Moving from London to Sheffield

[Merriczynska]

Hi folks,

Any advice on where is best to relocate to in Sheffield from London? DH has just secured a new teaching job in Longley, North Sheffield and we have a 3yr old in tow and I'm pregnant with our 2nd due in May so we are on the search for somewhere with good primary schools and where I won't feel lonely on mat leave with a newborn! Need access to toddler and baby friendly spaces and facilities in relative walking distance. As I'll be on mat leave we're looking either to rent or buy somewhere on a smaller budget before I go back to work again in a year or so. Not 100% sure on budget yet but below £300k is probably realistic at this stage. I've heard Totley & Dore are lovely but are they ok in terms of things to do with babies and toddlers? I guess our budget won't go as far in the nicer areas and it would be lovely to have 4 bedrooms to have one for visiting family from the south! Any tips gratefully received x

Dore is expensive but very organised. you name it , it's got club for it - or 2/3. Excellent schools, park, nurseries, activities for children etc. Village feel, edge of Peak district. No chance 4 bed on your budget.

Totley a bit cheaper. Both quite a way from Longley.

South West S generally, pretty but hilly, high up and COLD in winter. If you're to be pushing a pram you'll want to be on the flat and nearer to the centre of these villages, areas etc. Do you like snow? hiking, riding, climbing? all big in S.

Sheffield is relatively compact in comparison to other cities so you will be able to take advantage of activities in the centre when children older.

Try Ecclesall bit nearer to centre than D ( or Banner Cross / Hunter's Bar) good access to shopping at BX HB, Ecclesall Woods, Endcliffe Park, Botanical Gardens etc.etc. Crookes good shops, lots on, Crosspool higher, smaller shopping centre. Fulwood ( pretty, village feel, lovely park, small shopping centre ) - all above excellent schools / edge of PD etc too. Lots on. Nearer to L than D or T.

All ( except HB) in Sheffield Hallam Constituency with one of the highest number of graduates in England, richest C in Sheffield. Left Labour MP Olivia Blake.

Dore houses of that size are close to double your budget. Try sharrow/meersbrook.

Depends what sort or commute your DH would be happy with. I would go out of the city centre areas. Maybe as far as Dronfield which is not far past Dore. You wont get a 4 bed but should get a decent 3 bed.

I was born in Sheffield and have lived there all my life, OP.

Dore is very, very expensive. Totley is expensive. Ecclesall and Whirlow are very, very expensive - in the catchment for Silverdale School, so people are paying for school by a different method - though even then, the independent schools mostly recruit from the expensive areas (Ecclesall/Fulwood/Ranmoor/Dore/Whirlow), despite there being decent state schools there. Nether Edge is mixed - some bits are nicer than others. Sharrow used to be pretty dodgy but has also benefited from people being priced out of Ecclesall, and you could possibly get a 3-bed terrace close to Ecclesall Road (which is great) for your budget. That's also close to Endcliffe Park and loads of things to do. Ditto Banner Cross.

Despite having lived in Sheffield for 50 yrs, I had never heard of Longley and have just Googled it. I don't know that side of town at all well - but I do know that it can take up to an hour from SW Sheffield to Broomhill during rush hour, so it would take considerably longer to get from SW to your husband's workplace. Absolutely don't look at Dronfield, as it's another 20 minutes on from Dore, and would also be a nightmare in winter. I would definitely factor the commute in (and Sheffield isn't a great city for cycling).

I've just looked on Rightmove and if I had to buy something available now, I'd buy this: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/120254882#/media?channel=RES_BUY&id=media11 Crookes is studenty, but is a decent area on a good bus route, with plenty going on, parks etc. I'm not sure about the primary schools, but I think it would be in the catchment for Tapton secondary, which is popular. Though I realise it's not a 4-bed (I think you'd perhaps to buy something and then move up the ladder). Also possible that some North Sheffielders will be able to advise on that side of the city!

Nonsense I commute to the city centre in 40 minutes from Dronfield it has a train and since 2010 there hasn't been one winter I couldn't make it. For 300k in the areas mentioned above it's a terrace at best in probably the dodgier parts. You could look at Hillsborough and Walkley I guess maybe Stannington.

Is he at the northern general? There is a regular bus for staff from the hallamshire hospital which is in broomhill. I would try Crookes, walkley, Hillsborough. All nice areas, cheaper as you move down the list. Plenty of families, baby groups, nice local shops and restaurants and good schools.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far - really helpful!
So for a bit more context DH has got a deputy head job in a primary school within that Longley area but it's not somewhere I want to live and we also have my very very helpful MIL based in Matlock, hence wanting to be closer to South side so she can come in useful!

Although not averse to looking west Sheffield too if you think the commute for DH easier. Initially we were going to just rent for a year whilst I was on maternity leave to get a feel for the city but my brother has spooked me into thinking about potential interest rate rises 😬, hence looking to buy on just one wage - it's a lot to take in at the moment with the world in the current state isn't it!!
What are your opinions on living in studenty areas? Am so paranoid about living next door to a party house? God I feel old - takes one to know one but I wouldn't have wanted to live next door to my DH when he was a student!! 😅

Would recommend looking in the Woodseats/Greenhill/Norton/Meersbrook areas. Lots of young families and should be able to get something in your budget. Also Graves park and Meersbrook parks are great!

On that budget you are going to need to look at Crookes, Walkley or Meersbrook for nice areas within budget, Sheffield house prices particularly in the West/South West Sheffield have shot up. Dore is very expensive.
4 bed might be a stretch though but possible maybe in Walkley or Meersbrook.

Walkley is nice. The city centre is very easy to get around, compact and lots going on. It's a fantastic place to live and raise children!

