South Wales

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We live in a south London borough and it's so expensive, we really want a bigger house but can't afford one around here. We are considering moving to South Wales as one of my very close friends lives there and hubby could transfer his work to Cardiff. I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of nice places to live, with a commutable distance to Cardiff? We have looked on rightmove and seen some lovely houses but worried they may be in areas to avoid? (In particular maybe Caerphilly, Barry, Penarth, Tonyrefail (the Gelli Seren Estate), Bridgend, Chepstow)

Really after recommendations please 😊

Has anyone moved from London to South Wales before? Did it go well?

Many thanks xx

(Ps my first Mumsnet post!)

Cowbridge, Penarth, are lovely with good schools.
Chepstow is nice, not quite as smart.
Monmouth and Abergavenny a bit further out but nice towns

No problem happy to help

I moved from Gants Hill to a village outside Newport. I love it and our life here. Good luck

Thank you guys that's really helpful. Sorry OverByYer as I say this was my first Mumsnet post I didn't realise people responded so quickly!

Rightmove is so addictive but only gain limited knowledge about the surrounding area so other people's opinions are great to get us started in our search xx

BelafonteRavenclaw

Do you mind me asking a little more about why you moved? Do you have family/friends in Wales? Xx

What is your budget? I'm in Cardiff. Do you want to link any houses? Vale of Glamorgan is beautiful and easily commutable to Cardiff

Happy to help.

Can you give some requirements eg travel time, village or completely isolated, schools? Penarth is the only one from your list that I'd consider.
I live in Cardiff and love it.

Welcome to Mumsnet!
I think your budget will be the deciding factor...You could buy a mansion in some of the areas you've listed for the same cost as a two bed terrace in others.

also, do you have kids? Little or big? School catchment areas will have a big difference too.

Another vote for Penarth...it's fab!

Penarth is lovely. I grew up in S London and our neighbors moved to Penarth. I the went to uni in S Wales and spent a lot of time in Penarth with them. Lovely little town.

We just need to be (max) about 30-45 mins from Cardiff (on in Cardiff itself). We have two young children - aged 3.5 and 1.5. Budget around £300,000 (maybe a little more for perfection!) minimum 4 bedrooms, would like a playroom downstairs too ideally.

Really appreciate any help xxx

If you find some houses you like within travel distance on Rightmove and post links here, we can have a look and tell you which of your picks is in the best location.

And travel distance will really vary depending on time of day too. At 7.15 I can be in the middle of Cardiff in 20 mins max but if I leave at 8.15 it's nearer an hour.

My sis lives in Penarth and we grew up in Dinas Powys. Both are lovely places to live and about 12 mins by train from Cardiff city centre. Personally I'd go for the Vale of Glamorgan. My sis lived in east London for about 10 years before returning to live near Cardiff and didn't look back.

300,000 won't get you what you need in Penarth I'd say. It's a really expensive area. Caerphilly doable but more like 40 mins + to central Cardiff due to traffic.

All of the areas you mentioned have good and bad, Bridgend is completely different to Penarth for example, Bridgend is more affordable, but has a longer commute and isn't seaside. Penarth is lush, but not affordable on your budget.
There wI'll be compromises to be made smewhere, depends what your priorities are.
The days of being able to come to S.Wales with that budget and have any house you want are long gone though I'm afraid. If something looks too good to be true the it probably is!

Penarth is the only place on your l'd consider but you won't get much there for 300k.

If you want somewhere a little more rural/villagey but still within a 20-30 minute drive from Cardiff (a little more in the peak) you should consider some of the villages in North Cardiff... Creigiau, Pentyrch, Gwaelod y Garth. Also perhaps Groes Faen, and I agree with previous posters, lots of lovely villages in the Vale of Glamorgan too. If you want to be in Cardiff then Rhiwbina and Whitchurch are both nice.

I would avoid everywhere on your list apart from Cardiff itself and Penarth, but the nice areas of both are out of your price range unless you compromise on the size of house (which is what I would do, Cardiff is fab and lots of housing stock which is easy to extend later on). Otherwise how about Llantrisant, church village or Taff's well? Southern RCT has some good schools e.g. Y Pant but I would really not recommend further up the valleys e.g. Tonyrefail which can be quite insular.

PM'd you as info was identifying. I'd second the recommendation for Creigiau, Pentyrch and Groes Faen. Or, your money might go a little further if you head towards Miskin, Pontyclun.

Think if you are looking for a house in a decent area, in Cardiff or the Vale then for four bed detached you are looking at about 400k. I think after London, I would avoid RCT or NEWPORT. I have lived in Cardiff and Penarth and agree, both are fantastic. For Cardiff, I would stick to Radyr, Lisvane, Cyncoed (not pentwyn end), Llandaff (but with care as they are planning to build lots and lots of new houses without improving roads hugely and already a bottleneck in the morning), Penylan and some parts of Whitchurch.

I moved from East London to Penarth. A very different way of life but lovely.

Agree with pps re Cardiff and Penarth and some of the villages like Creigiau rather than places like Bridgend. Traffic through and around Cardiff can be a nightmare in rush hour so I would look at public transport links.

Also agree you don't get much for £300k. Probably a small 3 bed terrace in Penarth and nice parts of Cardiff and probably more for a 3 bed semi. You would get more for your money in Barry and Caerphilly but then you compromise on location and amenities. Also depends if you like being near the Coast.

There is an episode of Location, location, location set in Penarth and Cardiff which would be useful. Not sure if it's still on catch up. They ended up in Penarth btw.

You have posted your thread in Rural Living. Cardiff is full on city living. If you want rural, perhaps vale of glamorgan would be best.

Rhiwbina is a very nice area and has a rural feel due to its proximity to the countryside
Thornhill is a fairly new development (built since the 80's in stages)

Sorry these are cardiff suburbs

If you're serious about moving, why not rent for a while? It would give you chance to know the area and you'd be in a great position to negotiate when you're ready to buy.

Rhiwbina is lovely currently has an issue with lack of childcare, there are no nurseries and limited after school care. It lead us to moving as with two parents working full time and no family close it was a total nightmare