Moving ideas - potentially North East

[Talkischeap1005]

Nervous buyer here whose spent 18 months trying to find a house with little success so wondered if anyone could assist before I lose my marbles altogether.

I will keep it short as possible.

I have been looking to buy a 2/3 bed in the North East (not mid terrace) but I am struggling with my requirements and don't really know the areas well enough. My budget is only £170 max (lower if possible) which is the issue and for that I could only afford painting / carpets etc (wouldn't be able to do up any kitchens / bathrooms).

So my requirements were:
No big cities / towns (so not Newcastle / Stockton etc).
And no very small isolated villages.
So small / medium sized towns.
Inland as opposed to coast.
Having a long couple of dog walks available without a drive for his walks.
Reasonably near a supermarket (which I guess wouldn't be a problem in a town) maybe potential decent gym.

My budget does hit areas of higher crimes which being a nervous person does worry me but im realising I may just have to accept that.

I keep coming back to Chester le Street and do like the newer build areas near Waldridge fell which would tick my boxes (problem is I can't afford it).

I went on a wander around area Urpeth (not sure if it's ouston as well). I like the look off the area and asked some locals about it and they said they have been struggling with anti social behaviour and their which put me off but I've looked at the crime rates and they are lower than surrounding areas so unsure.

I like Whickham but again can't afford it.

Someone directed me to Stanley but that seems a bit out the way, might be too small and online has some bad press.

I haven't been to Bishops / spennymoor or Darlington so can't vouch for these areas. Mainly couldnt pick up many local walks but looking at spennymoor there does 'seem' to be some walks near Tudhoe potentially but looking today, it's slightly out of price range In Tudhoe.

So I feel I'm back to the drawing board.

Daughter has finished school so schools aren't an issue. I work from home so employment not an issue.

I feel not really knowing the areas is difficult and I guess you never really know an area until you live there. But I'm wondering if I need a reality check and my budget just can't afford what I'm looking for.

Does anyone have any knowledge on the above areas or any different areas?

Thanks for your help!

Monkseaton and Whitley Bay are nice, but might be beyond the OP's budget. I'm not keen on Ashington, Bedlington, Pegswood or Widdrington Station. None of them have much going on. There have been a lot of new houses built in Blyth, which isn't as scruffy as it used to be.

I'm surprised that Wallsend has been recommended.

I see that someone has recommended Barnsley. Yes, there are parts that aren't nice, but there has been a lot of investment in Barnsley town centre, and people now come from other towns to shop and enjoy various other leisure activities. For a decent sized town centre there is a lot of free and inexpensive parking as well.

The new development in the town centre is a large open space where they have events like food festivals, continental markets, music events and other themed events.

Areas west of the M1 have low crime rates and are worth looking at. You might want to look at Penistone as well. There are loads of places to walk around there. It is reservoir country, and you can walk around most of them. Plus there is the trans Pennine trail.

Is Hartlepool too close to the coast!?

Ignore the exclamation mark

I know the area well, just had a look on Rightmove & there’s a detached 3 bed with garage & conservatory in Woodham, Newton Aycliffe close to supermarkets 👍🏻

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151906565

Where do you live on your 170k budget, @Temptingspread ?

I'm not sure the crime rate there is quite what I'm looking for I'm afraid.

Thanks. I think Seaton sluice, Seaton delavel would be too small really. I'll have a look tho

Thanks. I can't see walks local to Norton. Isn't the crime quite high there?

Have you considered parts of Cumbria especially north of Carlisle towards the Scottish border? And just over the border in Dumfries and Galloway.

Thirsk (avoid Hambleton Place), Northallerton (avoid Ashlands), Stokesley (avoid Sowerby Crescet) and Great Ayton which is a much smaller town/large village would all suit your needs. Thirsk and Northallerton have good railway links too.
I know these areas well so if you find a property you like, can advise on area. All have new building currently.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/153021788?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY
This property is on a new build estate on the outskirts of Stokesley. Walkable to town centre, nearish rougher area but nice area itself.

I just came to share the same one in stokesley. It doesn’t look like it needs any work doing at all.
The downside of stokesley is there is only a co-op, but there is a big Tescos about 10 minutes drive away at Coulby Newham.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/152382227?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY
The one on Apple Tree is shared ownership. Thats why its so big for the money. This bungalow is freehold and in a lovely quiet area. Needs updating though. Stokesley is a lovely town and this will be out of the way for the fair traffic which visits one week each year.

Sorry, missed you need two beds 😖

That Stokesley new build is beautiful but it's 50% shared ownership so may be out of budget with the rent on top?

Op I've been following your threads on your move for a while now as I'm local to some of the areas mentioned and I do think you will eventually have to accept a compromise along the same old house Vs location dilemma. The average property prices are cheap in many of the locations you are considering, but that's because there are small pockets of really nice areas surrounded by a lot of deprivation which on first glance on Rightmove makes things seem very affordable but once you start looking under the surface its not as straightforward.

I relocated back to NE myself fairly recently and prices had increased by 25/30% from when we'd looked 5 years earlier, and it's always been the case that the nicer areas here are expensive.

