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

I’d say Crookes is far less studenty than it used to be. Far more young professionals.

Renting might not be a bad idea at least for a bit as the competition for houses is crazy and would put you in a better position as at your price point you’ll be competing with FTBs. We’ve recently sold in Crookes house was on offers in £325-345 for a 3 bed end terrace we 40 viewings in 4 days and had 10 offers all over the bottom of the range and sold to FTBs (not the highest) for £367k.

Or you could consider moving a little further north of Sheffield to Penistone or one of the villages in the area. Most of the primary schools are good or outstanding, and Penistone Grammar School is a very good (comprehensive) school.

I'd also think about Barnsley (nearer to dh work which he will be visiting more than mil but close to m1for travel to matlock). Look at the villages like Silkstone, thurgoland, Oxspring, millhouse green, Thurlestone, hoylandswaine, any where near Market town Penistone. You'll get a 4bed detached for between £3-400000, good or outstanding primarys and excellent secondary schools.

Hmmm, not sure I agree with your characterisation of south Sheffield @Dorea but then I think Crookes is grossly overrated. Bradway, Norton and Woodseats all have good primary schools and are in range of outstanding secondary schools. The area also has two of the city's best parks - Graves and Millhouses and the usual assortment of groups for toddlers. Lots of sports facilities - tennis clubs, golf course and driving range and a virtually new leisure centre and pool.

@Clockbookbeast

I'd also think about Barnsley (nearer to dh work which he will be visiting more than mil but close to m1for travel to matlock). Look at the villages like Silkstone, thurgoland, Oxspring, millhouse green, Thurlestone, hoylandswaine, any where near Market town Penistone. You'll get a 4bed detached for between £3-400000, good or outstanding primarys and excellent secondary schools.

This is an interesting thought and definitely one for the future maybe- I just don't think I'm quite ready to move from East London to a country village in one fell swoop. Although my lungs will most probably appreciate it I would definitely miss a bit of the buzz! I'm a music teacher for context too so need to think about what I'd do after mat leave...definitely contemplating setting up some sort of franchise bit that's a wholly different conversation! I grew up in the countryside of Bedfordshire so am not averse to it but do remember being distinctly bored as a teenager!

Mind you, Bedfordshire is dull beyond measure 😴

Maybe a good option would be to put a "recently sold prices" search into the areas of your choice, then you'll have an idea what your budget can get you. I was just looking, and pp suggestions of Crosspool and some of the others is a bit optimistic, so have a look at some of the other suggestions.
It sounds like you want to be in the city, drivable to Matlock, so you'll need to be on the west side.

@Merriczynska

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!! 😅

I live in one of the studenty areas mentioned, it's not a problem. Despite their reputation, the students are very quiet.

If you are on a budget I'd second the suggestion to look at Hillsborough or Walkley. Both have plenty of amenities and a lot going on, and if my knowledge of local geography is correct, would mean your DH could bypass the city centre to get to Longley.

I think East London to rural/semi rural South Yorkshire might be a bit of a culture shock then. Although Penistone has a lot more going for it in terms of bars, bistros and places to eat than it used to. It also has a great independent cinema.

On the local Facebook pages there are a lot of requests from parents for music tuition. And then there is Barnsley Youth Choir who have won several gold medals at international choir competitions and have performed at Edinburgh Fringe. They are absolutely brilliant.

I agree with pp about the traffic. The traffic in Sheffield is very heavy and moves very slowly, so I agree with pp that basing yourself in the south or south west of Sheffield means a long commute (in time, not miles). Also, if you plan to vist London regularly it takes ages to get to the M1, particularly from south west Sheffield.

I had never heard of Longley before and have just found it on the map. The immediate area isn't very nice TBH. Grenoside and Chapeltown are worth looking at, maybe Oughtibridge and Stocksbridge. Not sure what Ecclesfield is like to live in. Burncross is nice, but might be a bit too quiet. Avoid Parson Cross.

My colleague is in the process of buying in Sheffield and all the houses she wanted were getting snapped up and going for over asking price. She's ended up with an offer accepted but waiting ages now for the seller to find somewhere to buy because the market is so crazy and things go in days.

Sheffield is a lovely city, I think you will love it. You may need to rent first though and snap up a house to buy when you get chance. Some other friends relocating from New Zealand to Dronfield just did that. It will be worth it good luck.

Yes the more I think about it the more stressful it feels to buy straight away - going in blind - I think renting for a bit to suss it all out may be financially less savvy in the short term but longer term may save money if we ended up buying in the wrong place anyway!

Very useful info re: traffic etc...Google maps lies!

