when we were living overseas several years back. Best decision ever. Radnor Park (where there is a decent sports centre) or West End are lovely. Cheriton is close to station and good value for families. Personally I much prefer Folkestone to Ashford, which to me is the epitomy of a ‘meh’ town. Folkestone has tonnes going for it - really artsy and in more normal times we are spoiled for choice with how to spend our weekends. If you don’t drive you really don’t want Sandgate or Hythe as whilst they are pretty you’d struggle to get anywhere.

Folkestone born and bred! (Live away now though).

It's a town that has some lovely areas (West End) and not so nice (east end and the part north of Joyes Road (so Dallas Brett; George Curr Crescent).

Broadmead Road would be OK. As would that whole area as far as St John's Church Road but try and stay close to Radnor Park. The closer you get to Foord Road the less salubrious it gets. Cheriton/Morehall area would work well with Folkestone West station.

Ashford is not great. It's nickname is Trashford for good reason. Dover is 'ok' in certain areas (I lived in River which was the naice end but quite a way from the station).

Hythe you will struggle with budget-wise.

These all are in reasonable locations:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/98982635#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/99321452#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/97869833#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76016020#/

Of them, I would suggest Limes Road offers the best location.

I run past this house most days. It’s a busy road (though great links into Canterbury as bus passes along that street) but property is set v far back and it’s very well situated (less than 5 min walk to station and 5 mins to state of art sporting facility and 2mins to supermarket) and amongst some v expensive properties so would imagine it has great investment potential. Plus huge garden compared to other AND has been on the market for a whilst so may be open to offers... www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76016020#/

Also these:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88601089#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85126300#/

[quote Dippingoutofdowndawg]I run past this house most days. It’s a busy road (though great links into Canterbury as bus passes along that street) but property is set v far back and it’s very well situated (less than 5 min walk to station and 5 mins to state of art sporting facility and 2mins to supermarket) and amongst some v expensive properties so would imagine it has great investment potential. Plus huge garden compared to other AND has been on the market for a whilst so may be open to offers... www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76016020#/[/quote]
Ha! I think I saw that one too and suggested it. Great minds ;-)

[quote MaidofKent78]Also these:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88601089#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85126300#/[/quote]
Was just about to link those as well! There are also a couple that are smaller and under budget but in fabulous areas - Jointon Road and Grimston Gardens are two of the loveliest roads. May not have featured in your search as they are a ‘ shared’ private garden, but this is a whacking great big huge green square which is like something out of Upstairs Downstairs or Downton Abbey that I’ve never actually seen anyone in enjoying!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/97373807#/

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85642066#/

Thank you all! Much appreciated . Happy for any advise on local community too. I live in Beckenham, and if I could afford buying here would do in a bit.. Everyone is so friendly and nice!

We Love Folkestone on FB is a good start as is Newbies in Folkestone. There is folke.life on Insta too which is great and several what’s app group including one for DFLs (Down from Londoners) looking to make Folkestone their home 😀. Have found it very easy to make friends here and there are tonnes of community groups and projects all over town depending on what interests you...

Thank you for this! :)