Leeds v London Im in a pickle.

[Kuachui]

Hello all, we are hopefully moving soon and its between 2 houses, they both seem to have what we need around them so now its just choosing based on area and we are going round in circles in that department.
would you rather live in postcodes N9 Erdmonton London or LS9 Leeds and why?

Echoing previous posters. I wouldn’t live in LS9 if I could help it. Leeds is lovely though and there are areas that are not too expensive and ok to live in. Good luck

Agree with people saying given your choices, go for Leeds. If you’re living rent free for a few months you should be able to save up and move to a nicer area fairly quickly which won’t be an option in London

In Leeds you will have more chance of buying or privately renting in a nicer area in future. Housing in London is ludicrously expensive, and council waiting lists humongous, so if you move to London you'd be stuck in that area in your relatives house. Particularly tricky if the relative ever changes their mind and you need to leave.

I'd move to Leeds and focus on saving money (I'm assuming renting your relatives house is cheap) and finding a job/ career where you have options to move on later.

London has a lot more jobs than Leeds. But housing costs are very high and cost of living higher too. Do your occupations mean you have good options for work in Leeds?

Jobs very much depends on your skill set. I looked for years in london post children career break, and never managed an interview. There are a lot of skilled, and/or younger people in London without family commitments ready to work.

Moved to leeds and started getting interviews right away. Three years later am now back on my pre children london salary.

Dh swears london is where all the jobs are, but I don’t think that job market is very tolerant of older women, especially post children. The population density is so high there are a lot of applicants.

O/p i’d get jobs sorted first, then choose your area. London though unless you can afford to buy rents are astronomical, and I don’t think london weighting reflects those costs.

LS9 is rough. I had a friend who lived near that postcode you mentioned not that long ago, all the houses had bars on the windows, constant mither from kids on dirt bikes.
I’d shelve renting off family and look somewhere nicer privately

Fgs plenty of decent law abiding people live in harehills and gipton. It's not the Bronx
Not everyone can afford to live in Chapel Allerton or Horsforth.

LS9 covers a huge area from East end Park to Lincoln Green.

There's a rough part every where but I would take a rough area over London costs and I agree its not the Bronx @Batholemubrecht