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.

Both my sister and brother live in Otley, my sister rents & my brother has just bought a house (new build). Both reasonably priced for what I’d consider to be a nice area. Had a quick browse and there’s a 4 bed semi in your price range if you wanted that much room😅

What size of house are you looking for? Garden? Parking?

There are a few in Gildersome/Morley/Tingley that would fit your budget. I wouldn't rule out these areas completely. There's a big park and ride at Elland Road to access Leeds, and Wakefield, the M1 and M62 are in easy reach. Then you have retail parks at Birstall, the White Rose, Castleford and York.

@CruellaDeBeale

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.

I agree with all this! I would choose Garforth over Crossgates given a choice (I am biased though) but it's really not THAT bad and the areas mentioned above are fine. It's been mentioned on previous threads about Leeds that some of the nice areas in north Leeds have huge drug problems currently so nowhere is perfect! It saddens me that East Leeds is often over looked but as it's close to both the M1 and M62 it's a really great location and easy to get just about anywhere.

I would say Garforth is ok. It will be very close to HS2, along with Rothwell, woodlesford, micklefield, sherburn in elmet. I would second Normanton, Pontefract and the surrounding areas. Very reasonable priced housing, you can get a large new build for your money. I live close by and my commute into Leeds used to take 30 min pre lockdown.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86255650#/

I have a 24 year old DS who is moving to Leeds for work. He knows some areas in Leeds to avoid but I wondered what Morley was like as rentals seem cheaper? He will probably wfh some of the time but how is it for getting into the city centre? We live rurally and are used to driving everywhere but parking seems to be very difficult in Leeds.

Morley is good.I’ve lived there for a while. House prices have shot up there the last two years. The town centre isn’t very good with only a Morrison’s and mostly banks and charity shops, but their opening a few bars and restaurants now with some redevelopment on the cards. It has the White rose shopping centre just out of town.
The motorways are on the doorstep too, with very good bus and trains routes into Leeds, it’s about 5 miles. I think it’d make a good choice for a 24 year old. Other than that have a look at Leeds city centre, hundreds of flats to let. Depends on price range. Good luck.

Thanks @Katyy. Any sports centre? Nice countryside? His budget is £750 ish. City centre makes sense to me but he is dead against it.

[quote Ginjanotaninja]www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86255650#/[/quote]
I looked at normanton on rightmove and saw that property and thought it looked great. Tempted to go and view.

I went to crossgates for viewings the estate itself looked okay but took a drive past the park and to the shopping centre and was less impressed.

And Hax I agree the city centre would be ideal for his budget and age I would have thought. But if he's really against it I looked at rentals as an idea instead of buying but good rentals are in short supply and not cheap. Morley was on my list too.

Hi Hax. Yes there’s a sports centre in the town. It’s about 35 miles into the Yorkshire dales.

Outs myself as a person living in Morley but not from this area originally. We moved here for a secondary school and transport links. Much easier to get onto the M62 or M1 from here than some of the North Leeds suggestions.

In its favour it has proximity to White Rose Shopping Centre with a lot of parking available, several restaurants and a cinema. A Morrisons, a 24 hour Asda, and Sainsburys in White Rose. An Aldi is opening up shortly. Tesco is 24 hours and a short drive away.

Morley has a small centre with some good little shops, bakeries, fruit and veg and the infamous bargain triangle of B&M, Wilko and Home Bargains. Morrisons is located in this area as is the leisure centre.

It is close to M62 junction 27 (Birstall) where Ikea and other retailers are on a large retail park such as M&S, TK Maxx and more restaurants, and close to the M1 for places like Castleford shopping. It has a train station for Leeds or a relatively easy commute in.

I really like Morley. Yes North Leeds areas are lovely but that ring road is a nightmare and there is a lot of snobbery about south Leeds but as I said I am not from here originally, neither is Dh so it is like water off a duck's back to us. If you are unsure definitely rent first.

Chapel Alperton and Horsforth are nice places to live (though be careful with Chapel Allerton because it's close to some dodgy areas that estate agents will list as Chapel Allerton). I've heard that Roundhay and Adel are nice but I don't have personal experience of living there. Much of south Leeds isn't great, but Morley is an exception as it's quite far out. I'd say that Morley is perfectly ok, but I prefer north Leeds, and the price difference isn't big enough to sway me towards Morley.

Leeds isn't particularly cheap for northern city, so you may not get as much for your money as you think if you want a decent area. There are cheap areas, but they are usually cheap for a very good reason. I would avoid Headingley for the most part, but far Headingley might be ok.

@Picklechamp

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

You can't afford these though, I'm afraid!

I live in Wakefield. Used to live in chapel allerton, moved for more space and a more semi rural vibe. I wouldn't live in Normanton. The only places I considered when looking were Horbury, sandal and Walton. All are close totnhe M1 and I am in work in Armley in 25 minutes

@CruellaDeBeale

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.

Hello, sorry me again. Still struggling to find something that fits budget and location that doesn't get snapped up in seconds!

I've seen this place that looks nice size and location is Whitkirk / Temple Newsam @CruellaDeBeale do you know if this area is nice? Or anyone else? I like the fact it has no chain.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/109119626#/

I wouldn't. It's dodgy round there:
www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/inside-notorious-leeds-estate-chaos-19274442

The area itself is nice, but it neighbours Halton Moor and Osmondthorpe, which putting it politely are Leeds most troubled areas. High crime and high deprevation.
Why not try for a new build in Micklefield?

@Ginjanotaninja

The area itself is nice, but it neighbours Halton Moor and Osmondthorpe, which putting it politely are Leeds most troubled areas. High crime and high deprevation. Why not try for a new build in Micklefield?

Yes and thanks to link above as well these places do seem troublesome. But many place have good areas next to bad areas so it's weighing up those. I wouldn't need to walk through those areas to get to the station.

Is there much in Micklefield? It's great it has a station but does it have any local high street or anything?

@mangochutneylass
It's fine round there, very residential and quiet and a lot of retired people plus families for the nearby schools. Handy for Temple Newsam and the little shopping area in Halton plus loads of buses to Leeds from Selby Road.
It's not Halton Moor despite all the frothing above, if you're going to live in a big city then there will always be less desirable neighbourhoods not far away but where that house is is definitely quiet.

Just seen your update, from there you wouldn't walk to the station, much quicker to jump on the bus and be in Leeds in 10 mins.

I find this quite accurate, so you can compare where you currently live.

vis.oobrien.com/booth/#

Thanks @CruellaDeBeale you're right I fully accept that's the tradeoff moving to a big city. I also don't plan to live there for more than a few years so I want to think about resale potential as well. Hadn't even thought about the buses as the bus services where I live aren't great so had been focusing on trains!

Love that @4PawsGood ! I live on an estate that is very nice but we have one of the worst estates in the region less than a mile away.

Meanwood is nice

If you're only planning to be there a few years and one of your priorities is easy access to Leeds to see friends then I would venture that places like Micklefield are further out than is convenient as you'd be very reliant on the train. That's not a comment on Micklefield as a place, just in terms of its proximity to Leeds. LS15 house prices have risen steadily and the local appeal of the schools (I went to Whitkirk Primary!) and Temple Newsam plus convenience to Leeds means there probably won't be a local difference to the general movement of house prices.

@mangochutneylass you still haven't said how many bedrooms you need, or if you need to be near a school. Those things are just as important as your budget!