Where’s affordable to buy and decent area to raise a family up North?

[Dippydippydoo]

I live in the South and would like to buy my first house. I don’t mind doing somewhere up at all. I can afford between £64k-£70k max and need a two bedroom house in a decent area for me and my 7 year old. I’m really open to any good areas from the Midlands to the North but have no idea where’s family friendly and decent. I was born in Darlington but lived south for 40 years. Any suggestions please?! TIA

I think you're being slightly unrealistic OP, especially with house prices the way they are at the moment. My uncle has just sold a 2 bed house on a council estate in one of the most deprived areas of the North East, and even that went for 70k. Its not a place anyone would choose to raise a child, that's not to say there aren't families there making a bloody good stab at it but they'll look at you like you have two heads if you relocate there by choice.

I don't think it's enough money (northerner here).

Theres a place nearby me called Birtley which has little 2bed terraces for around the 70k mark. It has a couple of good primary schools, is on a main bus route into Newcastle.

It's not a "naice" area but it's certainly nice enough for the money.

There are much nicer areas even just a short way out from there, but it would be minimum 120k for a 2bed.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/78714972#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110800931#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110940731#/?channel=RES_BUY

Just a few options in Carlisle @Dippydippydoo

Another thing to bear in mind OP is that 2bed homes at that price point wont ever really make you money in the NE. Places dont gentrify/ are up and coming in the same way they do in London etc.

My son is in process of buying a terraced 2 bedroom house traditional brick in Hull. He is paying £75k. It was advertised for £84k and he put in offer subject to building society valuation. They valued at £75k vendor agreed that price with my son. The house he is buying needs no work at all and is beautifully decorated. He has several friends who live there from uni. They are now all buying homes and some have a child and married and seem to enjoy living there. Beaches within 25 mins.

Barrow/West Coast/Carlisle in Cumbria

Sheffield is nice - you might just get something suitable there

Sheffield is very nice. A large area is outrageously expensive. But there will be no houses in decent areas for that price.

Do you LIVE in Sheffield?

Hull has two bed apartments in your budget

Millar Barn Lane, Rossendale
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/75240627

This is pretty, slightly odd arrangement, but a good price. There's usually quite a few around Rossendale under £70k, but they do get snapped up quickly. It's a lovely place to live, although like everywhere there are good and bad bits.

I think you need to narrow down your criteria otherwise you’ll be overwhelmed by what you’re looking for. A 2bed terrace is absolutely doable on 70k. You can definitely get that in Sheffield and surrounding areas. Wether the school will be good/outstanding is another matter. Like others have said usually with cheap prices comes, deprivation, lack of employment and all the issues that come with that so you will need to do your research very carefully.

Another option is shared ownership, you can easily get one for 30-50k, far less work that buying a doer-upper at the top of your budget.

You'd get a nice maisonette or small 2 bed in wallsend, north Tyneside which isn't the nicest area but certainly not the worst...is a good location, has a lovely park and good transport links too! Good choice of good-/outstanding schools and a definite community feel!

15 minutes metro ride to the coast, 15 mins metro to Newcastle city centre.

You can’t get it in Sheffield!

There is one house only available that is within the op’s range.

Remember in Sheffield houses are advertised at much lower asking prices than they expect to receive.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/Sheffield.html

Nothing in preston unless it's an apartment, auction or shared ownership either

And the link changed itself to highest price! But put in lowest price. There’s nothing.

I think you’re being waaaay too optimistic wanting a house for that price and in a nice area. My brother recently bought his first house in Lancaster. It’s a small mid terrace that needs a lot of work on the edge of an estate and that was in the £80k region. The only think you might get around here is a ‘flat’ that’s part of an old Victorian house in Morecambe but that might not even have its own entrance.

[quote QforCucumber]Lovely area, Near fantastic schools - 2 bed, 2 bath apartment.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/79215246#/?channel=RES_BUY[/quote]
That’s a nice flat in a really not too bad area.

You'd get a flat in parts of the Scottish Borders (Hawick, Galashiels, Duns) and Berwick-upon-Tweed if you wanted to stay on the English side of the border for consistency with school systems.
I suspect if there was anywhere really nice with good schools, good job opportunities, great amenities etc and houses for that budget we'd all be living there!!

North Tyneside...

Vine Street, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, NE28 6JB
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110427302

Redesdale Grove, North Shields, NE29
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/109653401

George Road, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, NE28
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111042425

Holly Avenue, Wallsend
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/102703010

Grey Street, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, NE28
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108229502

Limekiln Court, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, NE28
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110014931

Jarrow or Hebburn give you lots for your money but I don't those areas well!

I think there's an awful lot of snobbery on this thread about decent areas in the North. If you've ever lived in Newham or Hackney in the 90s, nowhere up here seems that bad.

However, that said, house prices and rental prices have risen hugely over the past few months, OP. There's a lovely 2 bed terrace near me in County Durham (about 15 miles from Darlington) for just under £65000, for example, that would probably have been priced between £45000-50000 prior to the lockdown housing boom.

When I was looking as a single mum on that budget few years ago I was looking at Scotland - some towns around Edinburgh, and also Glasgow (the south and north of the city). (But I ended up with a job in the midlands and so got a 2 bed terrace in a town there for circa 100k)

@Binnaggy but if it was in a different place it wouldn't be that price! Compromise especially for that price

Birkenhead? Get in there quick though, there's not much left.