Nice areas of Leeds but still reasonable

[mangochutneylass]

Evening all. I'm looking to move to Leeds for work. I know the centre well but don't want to live there.

Where are nice areas for a budget of around 300-325? Ideally detached or semi at a push.

I know Morley and Rothwell popular areas. Horsforth alway seems to top the lists too.

I'm happy to live further out if more for money so Wakefield or Pontefract distance.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

Wetherby? Maybe a bit small, but nice.

South of Leeds is your friend. Morley and Rothwell are both sensible suggestions as is Wakefield. Do you need to commute to the centre of Leeds? Pontefract is a bit more of a treck IMO. I don't know the other areas so well but in Morley you should get a semi for your budget, potentially a detached depending on your requirements.

I will need to commute into Leeds some of the time but will be working from home 3 or 4 days per week. But also have friends around there so don't want to be so far that a taxi or uber is ridiculously expensive from the centre once things open up again.

How many bedrooms? Schools an issue? High schools or primary? Makes a difference.

DD is buying at the top of Gledhow valley right now, it’s a really nice spot and a stones throw from Chapel Allerton, Moortown and Roundhay.

North Leeds all the way for me. £300k would get you this in North Leeds
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/106631138

You wouldn’t get a detached for that, but you would in Morley. I know which areas I prefer and it wouldn’t be south Leeds.

Adel, Alwoodley, Wigton Moor and Shadwell are the 'posh' areas.
Horsforth, Roundhay and Chapel Allerton are the sought after trendy locations with a villagey vibe as they have their own high streets. Hence expensive and Horsforth is also affected by airport noise.
Garforth also has its own high street and is fairly quiet.
Headingley, Burley and Kirkstall are old victorian -era areas now colonised by students.
Folks looking for better value for money consider Otley, Wetherby or Harrogate.

Harrogate, Wetherby, Garforth are all out of the city but easy enough to commute in. I like Roundhay and love Roundhay Park.

You will struggle to get a detached for £300k in Morley, prices have really risen. How many bedrooms do you need?

I would consider Pudsey, Farsley, Rodley if you want to be close to the centre. Towards Bradford Birkenshaw, Bierley etc also ok but quite remote. Colton, Crossgates and Garforth are also nice and lots of development going on. Depending on bedrooms I think you will struggle in North Leeds.

Garforth is 10 mins on the train into Leeds and often overlooked, house prices are on the rise but still easily within budget. The high street doesn't have many shops on it buts there's new bars popping up all over it's very 'up and coming'. As it's just off the M1 it's only 20-25 minutes into York as well so we go into York just as much as we go into Leeds. DP is actually waiting to hear back about a job down south so we are potentially moving very soon and despite thinking Garforth was a bit boring when we first came I'll really miss it now! Also the Saffron is one of the best indian restaurants you will ever go to

Gildersome small village about 3 mile out of Leeds, big shopping centre near. Also Rothwell is lovely, ten minutes to Leeds, good bus routes, up and coming small town with a lovely park. A detached house would be around 350k. Good luck

Hello again all. Been struggling to find somewhere that doesn't just disappear within days!

I've got a few viewings in Crossgates coming up. Slightly worried looking at the crime maps and then reading up that it's become a hotspot for some antisocial behaviour around Manston park and the shopping centre?

Anyone on the ground able to tell me more. Don't really want to live in a war zone.

I would avoid Crossgates.

Also consider places like Tingley, East Ardsley, Garforth, Rothwell, Gildersome. Prices have gone crazy though with houses being snapped up.

Whitkirk and Temple Newsam near Crossgates are fine. Crossgates I would say is quite mixed, Temple Newsam is a good park, station is useful, easy access to the motorways and countryside, good for commuting, not as great for bars, cafes etc.

We live in Garforth and would recommend it.

Cheaper, nicer areas out toward the leeds/wakefield border.

Normanton has some lovely properties and housing is cheap. Rail station, and also close to M62 for access to leeds. Cheap because schools are crap, if you don’t have that consideration.

Outwood and surrounding area is also good for commuting, good bus and rail services. Wakefield itself has two stations, both of which do quick regular services to Leeds.

Bear in mind too there are plans for a park and ride at the rothwell roundabout on the m62, so the surrounding areas there will have very good transport links into leeds.

Why don’t you rent until you know the area well and then decide?

Wetherby is a good shout. Or any of the places on the Leeds/Harrogate train line. Weeton and Pannal are lovely.

Personally I’d avoid cross gates….
www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/victim-brutal-attack-crossgates-teens-20044641

I know the area and I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole.

Have you considered; horsforth , Rodley, pudsey, Wetherby, Braham?

I'd personally avoid anywhere east Leeds and concentrate on north and west Leeds.

At the moment the market is crazy. You can't even get viewings for some places. Most places are going over asking.
I prefer the North Leeds suggestions you've been given but you definitely won't be buying a detached with that budget.

@Summersunshine3

Personally I’d avoid cross gates…. www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/victim-brutal-attack-crossgates-teens-20044641

I know the area and I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole.

Have you considered; horsforth , Rodley, pudsey, Wetherby, Braham?

I read that and that's what has really put me off. The houses I'm looking at are on Pendas Fields estate which looks further out but concerned of overspill.

Is there much to do in Normanton @Reallyreallyborednow ? I've seen a few properties there in budget but not sure if getting too far out.

Horsforth is great, but you'll not get a detached at your budget. There's actually not a lot of detached housing in Horsforth apart from certain streets. It's a lovely place to live though with great amenities and well services with two train stations and plenty buses.

Rodley and Farsley are a good shout - definitely more for your money there. You could cycle to Leeds centre along the canal, or bus it. I think the nearest train would be at New Pudsey, which has a large car park. Pre-covid it would be full by 8am but I think it's better now. I really like Farsley.

Brighouse is lovely and has a train station for trains to leeds for a night out. My husband used fo live in roundhay and then chapel allerton which are both lovely but prices are going up, friends have just put their 4 bed semi on the market for £525k in chapel Allerton

Crossgates really isn't that bad! I've lived here 40 years and I'm Very Respectable
Admittedly the shopping centre is a bit run down although there are still some gems and only 7 mins on the train to Leeds but overall you're definitely better looking towards Whitkirk/Temple Newsam/Colton areas. Also Austhorpe for easy access to The Springs retail park with M&S food, TK Maxx, Odeon etc. There are new builds going up near there too so it's definitely on the up.

Didn't Garforth used to have a great music festival in the summer? We went one year when it was biblical rain all day - still loved it though!