It seems from your posts to that a safe, green, connected location is really important to you and matches your lifestyle, and that means paying a premium to live there. So what is holding you back on compromising on the property type? Is this a downsize for you or have you been renting before? Because I think if there was a perfect location that matched all your criteria you would have found it by now.

Thank you.

I actually agree with everything you have said, thank you for your insight. And the problem is I just can't find a suitable location (you are right) which is why I'm back and forth, here there and everywhere. I feel I've compromised on the properties I've viewed already (apart from yet looking at mid-terrace). Whenever I've found somewhere I feel would be a suitable location, ive asked about the area and then been warned off it.

I would say I need to take a break from it all but with house prices on the up and I lose money each month renting, I need to plod on.

I'll go through all the points on this thread later - although no doubt I'll come back to Chester le Street as I always do 🤣.

Thanks for your input!

Thank you. I generally find these areas out of budget.

I couldn't afford rent and service charge on a shared ownership.

Thank you tho

I thought the stokesley one was too good to be true.

I wouldn’t discount living on the edges of bigger towns as well. For instance I grew up in Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough. It’s a quiet part of town and little crime etc. it’s very much families and older people.
This puts you close to Stokesley/Guisborough/north yorks.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143748422#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/152267027#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/144209627#/?channel=RES_BUY

You didn’t mention if you need access to one but this would also put you close to James Cook which is an excellent hospital.

You said not mid terrace, which implies you are looking for a semi detached. What difference does that make to you? You could have one nightmare neighbour who shares a wall with you in a semi, or two quiet ones either side in a terrace.

I think you are making it harder on yourself by ruling out mid terrace. A lot of the terraced houses I see around Northallerton and Thirsk are a heckin lot bigger than most of the semi housing stock.

I also think that it’s not always wise to take what MNetters say as gospel when it comes to areas. I have been to a few (which I inconveniently can’t remember) that the OH and I have thought were fine but MN did not. Sometimes there can be an air of exclusivity when it comes to area recommendations.

We have found hitting the streets (well, driving around) and also going to a pub works for us. We ruled out three areas just from spending an hour in the pub in each place this year. You almost instantly get a vibe.

There is also the ADT crime checker, which can be good for looking at specific streets. If you are relying on that deprivation map that sometimes gets posted on here, I would say it’s massively misleading. It shows areas where there is not much money, but we have been through dozens of those areas in the car and they’re mostly absolutely fine. Some older houses, some immaculately kept former LA estates, etc. The areas marked as affluent on that map are mostly new build estates where people have paid a fortune for houses. Or in the NE, above around 300-350k.

Yes, I 100% agree about the neighbours/ mid terrace. I am aware I am worried about who my neighbours will be so by having a semi was trying to halve the issue. But like you say, I could have 1 awful neighbour or 2 very nice ones....you just don't know. A portion of terrace do have concrete gardens tho (well the older ones) which I couldn't compromise on (for the animals sake). But will start looking at terrace.

I also appreciate everyone has a different view on an area (makes it challenging but also interesting to get different stances at the same time).

I do reply on the crime checkers, haven't seen a deprivation map.

Like you say, going to the areas and getting a vibe myself is the best bet. I do find locals on here helpful thru for advice in the first instance (there's only so many times I can go up and down the A1 🤣).

Thanks 😊

> I do find locals on here helpful thru for advice in the first instance (there's only so many times I can go up and down the A1 🤣).

I stop locals in the street and ask them what the area is like to live in.

I have only done it two or three times but I have garnered some absolutely invaluable information this way. Find someone who is washing their car, drive, or someone who looks friendly and is walking their dog. If there is nobody around, ask local pub, cafe or shop staff.

I know paved isn’t ideal for dog owners but I have seen some properties where they put a patch of astroturf down. Ofc it’s far from ideal not having a grass garden, but you REALLY have to compromise somewhere - otherwise you will never, ever move. If you end up with a yard just make sure there is a green or a park nearby if you can.

But even that is ‘privileged’, to an extent. Some people have absolutely no choice but to walk their dogs around the block. Mostly people on budgets!

Is yours a particularly high energy dog who really needs massive runs? Or are you idealising the perfect lifestyle for a dog who
likes green spaces but does not NEED them?

Washington is quite a good call - can go along the river down towards Cox Green and Sunderland, up on towards Beamish, along the old railway lines towards Sunderland direction, across to Penshaw Monument kind of area.

Mum gives on the riverbanks and it's busy as hell down there with dog walkers lots of the time!

Just to echo previous posters. No matter where you say someone on mumsnet will tear it tear it down. The Guisborough, Stokesley and outer areas of Middlesbrough have woodland and hill walks within a very short drive plus close to the coast to do those walks if you do fancy a change. Saltburn/Huntcliff at Christmas time is a popular walk but only for the very hardy! Stewart’s park or Flatts Lane country park tor park runs if that’s your bag.

Also in range of N Yorks moors and River Tees walks all the way up to the Tees Barrage for more industrial heritage views. Then further north Wynyward park/woods and various nature reserves.

That Stokesley house is too cheap. I’d expect the sold price to be a lot higher than the guide price unfortunately.