If your MIL is Matlock then where I am is between there and work it's the border of Sheffield North East Derbyshire really but so easy to go Matlock way 25 mins and Sheffield 40 to 45 minutes. Close to all the peak district has to offer. Closer to Graves Park is nice too I would go Greenhill. I think Beauchief would be out but maybe a 3 bed semi.

A thing to be aware of with Sheffield is that it's usually "offers over" - so if you put £300k into Rightmove, be aware that the house will be expected to fetch a higher price, so maybe look a bit lower. I was reading that in the last two years, 30% of house purchases in the city have been from people locating from the South East! (although I don't know how true that is).

@tootiredtospeak

Nonsense I commute to the city centre in 40 minutes from Dronfield it has a train and since 2010 there hasn't been one winter I couldn't make it. For 300k in the areas mentioned above it's a terrace at best in probably the dodgier parts. You could look at Hillsborough and Walkley I guess maybe Stannington.

Not going to argue with you, but I would absolutely not think of Dronfield for the OP. I do agree, though, that 300k will not buy much in Sheffield.

OP, Matlock is actually quite a long way from Sheffield (I have family near Matlock). It's a bit like being on a different planet. I would in fact rent for a bit, while you suss it all out, and see how it would work with your MIL and the children.

@Maireas is absolutely right about 'offers over', btw. I am also an estate agent!

A friend of ours used to live in Grenoside. That’s quite pleasant. The problem is that Matlock is SW of Sheffield snd DHs work is N Sheffield. The M1 might be your best route to and from Matlock. Live in a good area for work as it’s probably the most frequent journey.

Thanks all - lots to muse over! I guess anything under 3 hours is a bonus now in terms of being nearer family! 😅

The students push house prices up so all the students areas in the west would be over £300,000 for a 3 bed terrace.

Dore and Totley is expensive, bit cheaper and lovely are ecclesall, fullwood, crosspool, bit cheaper than that but student-y are walkey, crookes. Some area of Hillsborough and malin bridge are nice with affordable housing and food transport links to other areas. Chapeltown and high green and ecclesfield would be 10 min ish commute for your husband and nice villages with affordable housing and not as cut off as say Stocksbridge / oughtibridge

@JackieGr

Dore and Totley is expensive, bit cheaper and lovely are ecclesall, fullwood, crosspool, bit cheaper than that but student-y are walkey, crookes. Some area of Hillsborough and malin bridge are nice with affordable housing and food transport links to other areas. Chapeltown and high green and ecclesfield would be 10 min ish commute for your husband and nice villages with affordable housing and not as cut off as say Stocksbridge / oughtibridge

Thanks Jackie!

Hi @Merriczynska and welcome to Sheffield (well soon anyway)

I live in South Sheffield and work in the far north of the city (beyond Longley). The commute takes me an hour in rush hour but if you leave a bit earlier than 8am you can cut that but a third. I also have family in Matlock and being in the south of the city makes it much easier to visit them (40min) which has been very important over the years.

If you want to stay south then I suggest you look at Bradway, Norton, Woodseats - and Dronfield/Coal Aston which are over the border into Derbyshire. If you want to live closer to where your dh works then look at Crookes, Walkley, Crosspool, Ecclesfield, Grenoside and High Green. Lots of great places to chose from.

@Porcupineintherough

Hi *@Merriczynska* and welcome to Sheffield (well soon anyway)

I live in South Sheffield and work in the far north of the city (beyond Longley). The commute takes me an hour in rush hour but if you leave a bit earlier than 8am you can cut that but a third. I also have family in Matlock and being in the south of the city makes it much easier to visit them (40min) which has been very important over the years.

If you want to stay south then I suggest you look at Bradway, Norton, Woodseats - and Dronfield/Coal Aston which are over the border into Derbyshire. If you want to live closer to where your dh works then look at Crookes, Walkley, Crosspool, Ecclesfield, Grenoside and High Green. Lots of great places to chose from.

That's really helpful advice thank you. 😊 glad to hear someone's in the same situation and that it's not impossible 😄!

@Porcupineintherough

Hi *@Merriczynska* and welcome to Sheffield (well soon anyway)

I live in South Sheffield and work in the far north of the city (beyond Longley). The commute takes me an hour in rush hour but if you leave a bit earlier than 8am you can cut that but a third. I also have family in Matlock and being in the south of the city makes it much easier to visit them (40min) which has been very important over the years.

If you want to stay south then I suggest you look at Bradway, Norton, Woodseats - and Dronfield/Coal Aston which are over the border into Derbyshire. If you want to live closer to where your dh works then look at Crookes, Walkley, Crosspool, Ecclesfield, Grenoside and High Green. Lots of great places to chose from.

Of those, definitely Crookes, Crosspool or Walkley in terms of things to do with children. Absolutely not Bradway, Norton, Woodseats, Coal Aston or Dronfield. I have come across people with young children who say good things about Ecclesfield and Grenoside. You also need to think in terms of schools, which would rule out several areas (Crookes etc would be ruled in on the whole).

So is Norton & Woodseats not great for young children on the whole then? Or just the pram pushing aspect of the practical nature of lugging young kids around! Crookes is looking more appealing, despite the student factor 🤪

There would be loads of children pretty much everywhere in Sheffield. However, Norton and Woodseats are just incredibly dreary, and the schools (primary and secondary) don't have a great reputation. Given that there are loads of schools in the city with a good reputation, I'd move closer to one of those. Crookes isn't just students - loads of young families/young professionals too, and a nice feel to it. The pram-pushing thing isn't a big deal at all!

I live in South West Sheffield and it's lovely. But if I had a job in Longley I wouldn't like making the trip across the city every morning. I'd look at Crookes, Walkley, Hillsborough, Chapeltown, Grenoside. All nice family-friendly areas.