Find me a house (Northwest)

[Soir]

Budget £300k (ideally less). Problem is do we have larger house or a smaller house in a nicer area (have child, so think better area is probably better).

Lived in Urmston, Manchester all my life - strangely feel tied to the area (family/friends), but really love the idea of living somewhere more green/country. Partner works central m/cr, I work Altrincham.

Lymm would be ideal, but you don't get a lot for your money.
My main criteria is large back garden ideally backing onto fields/great views..

Any suggestions? (Great houses/views but we don't like Bolton, Bury or Oldham - I don't know Warrington well enough to judge)

[Soir]

Does anyone have any knowledge of Northwich? (any good?)

[CHIEF]

Whats wrong with Oldham?

[CHIEF]

Some nice property round Knutsford although for 300k your not gonna get a 5 bed detached with that.

Knutsford is a lovely place though.

[Nolar Dog]

CHIEF said:

Whats wrong with Oldham?

That's what I wondered as the OP is excluding a lot of very nice property within budget by not considering the area.

Admittedly travelling to central Manchester and/or Altrincham won't be great from Oldham but it's no worse than many other commutes.

[blueST]

Nolar Dog said:

CHIEF said:

Whats wrong with Oldham?

That's what I wondered as the OP is excluding a lot of very nice property within budget by not considering the area.

Admittedly travelling to central Manchester and/or Altrincham won't be great from Oldham but it's no worse than many other commutes.

With the various Metrolink extensions coming to Oldham, there may be a few areas that people wouldn't have considered before, but will become practical soon. High Crompton has some nice houses that in the OP price range.

[Soir]

Thanks for the thoughts.

I really like Knutsford, but colleagues who live there/close to it say it has two really rough council estates which puts me off.

I know what you mean and agree there are great houses but I find Oldham, Blackburn, Bolton, Bury to be rather similar to Bradford.

Unless any other suggestions, I think this narrows it down to
1) stay Urmston, maybe bigger house.
2) Move to Lymm - but looking at smaller house
3) Look into northwich a bit more?

[Soir]

Examples:

Urmston (Slightly above budget £325k) 4 bed det
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Lymm (£300k) 3 bed semi
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Northwich (£300k) 4 bed det
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

But I don't know Northwich at all

[andy43]

Whatabout Hyde, Staleybridge, that kind of area. Decent value, close to the M67...M60 and you'll get views and/or big gardens I'd think. Or near me - Marple station is only 25 mins from Picadilly, but driving to/from Altrincham could be entertaining in rushhour.

[smifffymoto]

Holmes Chapel,Cranage or Goostrey.Nice and quiet,fairley decent shops close by(Morreys the Carlsberg of shops)

[Nolar Dog]

Soir said:

I know what you mean and agree there are great houses but I find Oldham, Blackburn, Bolton, Bury to be rather similar to Bradford.

Are you worried about living next door to pakistanis or sharing the same town centre as them?

I own about 7 houses in Oldham, each of them currently valued at around your budget, and there are no pakistanis live anywhere near any of them.
I'm not sure what your concern is to be honest.

I don't personally live in Oldham but I am considering moving back there at the moment.

[Merlot]

Soir said:

Examples:

Urmston (Slightly above budget £325k) 4 bed det
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Lymm (£300k) 3 bed semi
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Northwich (£300k) 4 bed det
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

But I don't know Northwich at all

Bloody hell. Speaking as a southerner, you get a LOT for your money up north!! Wowser.

[Soir]

Nolar Dog said:

Soir said:

I know what you mean and agree there are great houses but I find Oldham, Blackburn, Bolton, Bury to be rather similar to Bradford.

Are you worried about living next door to pakistanis or sharing the same town centre as them?

I own about 7 houses in Oldham, each of them currently valued at around your budget, and there are no pakistanis live anywhere near any of them.
I'm not sure what your concern is to be honest.

I don't personally live in Oldham but I am considering moving back there at the moment.

Its the Oldham accent (partner would kill me if our son developed it)

[Soir]

smifffymoto said:

Holmes Chapel,Cranage or Goostrey.Nice and quiet,fairley decent shops close by(Morreys the Carlsberg of shops)

good suggestion, seems close to crewe (with northwich etc.) I don't know the area myself, but the houses look great

[blueST]

Soir said:

Nolar Dog said:

Soir said:

I know what you mean and agree there are great houses but I find Oldham, Blackburn, Bolton, Bury to be rather similar to Bradford.

Are you worried about living next door to pakistanis or sharing the same town centre as them?

I own about 7 houses in Oldham, each of them currently valued at around your budget, and there are no pakistanis live anywhere near any of them.
I'm not sure what your concern is to be honest.

I don't personally live in Oldham but I am considering moving back there at the moment.

Its the Oldham accent (partner would kill me if our son developed it)

Come up 'ere ont buzz, you can't go off what you read int bookes.

[Deva Link]

Northwich is fine but I would wonder if you're getting a bit far away if partner is commuting into central Manchester every day. If driving at usual commuting times then it's extremely busy. There are a couple of train lines run through Northwich but Kingsmead isn't ideally located for the stations. Hartford would be better but is probably a bit more expensive.

You might get more for your money moving further out, but how does it work out of you factor back in the extra commuting cost (and time)?

A key issue will surely be local schools, especially senior school. Check those out before you decide.

[Zippee]

Merlot said:

Soir said:

Examples:

Urmston (Slightly above budget £325k) 4 bed det
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Lymm (£300k) 3 bed semi
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Northwich (£300k) 4 bed det
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

But I don't know Northwich at all

Bloody hell. Speaking as a southerner, you get a LOT for your money up north!! Wowser.

I thought exactly the same, Quite like the bottom one in Northwich. Round my area that would be 400-450 in the present market.

[Deva Link]

Zippee said:

Merlot said:

Soir said:

Examples:

Urmston (Slightly above budget £325k) 4 bed det
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Lymm (£300k) 3 bed semi
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Northwich (£300k) 4 bed det
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

But I don't know Northwich at all

Bloody hell. Speaking as a southerner, you get a LOT for your money up north!! Wowser.

I thought exactly the same, Quite like the bottom one in Northwich. Round my area that would be 400-450 in the present market.

There just aren't the decently paid jobs to support higher prices - houses haven't dropped hugely around here but they've been pretty flat for 4 years now, after doubling from 2000 to 2004/5. I'd say that house is pretty fully priced.

I like the house in Urmston. I bet that hasn't got plasterboard walls and plastic plumbing, which the house in Northwich has.

[Soir]

Deva Link said:

Northwich is fine but I would wonder if you're getting a bit far away if partner is commuting into central Manchester every day. If driving at usual commuting times then it's extremely busy. There are a couple of train lines run through Northwich but Kingsmead isn't ideally located for the stations. Hartford would be better but is probably a bit more expensive.

You might get more for your money moving further out, but how does it work out of you factor back in the extra commuting cost (and time)?

A key issue will surely be local schools, especially senior school. Check those out before you decide.

Agree about ths schools. Trafford is supposed to be pretty good for schools (urmston grammar has excellent results & primary schools close by have oustandint ofstead reports..)

[JQ]

Have you thought of Bramhall. It's got some very good schools and lots of parks. I think the Times voted as one of the most family orientated places to live in the country. It's a bit like Didsbury but without the adjacent housing estates and associated scum. It's certainly on our hitlist of potential moves.

Incidentally, if schools are a consideration you should think of Trafford, ie Altrincham, Sale, Hale, Bowdon, Brooklands, etc - they still have the Grammar School system there, so the kids can end up with a private school education for free, subject to passing the 11 plus.