Future house move to Lancaster and surrounding!

[miracle0812]

Hey!
Anyone on here who lives in Lancaster and/or within 20 mile radius? Wether you have moved there or lived there all your life.. we are considering moving there in the future! There’s a number of places that we are considering but this place does seem to keep sticking out in my mind!
We have three children aged 12,7 and 1 we currently live in Kent and pay ridiculous house prices compared to further north places obviously due to the fact we are closer to London but we don’t need to be near London.
We really want to be able to enjoy life a bit more without the financial burden of over priced rent!
If anyone has any info that might help then I would really appreciate it 😊
My job is in social care so I’m confident I will manage to find work! Any areas in particular to stay away from would be great!
Thank you 😊

We live near Liverpool, I can't believe how expensive housing is down south so I feel its good plan.
You would be very near the Lakes, Trough of Bowland dales etc if that's for you?
First thing I would look at is schools.
I would also look at how far to places you need to go, we are a short distance from two rail lines and a motorway junction so travelling is easy.

I grew up in a beautiful tiny village outside Lancaster called Kirkby Lonsdale, which I loved. It's 17 miles from Lancaster on backroads - further, but quicker if you take the A road.

It was a lovely, warm, welcoming community, good schools, and there are lovely little hamlets nearby like Casterton and Kierstwick. Also a river, with lovely walks.

If situation is similar to when I was a kid, then when your twelve year old is sixteen and looking for a summer/weekend job they won't struggle (I hope Covid hasn't closed it.)

Hey
Sorry didn’t see your messages until now @Funf
Yes it’s crazy! We don’t need to be near London but we are paying the price for it! Where we live has the fast 30 min train to the city. My brother lives in London but due to his work we probably see him once a year at most! Do you like Liverpool?
@theotherfossilsister thank you for that info! I will look at that place on rightmove and research it! I’m making a list of places we can visit when lockdown is over! Surrounding areas of Preston are drawing me in for some reason too! Do you know anything about Preston?
That is good to know about summer jobs etc our village is lovely but no hope of a job and wouldn’t want her working in the town closest to us! Everyone tells me poor weather more crime no jobs when I talk about moving further north which is disheartening so it’s nice to hear a positive view

Liverpool like most city's has good and lesser areas.
It has some very good schools, Parks, Beach, water front etc.
www.donthibernate.co.uk/liverpool/
We live about 9 miles out of the centre as housing is a lot cheaper, but its about 20 mins to the city as the M62 goes almost to the centre.
Even the expensive areas are cheaper than London.
As an example South Liverpool, Speke Garston Aigberth have a massive mix of costs and areas, this is a short drive from a shopping centre and the Airport but visitors would never know
www.donthibernate.co.uk/route-8-liverpool-combining-the-shopping-and-a-walk/
The Wirral is also nice ( its the Sticky out bit across the Mersey, between Liverpool and North Wales)
The weather I would look on historic weather data but in general Places near the Lakes get more rain that's how they have lakes.
You can check crime figures on line to compare areas.
Preston, I have been several times and we use a Vet there! Its smaller than Liverpool not as Vibrant plenty of countryside nearby and again it had good and bad just like lots of places. I think once the lock down is over it would be worth travelling around.

We live in Lancaster and for me it's the perfect place. I moved from Spain a few years ago for work and wasn't able to move out again, that's how hard I fell in love with the place. Also found a husband, but that's not important
If there is anything more specific that you'd like to know if be happy to help!

I love the area, but it depends what you want from where you live, it's not a busy city with shops, and whilst there are outstanding schools they would be difficult to move a 12 year old to. I don't want to be negative, I have been here many years and love it - the access to the lakes, the sea, commute on the west coast mainline are all bonuses of a beautiful area but when you're used to having things on your doorstep it may be a shock to the system! Happy to answer any questions.

I’m in Cumbria. Lancaster area is lovely.

@miracle0812 we're in preston, don't often go to Lancaster but always seems lovely. we bought a house in a nice area in fulwood for 150k, plenty nearby there's two supermarkets, greggs, costa, couple of pharmacies and the hospital so don't often need to go to the city centre and there's a few options schools wise. rents in this area are between £600 and £800 a month I believe.

