Moving to North East

[stef2024]

Hi everyone,

We are looking for our forever home in the North East. Ideally, 4 bed detached with a budget of 350k max. Since we don't know the areas very well we've done some viewings and we tend to explore the neighbourhood afterwards.

We are considering to make offers on few properties and wanted to ask for experience on areas in terms of schooling (we dont expect superb schools, we are average family so everything average ia good) safety and having other families around.

One house is in Ouston, which seems like a nice area but there is nothing going on there, didnt even find a playground. How is the area in terms of raising a child there into adulthood considering that is in close proximity to Birtley which at first look doean't seem great but I believe secondary school is in a catchment area?

Next is south west of Chester-le-street (the very edge of the town). Town centre looks ok-ish. What is everyone else's opinion?

Third is Mount Pleasant area, which I believe is part of Washington. Looking at the deprivation map it seems to be ok but Washington seems to be hit and miss. Any ideas?

How about Prudhoe and Ryton? In Newcastle city Killingworth or Benton seems to be somewhat affordable.

The Northumberland Line

www.northumberlandline.uk/

What's wrong with South Shields? Is it the beautiful beaches, parks, swimming pools, bowling alley, soft plays, the fair, cafes, bars, award winning restaurants, the metro station that connects us to Newcastle and Sunderland, the football club (although I admit the ground is in Jarrow), The Customs House for theatre and cinema, The Word, south Tyneside hospital on our doorstep, excellent schools and the marine college that student's come from around the world to attend?

Obviously there is rough parts but the same can be said about pretty much everywhere.

You might struggle to get a 4 bed detached for your budget but there are a few out there.

My husband is from Stanley and when we were moving in together we talked about where to live and he said South Shields hands down. Nothing going on in Stanley (not that there is anything wrong with that).

So can you elaborate what is so wrong with my town?

There's a direct train from Cramlington to Newcastle central. It takes 12 minutes.

@Melonportal Not everyone can afford paying for the metro and a bus pass together cause chances are you will still need to use the bus after getting the metro in order to get to certain places.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148807187#/?channel=RES_BUY this is very near where I work and where I'm planning to move to within the next couple of years, it's the Outer West of Newcastle.

I grew up in Stocksfield, a village next to Prudhoe, and where a lot of old school friends now live. It's a lovely village, but as a teen so boring, and public transport was rubbish...all of my peers learned to drive at 17 and had access to a vehicle as it was poor!

I now live in Wideopen, just next to Killingworth. The area is lovely, if it wasn't for my dc being at a school nearer their dad's I would stay here, but it's not practical as they're getting older. The local high is an academy, mixed reports.

I'd opt for the Outer West, good access to A1 and A69, loads of buses into Newcastle, restaurants and pubs on the door step, and several choices of schools within a relatively small area. My dsis lives at the coast (Cullercoats), it gets so busy it'd drive me mad!

South Shields is a lovely town I agree

Within any town there are good and bad areas. I'm from Hartlepool and we've had a huge influx of incomers in recent years, especially to our Headland area.

My recommendation is once you've found the right town join their Facebook group and ask about the roads you're looking to buy in. People are always honest in these situations.

We had one buyer who joined a local FB page as she'd just had an offer accepted on a house that she wanted to buy as an investment for her sons future. We told her to google the street name and machete - she withdrew from the sale the next day. Local knowledge is everything.

South Shields, Cleadon, Whitburn Seaburn, Fulwell are all good.

As above - Boldon, Cleadon, Seaburn and Roker for a beautiful beach and lovely walks.

A great area with super friendly people - it’s really not that grim up here!

My sister lives in Ouston on one of the new build estates and I have lived in Birtley, both are fine, but I lived in Low Fell for years and loved it. Great primary schools, lovely park, mixed secondary schools, 10 minutes into Newcastle town centre. I know the ne and Northumberland very well, happy to help if you are looking at specific houses re:areas etc.

Debinaround, absolutely right. We currently live in a town with a bad rep, but the area we live in is lovely. Nice houses, it's the quietest place in a sub/urban area I've ever lived. Decent neighbours, decent facilities, close to beautiful countryside. Everywhere has good and bad, and the bad are usually a very small (although perhaps vocal) minority.

There are plenty of nice places in County Durham and Tyneside, and as PP has pointed out, many areas of Teeside are lovely.

You can get a lovely house for that money in Washington. I may be biased as I've lived here all my life, but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. It's quiet, no traffic, pleasantly tree lined with lots of paths for walks. Of course there are less good areas but that can be the case anywhere in the country, so don't let the 'deprived area' tag put you off. It just means lower council tax!
If you need to get around you're 15 minutes from both Newcastle and Sunderland (great beaches) and 20ish minutes from Durham.
I think it's great 😃

How about Morpeth? Family friendly, good schools and train/bus to Newcastle

Used to live in Birtley - seriously don't do it. Person I knew lived in Stanley and got burgled twice within a few month, although that was South Moor area.

I was looking at Chapel Park and it indeed look nice in terms of housing and affordability. Will keep an eye on it.

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Within any town there are good and bad areas. I'm from Hartlepool and we've had a huge influx of incomers in recent years, especially to our Headland area.

My recommendation is once you've found the right town join their Facebook group and ask about the roads you're looking to buy in. People are always honest in these situations.

We had one buyer who joined a local FB page as she'd just had an offer accepted on a house that she wanted to buy as an investment for her sons future. We told her to google the street name and machete - she withdrew from the sale the next day. Local knowledge is everything.

That's always my worry, since we are buying a forever home and are not from the area that we can make a mistake but we tend to look at village feel places which I assume should have less crime.

I've put a cash offer on this house in Ouston at 320k but they rejected it (for now :-)) - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147132599#/?channel=RES_BUY. Regardless of being a beautiful house, I though the area wasn't worth it that much.

And with good metro links into Newcastle. DD lives in one of those areas and loves it.

I've seen a house in Mount Pleasant which should be part of Washington? The are looked quite nice.

@stef2024 I’ve sent you a PM!

We would love to live in Morpeth, it is a bit pricey though for the size we are looking but it has a great connection to the city.

Yeap, I think it's opening sometime this year which is great and we liked Bedlington town centre.

Hunwick is a wonderful village...by far the best in that area. 20 mins from Durham and 5 mins from a sizeable shopping town of bishop Auckland...also close to the Kynren which is a famous annual show that brings a lot of tourism to the area but not actually in Hunwick itself

Morpeth is brilliant. How about amble?

Amble has changed a lot - in a positive way. It used to be really rough, but has become more upmarket. It's a bit of a trek to Newcastle though.