First time buy LEEDS

Charlotte09 · 19 October 2017 at 5:41PM

Hi everyone

I just wanted some advice from fellow Leeds residents. Myself and husband are first time buyers looking to buy a spacious 3+ bed semi/detached in Leeds area. We don't have any friends/family in Leeds so would appreciate any honest insight to areas.

Our budget is £230K max and for top end we'd ideally want to be in a great area in terms of desirable location, schools, community & thriving area and diverse

Generally the estate agents have guided us to North of Leeds mainly Chapel Allerton area. At the moment there are very limited properties out so perhaps that is why we're struggling especially with our budget.

It would be very helpful to know any other towns we should potentially consider?

Also just want to know about ROTHWELL area as few big houses have popped up here

Many thanks
Charlotte

aneary · 19 October 2017 at 5:52PM

Have you tried Cookridge or Horsforth both really nice I have lots of family around there.

Transport links are great near the ringroad and frequent buses/trains the town is really pretty lots of shops not sure about schools as no one has small children in that family at the moment.

Pumpkim · 19 October 2017 at 6:34PM

Cookridge, Horsforth, Farsley, Rodley are all nice. I'm more familiar with North and West Leeds so can't advise on Rothwell. When we relocated here 14 years ago all advice was to stick to North and that's what we've done.

Charlotte09 · 19 October 2017 at 11:51PM

Horsforth seems nice but hardly any houses available decent enough yet. It might be because the market is so dry at the moment though. Ok great will try Cookridge too

Do you think it's sound advice then just to stick to North Leeds?

Coconut01 · 20 October 2017 at 7:43AM

I'd agree with the advice given, I'd stick to North and North west Leeds. Horsforth, Calverley Farsley and Rodley are nice, some parts of Pudsey are nice as well. I'd avoid Bramley and Kirkstall areas and Headingley has a lot of student accommodation which you may want to avoid.

Natbag · 20 October 2017 at 8:36AM

Rothwell (south east Leeds) is near me, it's mostly really nice. It has a good little high street and some excellent restaurants. But you can get more for your money just down the road on some of the new estates like New Forest - because it's technically in LS10 but a complete separate neighbourhood to the surrounding towns. It's ideally placed for Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford with nearby links to both the M1 and M62.
Garforth (east Leeds) is also very nice and has two train stations for easy commuting, with good links to Castleford and York. Plus the towns between Rothwell and Garforth like Swillington, Oulton and Woodlesford are worth checking out.
North Leeds is going to be stretching your budget. Meanwood, Chapel Allerton, Horsforth etc are all great but due to popularity homes are going on the market less and the house prices are now out of reach for many.
Most areas have their little less-desirable pockets, but the areas I would most avoid completely are Bramley, Kirkstall, Headingley and Harehills.

archersluck · 20 October 2017 at 9:03AM

North Leeds is definitely nicer, personally I like Roundhay but with Leeds youre often close to less nice areas, be careful estate agents dont pursuade you its on the edge of chapel allerton but its actually chapel town for example.
I think you might struggle with that budget, we were looking for 3 beds for 250 and couldn't find anything that impressed us, have gone out to towns north of leeds with good motorway links instead.
Good luck

Beans27 · 20 October 2017 at 12:18PM

Hi Charlotte, if you are set on Leeds, definitely stick to the places suggested, Meanwood, Chapel A, Horsforth all sound like the sort of place you want to be, although as others have said you might struggle with that budget.

A curve ball suggestion, if you aren't set on having a Leeds postcode - look at the outskirts of Bradford - Apperley Bridge, Saltaire, Bingley, Baildon. All of those have a train station, 15/20 minutes on the train into Leeds and you are right on the edge of beautiful countryside. You can get much more for your money - I live over this way and if you put a Leeds postcode on my house it would probably cost an extra £40k.

Happy house hunting :T

daveyjp · 20 October 2017 at 1:29PM

If you need to get into central Leeds rail is always a quicker option than any bus service.

I disagree about not considering all of Bramley and Kirkstall. Both areas have rough parts, but so does Leeds 17 and some of Cookridge and Horsforth.

The ‘Vespers’ in Kirkstall has been a forgotten area. With the new railway station prices will increase. Bramley is huge and borders Pudsey, Rodley, so choose wisely and you may not need all your budget.

It also has a railway station, about 8 minutes to Leeds station, far quicker than the bus which can take 30-45 minutes. Consider Farsley too due to New Pudsey station.

Bus transport is fine, except rush hour traffic to north Leeds is horrendous.

Pewmouse · 20 October 2017 at 1:39PM

Rothwell is nice and so is Garforth as suggested above. I personally prefer a village on the outskirts as opposed to being in Leeds but it depends where you need to commute to. I commute 26 miles into Leeds and it take me 50 minutes on a good run at 7am. Leeds can be very busy if you are having to commute in a car.

Charlotte09 · 20 October 2017 at 2:36PM

A property has come out which looks incredible however it looks like in Beeston; (I can't post the link here for some reason :-s) The property is refurbished and fitted to a high standard and priced approx at £155K on rightmove

I've worked in a rough part of Beeston so not sure if all of Beeston is like that...

Any advice is it worth it jumping on as a first buy then moving on in few years? Or avoid?

Ps. Presently am living in Shipley however for past 2 years I've been here I have struggled immensely finding a job as a pharmacist closeby. I was practically unemployed for 6 months and just recently I've secured regular locum work. Leeds seems to always have more opportunities hence we've just recently decided to move out

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First time buy LEEDS

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