Wow some great comments! Thank you everyone for taking the time! @MustDust I live in a village in Kent the only thing on my doorstep is a pub and a corner shop that charges £1.50 for a pint of milk 😂
So what I’m looking for is nice safe area with big family homes a decent sized garden too especially as my youngest is only 1. We currently live in a detached small 4 bed house with a driveway and average plain garden (it’s a new build) we have a big park for the kiddies nearby but public transport out of the village is dire when I say 4 bed it may as well be 2 bed as two of the bedrooms are more like box room/offices! We pay £1200 per month in rent! Seeing what I can get in the North West is mind blowing! As far as finances when looking online at jobs I can’t find much of a pay gap either! We love Georgian/Victorian style houses most. Obviously area and schools are most important to us and given the age gap between our children we need to look at primary, secondary and higher education so it is a bit of a mine field!
Are there any areas of Preston to completely avoid? I cannot wait to come and have a good explore! I’ve heard that there are some really pretty parks.. we are looking to spend a week around the Preston area. A friendly welcoming area is a must as I would want to make friends as well as my children having friends!
Cumbria is deffo on the top 3 places I’ve thought about moving too we briefly visited a couple of years ago very pretty!
Sorry don’t know how to reply individually grateful for all of your comments 😊

Fulwood has popped up a lot on houses I’ve liked on rightmove! I’ve heard it’s one of the nicest areas! Are there nice parks around that area? Thanks 😊

Also why would it be difficult to move our 12 year old? Are the schools over subscribed? Thanks 😊

Preston can be a bit hot and miss for secondary schools tbh.

If your younger DC are very bright there is the option of trying to get into Grammar school.

We looked and moving to Preston or Lancaster and we all prefer Lancaster and still do. It's a small town where is Preston is a large town and has a very different feel.

Lancaster has the grammars for your 12 year old if you can get them in

What about the outskirts of Preston v Lancaster? I deffo wouldn’t want to be in the centre of anywhere. What areas of Lancaster are worth looking at? Thanks 😊

No idea about the baby yet but out of the older two my eldest would be able to get into a grammar school if there was space! My middle one struggles academically though!
Any decent schools near Fulwood? 😊

We don’t mind the travelling either she’s currently in a secondary school 20 miles away because our local ones are absolutely enormous and terrible! She went to a village primary with 80 children our local secondary has just over 3000 children but the school she is in has around 800!

I love both cities Lancaster has a lovely close knit feel and beautiful stone buildings. Great grammar schools, you can walk everywhere and nothing is too far away.

My partner lives in Preston in Fulwood and it's the perfect place, a beautiful part of the city, there are several parks and wooded areas close by for walks. Preston has good links to the motorway and other areas like the Lakes and trains to Manchester. There isn't (before Covid) a lot of live music/ theatre etc in Preston, but it does have the feel of a city on the up with lots of regeneration going on.

You can still live right in Lancaster and feel like you're on the outskirts! It's so tiny.

Most of South Lancaster is "desirable". You don't tend to get many large Gardens though.

Not sure about entry into the Grammar schools unless your DC had taken the 11+?

Nowhere is that far from the city centre and the bus services are very good because of the uni. Traffic around the outside of Preston can be a nightmare.

Would you be finding a job before you moved? That would really determine where to locate to for me.

Thanks @DrFoxtrot 😊 which area would you choose to live out of the two just out of interest? Are you happy where you are? Do you or your partner have children? Thanks 😊

Lancaster is much nicer than Preston. Have you visited both?

Penwortham is nicer than Fulwood.

And the schools are better.

And it now has had a bypass a nice thriving little centre of bars, restaurants and cafés.

Fulwood to me has no heart to it. No central area. It's fine, it's just not where I'd choose.

I'd look at Longton, Hutton, Bretherton (outskirts of Preston towards Liverpool) Kirkby Lonsdale definitely. Garstang but may grow hugely as Preston's north side expands.

We went to Penwortham and I agree it's like it's own village.

When I think of Fullwood it's all about get caught up in hospital and college traffic!

@RandomMess so are the other areas that aren’t South Lancaster to avoid? North, West etc?
The job will come shortly after the move we plan to save enough to pay 6 months - a year rent on a house up front and obviously have money to live on. My husband will be working from home though but because of the work I am in it isn’t hard to find a job thankfully 😊

Thank you Penwortham has popped up on my list too!
Thanks for the other areas to look at too 😊
We plan to visit for holidays several times before the move in all seasons but to get a general idea of places is great! 😊