Adult kids moving to Wales

[Gettingbysomehow]

They are moving to Ammanford near what was the Brecon Beacons in order to get on the housing ladder, last chance. They have found a fantastic house for £150 that has passed the full survey with a massive garden. I love the house. They have been living in the south east. He is welsh in origin but has never lived there as am I.
DiL is chinese brought up in the UK. Both work from home so can live anywhere.
Does anyone know this area well. Any ideas if DiL will fit in? Are people friendly?

I have some vague relatives that live there. Have to say it wouldn't be my first choice of where to live but will be nearish to some nice scenery, the coast etc. Have they actually been there or just looked at the house on line? My relatives are Welsh speaking but I'm not sure if that's the case with most people around there. They are also very nice and welcoming but I don't know about anyone else!

Yes weve all been up there and two viewings of the house and they have very good friends who live there. They get a big three bedroom house rather thsn a match box in the south east. Both love the country.

Yes very familiar with the area. It’s an absolute dive

If they're from the SE, it probably would have been better for them to move more towards Cardiff than more rurally (I.e - Pontypridd, Barry or Caerphilly). House prices are a bit more expensive, but potentially a bit less of a large transition to what they're probably used to

I don’t think there’ll be an issue with friendliness, more that there’s very little to do. Yes, scenery is lovely etc but they’re a fair distance from Swansea which is the closest city. Llanelli will be the closest place for bigger shops etc.

I think for £150k I’d have tried to get a place in the valleys north of Cardiff, at least then they can get on the train and be in the capital in 30-40 minutes.

We’re in the process of moving from the SE to slightly north of where you’re talking about. In our case it’s work driving the move but we didn’t have to move there and spent some time checking it out before deciding to go for it. We have found people very friendly- it’s a stunning area, lovely coast quite close. Lots of nice castles, national trust places. I have joined some local Facebook groups and there seems to be lots going on. I am quite ‘over’ the SE and can’t wait to move. I’m sure it will take some time to settle in and that we will feel like outsiders to some extent but it doesn’t put me off!

Without a doubt your dil will very much feel the odd one out and possibly quite lonely.
May have been a better plan to find somewhere near Cardiff, midway in price between south east and brecons.

I'd have looked at the valleys for that budget. As people have said it's easier to get to Cardiff etc and has better transport links.

Another vote for the Valleys with closer links to Cardiff. The area they've picked is pretty insular and isolated. Hence the price, but I'm sure they could still find a good starter home for £150k further south.

Typical valleys house here,

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150650666?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

30 minutes on the direct train to Cardiff

£150 -a bargain!

Thing is OP as it's not you that's moving I'm not sure how helpful MN info will be here.

Someone said it's a dive - your son isn't going to thank you if you pass on that info.

I think you have to trust that they have done their due diligence.

I wanted to move away and my MIL shit all over it. This was pre-internet and tbh I never really forgave her.

It's not a diverse area. How much time have they spent there? Maybe gently suggest they may want to stay near the house for a while before committing?

Very often the post-industrial deprivation in places like Ammanford (and the the other former coalfield communities) comes as a shock if you haven't lived there.

I am half Welsh, but have only lived here for the past 18 months or so. My 'Welshness' doesn't really count for anything, other than I have a love for the place.

Travelling around I do notice that in many areas you don't hear any English accents, and other than Cardiff and Swansea there are very few non-white people.

Although I will say that, in my experience, the Welsh are incredibly friendly.

The more 'English' areas in the south seem to be Cardiff, Swansea, Pembrokeshire (which always seems odd to me) and near the England border - e.g. Monmouth, Abergavenny.

It’s still the Brecon Beacons but it’s Welsh name is now being used.

Most properties have electricity and running water.

Public transport is useless but it’s an hour ten to Cardiff and half an hour to Llanelli.

You’ve already said they have a friend in the area and their adults - so really it’s their choice. If it doesn’t work out they can sell up. Whilst some might consider it a dive it doesn’t have an invisible force field and people are able to leave.

🙄

I live in Pembrokeshire which has historically been known as "Little England Beyond Wales". Not sure why! I'm English but my husband is from the area. None of his family speak Welsh but lots of people do. I found everyone very welcoming.

Ammanford is only up the road from Swansea and very close to Llanelli which has a decent shopping retail park.
Some parts of Ammanford are very nice.
Some lovely places to visit up west Wales which will be easy to get to

I’m from the area. Some parts are unpleasant, yes, some are nice.

its not somewhere I would recommend to someone moving with no local ties or experience though. Its not great for public transport and not very diverse.

Mix of English and Welsh as a first language.

I’d be another who suggested closer to the border and closer to a city.

A house for £150? Is that a typo?

I could have worded that better. I meant that I found it odd that there's so many English people in Pembrokeshire. Not that I find Pembrokeshire odd! 🥴
It's a glorious place.

Stunning beaches and walking a stones throw

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsker_Line