Moving and miserable - handhold please

[Gottabesomethingbetterthanthis]

So we're moving up north out of London as just too expensive renting here much more. We will go into rented and then look for a house to buy once up there. We don't have a lot of money so to save costs we want to rent somewhere cheap and cheerful just for 6 months. Trouble is, the area for cheap and cheerful is, um, not very nice.. agent I've been in touch with about the house we're looking to rent, keeps asking me 'do you know the area?!' I mean, no, we've only been there once but yes, I have googled it and no, it's not a pleasant situation at all but people live there and hubby could walk to work saving extra £s. But just thinking about that place, compared to where we live now, bit of a wrench. I know we have to move, I know we don't have to get that rental house - we could look at others, but I don't know.. is it normal to feel so sick in the stomach with all this? We're just being very practical for hopefully a short-term period until we can find a house to buy - that's another matter, as any house we've seen we've wanted to buy has gone no sooner than it's advertised!

I think I'll look to see what else is around... but gawd, I hope we're not making a huge mistake by making this move. I always wanted to live up north when I retired, in some small cottage or house close to the Peak District or not far from the Dales, but what I want and what I get could be two completely different things! Maybe because I'm surrounded by empty shelves and packing boxes, nothing settled yet.. just an anxious time.

In rented you can move easily if you don't like the area.

Lots of the North is lovely, what areas are you looking at?

@Disfordarkchocolate

In rented you can move easily if you don't like the area.

Lots of the North is lovely, what areas are you looking at?

Oh it is.. beautiful parts in the North, don't get me wrong.. the house we're looking to rent is in Sheffield, S4, basically terraced housing off a busy main road near an industrial area.. as I said, cheap, close to hubby's job and will do until we can start looking to purchase. We've been spoiled where we live now as it's in the leafy suburbs and just 5 mins walk to the compact town centre with some great local shops. I just need to put on my big girl knickers and get on with it - it's not going to be forever.

I’m from Sheffield and there is no way I would want to live around S4 even for a limited period of time. OP, I don’t know what your rental budget is but it might be worth compromising and paying a bit more for a nicer area? Have you considered areas like Hillsborough? Not an affluent area by any means but there is a nice park, cafes, library near by and good access to other areas of the city.

I think it'll be ok. It's not forever, and even if the area is a bit run down and whatnot I think you can put up with it if it's a means to an end. The more money you can save the sooner you will be in a house you own. The thing with moving north is that yes it's cheaper than London but wages are less too so you will have to make some sacrifices. I think you're just feeling nervous OP understandably at the move.

If the local agent is questioning if you know what you're doing moving there, don't you think you should listen? Years ago as a student friends of ours rented a house share in an area around Liverpool that they knew nothing about. They were totally naive about the neighbourhood - I'll spare you the details but they ended up somewhere where crime and violence were the daily reality.

Make sure you know warts and all what the area is like.

I'd avoid S4 as well.

@Gyptian

I’m from Sheffield and there is no way I would want to live around S4 even for a limited period of time. OP, I don’t know what your rental budget is but it might be worth compromising and paying a bit more for a nicer area? Have you considered areas like Hillsborough? Not an affluent area by any means but there is a nice park, cafes, library near by and good access to other areas of the city.

I know.. Gyptian.. the agent kept asking us.. 'Have you seen the area?' I mean, yes we know what it's like but well.. for short-term we were prepared to go there. However.. we've decided to increase our budget to look for something nicer.

But goodness.. we rang around so many agents today and most nothing available to rent, or others with 30 or more people ahead of us queuing up to view properties.

Have a virtual viewing tomorrow near Swallownest so fingers crossed!

@TheWholeWorld

I think it'll be ok. It's not forever, and even if the area is a bit run down and whatnot I think you can put up with it if it's a means to an end. The more money you can save the sooner you will be in a house you own. The thing with moving north is that yes it's cheaper than London but wages are less too so you will have to make some sacrifices. I think you're just feeling nervous OP understandably at the move.

@TheWholeWorld - thanks. We were fully prepared to go with the property but kept getting knocked back by agent.. I know why and eventually took the hint. I mean the house itself inside is absolutely fine! Even when we looked at the Google street map, yes ok, it's a row of terraced houses etc., but it would have been ok. Not somewhere I would choose to live but to save the money, yes. However, we decided in the end that it was too small and the stairs angle really awkward to get furniture up. Line drawn under that :-) Yes, I am nervous tbh and stressed with my job so it's all getting a bit much at present.

Have you considered the High Peak area? Right on the edge of the Peak District and a few cheaper areas.

@Dandelionsss

Have you considered the High Peak area? Right on the edge of the Peak District and a few cheaper areas.

@Dandelionsss - we've budgeted up to £650. Will see what else comes up this week and next. So much to sort out.. have removals guys on hold.. place is a tip.. boxes everywhere. Will look forward to getting out on the Peaks eventually for some bracing fresh air :-)

Swallownest is fine.

Rentals are insane at the moment, in my area there’s 50+ people calling within 24 hours of them going up. So I started looking at in an area 200 miles away, so I could be in the same town as my family. 20+ people.

I’ve had to provide a full application form the landlord to sift through before deciding if they will deign to give a wretch like me a viewing

Dramatic maybe but fuck me I’ve been served a S21, have a glowing reference, have an income of 32K and can pay 3 months upfront but as soon as they hear “single mother 3 children” they don’t want to fucking know.

@SpaceBethSmith

Rentals are insane at the moment, in my area there’s 50+ people calling within 24 hours of them going up. So I started looking at in an area 200 miles away, so I could be in the same town as my family. 20+ people.

I’ve had to provide a full application form the landlord to sift through before deciding if they will deign to give a wretch like me a viewing

Dramatic maybe but fuck me I’ve been served a S21, have a glowing reference, have an income of 32K and can pay 3 months upfront but as soon as they hear “single mother 3 children” they don’t want to fucking know.

@SpaceBethSmith - yes it's absolutely crazy - I was almost prepared to say, forget the whole bloody thing! Agents are talking about the pandemic causing this shortage of housing, both to rent and buy.

It's a landlords and vendors market. So many applications and offers - they can pick and choose. I totally feel for you and hope you can get something sorted soon to be with family.

Discrimination against single mothers yet again They shouldn't be able to get away with it!

Sorry, that was in reply to @SpaceBethSmith
Don't want to derail the thread!

I'm getting very concerned. We need to be out of our current rental by 25th September. With so few properties to view, and taking 1-2 weeks to complete the process once you've found a property, we're really running out of time. We've thought about renting AirBNB and putting stuff in storage, but even that takes time to organise and I'm trying to work from home at the same time, and hubby works shifts so that's not always convenient to make progress Jeez.. what the hell.