LEEDS - LIVING AND WORKING
Discussion
Evening all. I'm looking for some advice and info for a friend. He's had the offer of a job in Leeds and is doing some general feasibility research, mainly consisting of asking me on Facebook if I know anything about the place!
It seems the job will be in the city centre. He's really trying to find out which are decent areas to live, where to avoid, what he should be paying in rent (2 bed apartment, decent finish, reasonable public transport etc. Are there smaller towns and/or villages on the outskirts which are nicer/cheaper/both?
Any and all info gratefully taken on board.
THANKS!!!
It seems the job will be in the city centre. He's really trying to find out which are decent areas to live, where to avoid, what he should be paying in rent (2 bed apartment, decent finish, reasonable public transport etc. Are there smaller towns and/or villages on the outskirts which are nicer/cheaper/both?
Any and all info gratefully taken on board.
THANKS!!!
Within 15 minutes of the city centre you have student terraces, premium new medium rise developments, converted warehouses, inner city troubled areas, inner city not so troubled areas, through pretty much every combination of suburban areas to totally rural areas. It all depends on budget really. Leeds has train routes in from all over the place, which makes commuting from places as far as York, Sheffield, Harrogate, Ilkley, Huddersfield etc quite feasible.
The best way to see what rents are like, is to look on the usual property places! It certainly has hot-spots, but without a budget it is difficult to know whether 500 a month is seen as a bargain or a fortune.
Maybe look at somewhere like Garforth for middle of the budget stuff. Otley / Ilkley or the Harrogate / York for slightly higher end end stuff.
The best way to see what rents are like, is to look on the usual property places! It certainly has hot-spots, but without a budget it is difficult to know whether 500 a month is seen as a bargain or a fortune.
Maybe look at somewhere like Garforth for middle of the budget stuff. Otley / Ilkley or the Harrogate / York for slightly higher end end stuff.
I was in a similar situation a few years ago moving to Leeds but never actually visited the place before. I ended up commuting from Dewsbury to City Centre. Based my research on rental pricing/train travel times/train costs and it seemed the best place to stay and save money for a house. I didn't really prioritise the "social side" of the area as you can always drive/taxi to the trendy places. I have since moved to Bramley, 7 mins into Leeds on train/good pricing on housing/rentals and in my opinion an area which may become more up and coming due to good to links between Leeds and Bradford. Not a huge amount going on round here, but house pricing/rental etc is worth the saving to go out in Headingley/Chapel Allerton/city centre for social stuff. Hope that helps a bit.
Zad said:
Maybe look at somewhere like Garforth for middle of the budget stuff. Otley / Ilkley or the Harrogate / York for slightly higher end end stuff.
The Wharfedale line is very reliable and good value for a season ticket... Guiseley to Ilkley, house prices/rentals increase per stop. Nice valley, good schools, etc. Loads of outdoor activities. Depends what you like.Roundhay/Adel/Horsforth for closer in.
The traffic is slow in North Leeds, mind.
fenby9 said:
I was in a similar situation a few years ago moving to Leeds but never actually visited the place before. I ended up commuting from Dewsbury to City Centre. Based my research on rental pricing/train travel times/train costs and it seemed the best place to stay and save money for a house. I didn't really prioritise the "social side" of the area as you can always drive/taxi to the trendy places. I have since moved to Bramley, 7 mins into Leeds on train/good pricing on housing/rentals and in my opinion an area which may become more up and coming due to good to links between Leeds and Bradford. Not a huge amount going on round here, but house pricing/rental etc is worth the saving to go out in Headingley/Chapel Allerton/city centre for social stuff. Hope that helps a bit.
Bramley + up and coming in the same sentence?
although in all honesty I was thinking of the other form of shooting when I read the OP. Both are perfectly apt anyway 
.NoIP said:
Bramley + up and coming in the same sentence?
Coming from Teesside originally I don't think its too bad... there are some bits which are not exactly great but there are certainly parts which are nice enough. I guess it depends on budget/place of work etc. I work over in Guiseley and its nice over this direction as other people have mentioned. Otley/Ilkley seem to be the fashionable places where people want to live. I commute into Leeds city centre every day from Knaresborough. 30 - 45 minutes door to door. Easy motorway driving except for 5 minutes at either end. Really not a bad place to live. Easy reach of Harrogate, Leeds and York for evenings out. Minutes from the Dales and Wolds. Twist A-roads a-plenty for those 'enjoyable moments' 
Duke147 said:
I commute into Leeds city centre every day from Knaresborough. 30 - 45 minutes door to door. Easy motorway driving except for 5 minutes at either end. Really not a bad place to live. Easy reach of Harrogate, Leeds and York for evenings out. Minutes from the Dales and Wolds. Twist A-roads a-plenty for those 'enjoyable moments'
I'd like to see you do J45 to the centre of Leeds in "5 minutes" any time after 7.30am through the week.I'm moving to Leeds from London in just over a month.
Reasons:
- Housing affordability.
I have the benefit of already spending a fair amount of time in Leeds for work so have come to know the place (at least the centre) reasonably well. I am also fortunate in that the company I work for has offices in Leeds and so I have managed to transfer internally.
I am moving to Harrogate Road (somewhere between Chapel A and Moortown) as it seems like a decent area and is probably a 'comfortable' choice as someone coming from London. It isn't a cheap area but that is relative as my rent reduces from £1400 (London, zone 4) to £675 which is obviously a massive saving and the properties are of the same spec.
On the assumption I want to stay in Leeds I intend to buy a property as a 3/4 bed semi can be had for anywhere between £250k-£350k depending on location. Where I live in London an equivalent property would cost >£700k.
So why Leeds over any other city?
- For me, work.
But also:
- Access to countryside
- Access to B roads
- Shopping
- Access to future jobs (I work in FS)
- Good selection of decent bars and restaurants...
Reasons:
- Housing affordability.
I have the benefit of already spending a fair amount of time in Leeds for work so have come to know the place (at least the centre) reasonably well. I am also fortunate in that the company I work for has offices in Leeds and so I have managed to transfer internally.
I am moving to Harrogate Road (somewhere between Chapel A and Moortown) as it seems like a decent area and is probably a 'comfortable' choice as someone coming from London. It isn't a cheap area but that is relative as my rent reduces from £1400 (London, zone 4) to £675 which is obviously a massive saving and the properties are of the same spec.
On the assumption I want to stay in Leeds I intend to buy a property as a 3/4 bed semi can be had for anywhere between £250k-£350k depending on location. Where I live in London an equivalent property would cost >£700k.
So why Leeds over any other city?
- For me, work.
But also:
- Access to countryside
- Access to B roads
- Shopping
- Access to future jobs (I work in FS)
- Good selection of decent bars and restaurants...
Gassing Station | Yorkshire | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff