Should I bother

[Spotsandbows]

Hi Feeling a bit deflated. I am a LP living in East London and I have had to leave another private rented property. This instability is having a mental toil on me and my children. I have looked into buying somewhere however my budget is very small 150k. I am looking to Midlands ,and in particular I like Nottingham as I need somewhere diverse and vibrant but obviously for my budget the areas available are considered not great and more importantly what I keep reading online is there are serious crime issues . Having 2 preteens this is my main concern. I understand my own area has its good share of crime but there is a mix of middle class and lower class people (myself definitely in the lower lol)and also having lived here all my life I have an awareness of the area. I am thinking whether renting maybe the best option for us and to give up my home ownership dream.

It is a bit risky buying in an area you don't know, could you not rent in an area you think you could afford to buy in, and maybe look to buy in a year if you like it?

Are there any areas of Nottingham that keep popping up in your searches? Some places have reputations that are a bit outdated, but then again some have the reputation for a reason!

What would you do about work if you moved to a different place?

Hi was thinking about maybe renting but was a bit nervous with moving kids out of school but maybe I could have them stay at grandparents. I am looking at Mapperley Arnold,sherwood,Forest Fields. Would like Woolaton but its out of my league @HollowTalk I work from home at present.

Hi OP,

I’ve just done a quick search within your parameters and it seems like there’s a few houses that might warrant a viewing to get a better idea of the area.

I live about 10 miles out of the city centre now but have lived in the city before, in Forest Fields as a student and have friends in various a different areas scattered throughout.

Did you say how many bedrooms you need? What transport factors are important to you? Do you drive? Or do you need walking distance to the tram?

I wouldn’t want to move to Forest Fields with a family, it’s a very studenty area with lots of HMO’s and it’s also evidently quite deprived just from having a wander around.

However, Arnold, Mapperley and Sherwood all have some nicer areas.

In answer to your question, I think it’s always better to buy rather than rent. But if you could rent for 6 months while you got a feel for the city, without impacting on the funds you’ve reserved for the purchase then that could be a sensible option.

£150k definitely isn’t an impossible budget for Nottingham. I think it will just be a case of watchful waiting for the right house, which might be easier to do logistically if you’re already in Nottingham.

Mapperley Arnold and Sherwood are certainly worth looking at.

Could you rent somewhere in Nottingham for a while to get a sense of what different places are like, with a view to buying in a year? Rent would be a lot cheaper than London so you'd offset moving costs and maybe be able to save a little extra.

There are a few areas of Nottingham that you can still buy a 2 or 3 bed terraced house for £150k. There is also the tram. You might get a fixer upper. Can you do DIY?

Thanks for your replies everyone! I think as many as you have said renting for 6 months would be the way to go to get over the nerves and actually see the areas day and night. I don't drive so would like to be near town or have good access but am thinking I may have to look into learning to drive. Are there some definite no goes area that I can cross of my list?

Personally, I would avoid Hyson Green, Radford, Bullwell, St Ann’s, The Meadows and Sneinton for absolute definite.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property/103471862
There's a few houses around the 160k mark you might be able to stretch to that are near this one(most sstc currently obv), I live just round the corner on "the nook" estate which used to have a bad rep locally but I've been here 10+ years, schools are decent (catchment primary feeds into George Spencer) tram is nearby and beeston is a short walk. Would recommend if you are looking to either buy or rent locally as both more affordable this end than in Central beeston