Places are quite close so if you have a car you can be near baby groups etc quickly.
Milhouses is a lovely area with great facilities but you'll be pushing your budget. Tbh I think any popular area in Sheffield will be out of budget for a 4bed. But a three bed is totally doable. A 3bed semi in ecclesall is around £300 and is a great area with good schools. I'd also look at nether green. I lived in crookes and it's studenty and lots of terraces. Not sure there are many family homes in that area. But it's nice and felt safe. Look up postcodes too. S11, 10, 7&8 would be my go to. But mostly because I've lived that side of Sheffield my whole life.

@RampantIvy connection from sw Sheffield to M1 south is really quick and easy! You take A61 to Chesterfield then go out to junction 29. Likewise to get from south Sheffield to north in rush hour it is more sensible to skirt the city and come in via the Rivelin Valley than to drive through the centre.

Ah yes, of course. I'm to the North of Sheffield and don't know the South very well.

[quote Porcupineintherough]@RampantIvy connection from sw Sheffield to M1 south is really quick and easy! You take A61 to Chesterfield then go out to junction 29. Likewise to get from south Sheffield to north in rush hour it is more sensible to skirt the city and come in via the Rivelin Valley than to drive through the centre.[/quote]
Sounds like a more scenic route in the best sense then!

Ultimately a lot will depend on the trade off you want to make between commute times to work, to family, to further afield. But yes, probably best to rent first, get to know the city a bit and be on the spot when it comes to viewing and bidding on houses. The market is very hot at the moment.

On the plus side its a great city with lots of good areas to choose from though 300k goes less far than it once did.

@Porcupineintherough

Ultimately a lot will depend on the trade off you want to make between commute times to work, to family, to further afield. But yes, probably best to rent first, get to know the city a bit and be on the spot when it comes to viewing and bidding on houses. The market is very hot at the moment.

On the plus side its a great city with lots of good areas to choose from though 300k goes less far than it once did.

Good points. I was just looking at houses for sale listings in Millhouses and Ecclesall, and guide prices for 3 bed semis are around £400-450k. Renting then checking out areas for your budget is a good idea, you really can't tell until you're there.

[quote Porcupineintherough]@RampantIvy connection from sw Sheffield to M1 south is really quick and easy! You take A61 to Chesterfield then go out to junction 29. Likewise to get from south Sheffield to north in rush hour it is more sensible to skirt the city and come in via the Rivelin Valley than to drive through the centre.[/quote]
That's true. We used to come home from school that way as my mum got so fed up with spending an hour in stationary traffic at pick-up. But as PP say, you're not going to get a 4 bed for 300k anywhere in SW Sheffield.TBH, I think you'd struggle to find a 3 bed there - but you may well do in Crookes, Walkley etc (better for work, but not near Matlock - though I think I'd choose to be more convenient for work as your DH is going to be doing that journey every day).

Renting is probably a good idea!

Yes and maybe hold back until I have a salary again and we can boost our budget if that's what's needed!

Still, it's all relative isn't it. £300k wouldn't even get you a 2 bed flat where I currently live! 😅

Best secondaries in Sheffield in rank order
Silverdale/Tapton which swap first place all the time.
High Storrs
King Ecberts
King Edwards

I’d work backwards from those. All of these are from the opposite side of the city to Longley.

All expensive unfortunately.

There’s also Mercia secondary which pulls from all over the city. It’s one of those places where kids have to be silent all the time. I think- not 100% sure

Bradfield is also good but pulls from a lot of countryside.

Try not to rent!! House prices are just constantly going up. You’ll be priced out.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Best secondaries in Sheffield in rank order Silverdale/Tapton which swap first place all the time. High Storrs King Ecberts King Edwards

I’d work backwards from those. All of these are from the opposite side of the city to Longley.

All expensive unfortunately.

There’s also Mercia secondary which pulls from all over the city. It’s one of those places where kids have to be silent all the time. I think- not 100% sure

Bradfield is also good but pulls from a lot of countryside.

All of this is spot on.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Try not to rent!! House prices are just constantly going up. You’ll be priced out.

The alternative is, of course, to buy in as nice an area as you can possibly afford, then sell and move up the ladder.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Best secondaries in Sheffield in rank order Silverdale/Tapton which swap first place all the time. High Storrs King Ecberts King Edwards

I’d work backwards from those. All of these are from the opposite side of the city to Longley.

All expensive unfortunately.

There’s also Mercia secondary which pulls from all over the city. It’s one of those places where kids have to be silent all the time. I think- not 100% sure

Bradfield is also good but pulls from a lot of countryside.

Notre Dame consistently scores highest in the City by various metrics but is a Catholic aided school which I guess is why it didnt make your list?

The catchment of Mercia has shrunk massively over the last 3 years (well not the catchment itself but the longest distance offered) but who know what the situation will be when you get to that point.

Dronfield Henry Fanshawe is also Ofsted outstanding and used to serve the Norton/Greenhill/Woodseats area although and increase in the number of children in Dronfield/Coal Aston has put a stop to that this year at least.