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Original poster

Small house 150,000 budget - where to look?

88 replies

Winterjoy · 22/02/2025 17:33

Recommendations please for areas where 150,000 is a realistic budget for a small house (pref 2 bed). Need to stay in England for work but otherwise open to anywhere (although would prefer south out of familiarity!).

Only stipulation is not too built up (some green space, e.g. nature reserve, within short driving distance at a minimum but preferably walkable) and somewhere relatively safe as I'll be living in/moving around the area alone.

I've done a nationwide search on rightmove and filtered by price but I've no idea where to start with narrowing down areas for the shortlist!

OP posts:
Arrggghhhhhh · 22/02/2025 19:51

clarrylove · 22/02/2025 17:52

Mid Devon, 10 miles outside of Exeter eg. Crediton or North Devon, Tiverton.

Edited

For 150 I don’t think so

Arrggghhhhhh · 22/02/2025 19:53

This is me too. Following with interest,

Original poster
Winterjoy · 22/02/2025 19:54

Crikeyalmighty · 22/02/2025 18:55

Also OP - any reason you can't look at shared ownership- still working? Can you get a mortgage? Some fab options at the50% level on houses at that level ( and quite low rent) or did you only want to buy outright

The 150,000 is a mortgage! Have friends who have had nightmare scenarios with shared ownership eventually overtaking their earnings so reluctant to go that route. I need the lowest stress option at this point in my life and that is a straightforward mortgage somewhere affordable for my income.

OP posts:
Crikeyalmighty · 22/02/2025 19:58

@Winterjoy - I think most of the shared ownership issues tend to be related to flats as the houses have no or very low service charge. Bonus is of course if you lose your job and don't have loads of savings the rent aspect gets paid .

would you look at flats 'not shared ownership' if low service charge or share of freehold??

Original poster
Winterjoy · 22/02/2025 19:59

Crikeyalmighty · 22/02/2025 18:32

Would you look at flats OP - both of these are in nice places, look in nice condition and 'southern'

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/153672665

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/156567041#/?channel=RES_BUY

I'm reluctant to look at flats because I don't have any capacity to raise additional funds if I'm hit with increasing service fees/charges. At least in a house I can make the final decision about large expenditure based on my bigger picture instead being presented with a non-negotiable bill.

OP posts:
Original poster
Winterjoy · 22/02/2025 20:02

Crikeyalmighty · 22/02/2025 19:58

@Winterjoy - I think most of the shared ownership issues tend to be related to flats as the houses have no or very low service charge. Bonus is of course if you lose your job and don't have loads of savings the rent aspect gets paid .

would you look at flats 'not shared ownership' if low service charge or share of freehold??

Not really if I have the option to buy a house for the same budget

OP posts:
WeAreNumpties · 22/02/2025 20:03

Cumbria, you can still get a lovely houses for that price and you have the fells and the Lake District nearby.

KingTutting · 22/02/2025 20:13

I think if you do want transport then access to a mainline train station is good. Durham is probably a good suggestion then.
Id seen this in South Shields, although it’s been on there a while which shocks me for a bungalow. You have good access to Newcastle from there on the metro.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151070156

KingTutting · 22/02/2025 20:23

Although I just saw this lovely flat in Jesmond…https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157447829

Flaskfan · 22/02/2025 20:27

I don't quite get why you you can't live in Wales if you wfh. Many of us who live just on the border work in England.

Ooh, I know- buy a house in Saltney, but on the English side! You can cycle into Chester and get trains.

Crikeyalmighty · 22/02/2025 20:42

@Winterjoy it's tight without going to the north midlands and further north for anything that will be mortgageable without using shared ownership - if I could go anywhere and had that budget I would probably pick the north east around Newcastle if I was honest - great coast, cheap housing and I like Newcastle and Durham .

Anywhere here's a few still in the midlands/ southern half - Nottingham isn't a bad pick and these are all in nice areas of Nottingham and not shared ownership

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147096653#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/158294075#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157718579#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157586885#/?channel=RES_BUY

Hemlocked · 22/02/2025 21:26

Don't rule out maisonette style flats with own entrance. They sometimes come with share of freehold. I dont pay ground rent or service charge at mine. There are no communal areas, only a shared garden path and gate. We split buildings insurance and someone files our 'accounts' every year for a small fee. Costs are very minimal. I would avoid flats in a block though.

uglyjessie · 22/02/2025 22:47

East Anglia

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 22/02/2025 23:21

Wakefield W Yorks, manline to London in 2 hrs; short walk to country park
Wombwell S Yorks
Wakefield again more built up,but local park and country park

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 22/02/2025 23:27

Flaskfan · 22/02/2025 20:27

I don't quite get why you you can't live in Wales if you wfh. Many of us who live just on the border work in England.

Ooh, I know- buy a house in Saltney, but on the English side! You can cycle into Chester and get trains.

I work for an organisation that exists only in England. Any work travelling expenses will only be paid from an English address.

Maybe something like this?

Gardendiary · 22/02/2025 23:42

You could get something in Leek in the Staffordshire Moorlands, which is quite a nice town, for example
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151825289

Gardendiary · 22/02/2025 23:53

There’s also a couple of things for that price in Belper and thats a lovely town with an award winning high street and good community

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150937583

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148693643

Cartwrightandson · 23/02/2025 04:51

Heysham/Morecambe

It has Heysham nature reserve, Heysham moss and Middleton nature reserve, the beach, the prom, then arnside/,silverdale, forest/trough of bowland

Changeissmall · 23/02/2025 05:26

The Belper ones look great. Freehold and in town with a station. Lovely countryside near there too.

JaneAustensKitty · 23/02/2025 05:32

Darlington I’ve never been to Darlington, but it has a train station, civil service has opened a huge hub/office there.

ASunnyWeekend · 23/02/2025 06:24

SoftPlaySaturdays · 22/02/2025 18:39

County Durham is beautiful and you could get a wonderful freshly renovated 2-3 semi, or a new build. Lots of wonderful countryside and coast.

A nice town or village near Durham might suit you - Lanchester maybe, or parts of Durham itself like Newton Hall.

I hear Sedgefield is nice too but I don't know it. The schools are apparently excellent.

I’m not sure that op can really get a 2/3bed renovated semi or new build for 150k in Lanchester, Newton Hall or Sedgefield. The odd house comes up in that price range in those areas but certainly nothing new/renovated/in move in condition. There are other areas of Durham where £150k could get you that but it isn’t the nicer areas

Mercurial123 · 23/02/2025 06:36

Derbyshire - Ashbourne, Belper
Nottinghamshire - Newark on Trent