Confused about council housing area

Hopejack

Hmmm to be honest, I still don't get 'it' - you are happy living there now. You could save and save and get that place in 'poshville' and hate living there or have the neighbours from hell - it is possible even in 'posh' places lol!

Like I said before, you've had the option to 'try before you buy' and you still love it so that should tell you something

olly300

Fly_Baby wrote: »

It might be shallow of me but I don't want to appear to be living in a bad area. I had a work colleague over whose first reaction was "Oh, it's ex-council then?". A friend kept asking me what the neighbours are like after she visited, and was clearly not impressed with the house. I don't want my son's friends' parents, who bring their children to play at ours, to think that we live in a bad council area - they don't but then it's because they probably bought long time ago when prices were still affordable.

Is it stupid to care about these things?

Yes.

There are lots of ex-council areas around or areas that people perceive to be bad.

Your friend was asking about the neighbours as she was surprised that the area you live in is fine.

Fly_Baby wrote: »

A non-ex-council would cost us at least 30% more and we just didn't want to spend that money on renting. And I really loved this house when I saw it and didn't even know that it was ex-council when I saw it.

I remember telling a couple I know that there house is ex-council and some of the people on their street are still council tenants - the expression on their face was priceless.

However due to where they live if the council tenants cause any problems they get booted out very quickly as there is a shortage of council housing in good areas.

Fly_Baby wrote: »

That UpMyStreet report really got to me now.

As others have said UpMyStreet is not accurate.

My immediate neighbours are suppose to be middle class, under 40 with degrees and young families however they are working class over 40 without degrees, and those that have families have older children who are on the point of leaving home.

Fly_Baby

Hopejack wrote: »

Hmmm to be honest, I still don't get 'it' - you are happy living there now. You could save and save and get that place in 'poshville' and hate living there or have the neighbours from hell - it is possible even in 'posh' places lol!

Actually, the most sought-after area in our area is one that I don't like at all. I've seen a few houses there. The area is on the hills, with narrow streets, on-street parking, smaller rooms, tiny gardens, and when I was there I was surprised at the amount of bin bags lying around in front of houses. It didn't look posh at all - on the opposite. It is not that close to the main train station although close to the town centre, and there are two very good schools there. But it is so expensive! I really don't understand why - I wouldn't want to live there even if it was cheaper. It was a nightmare to climb those hills and look for parking.

blckbrd

Always read the small print...


"This is a description of the type of neighbourhood to which this postcode has been matched, it is not a description of the postcode. The overview describes characteristics frequently found in these neighbourhoods. Since most postcodes include a mix of people we don't expect everyone there will fit the description perfectly. You should not base important decision-making on the ACORN classification alone."

blckbrd

Fly_Baby wrote: »

It might be shallow of me but I don't want to appear to be living in a bad area. I had a work colleague over whose first reaction was "Oh, it's ex-council then?". A friend kept asking me what the neighbours are like after she visited, and was clearly not impressed with the house. I don't want my son's friends' parents, who bring their children to play at ours, to think that we live in a bad council area - they don't but then it's because they probably bought long time ago when prices were still affordable.

Is it stupid to care about these things?

You care about what you care about but trying to ensure 'the Jones' are happy with where and how you live will just make you miserable.

If people feel the need to turn up thier noses, who cares unless you're trying to sell them your property?

Running_Horse

Fly_Baby wrote: »

I just thought that ex-council properties are generally cheaper than others - yet, for our area it's not true, it's more expensive than many.

So is the report on UpMyStreet so misleading then? Or could it be just our small street of 20 houses that is supposed to be so bad apparently?

Perhaps they have bigger rooms and gardens?

My local upmystreet profile is spookily accurate and could have been written for me.

SJCJDCLSC

Interesting, the profile for where I live it totally wrong in many many ways! I wonder when the data was complied. I live in a very quiet road where us, the people opposite and a new family who moved in 2 months ago are the only people that aren't over the age of 70 (the new family moved in after an eldery lady died) and yet the profile says the area is mostly 20-30 year old students and middle-management types.
Behind us is a road full of families of parents about the 40year old mark who are high earners and on the other side is a new build of again, high earning families, next to them a set of new apartments and the upmystreet says there is no or few new houses..... all totally wrong...! Unless all the people are in disguise I guess (and the houses too)

Anyway my point is to echo what others have said - don't always believe what you read!!

theartfullodger

How is it even possible? I thought that council houses come with bad schools and unsightly street appearance.

Blimey! Such bigotry, you don't read the Daily Mail do you???

Now, which other group based on err, lemme think..... religion, race, colour, country of origin, if you are an estate agent - would you make that sort of remark about??

Cheers!

Lodger

poppysarah

Fly_Baby wrote: »

I had a work colleague over whose first reaction was "Oh, it's ex-council then?".

Is it stupid to care about these things?

It is.

Our ex-council place is twice the size of anything else we'd viewed. It's got huge rooms, it's solid built and has bigger gardens.


If your attitude is swayed by what other people think in a misguided judgemental way then you need to toughen up.

Just point out it's got more floor space than anything else you've looked at and a bigger garden and is only a band a council tax place too.
(Smaller new builds are all band C!!!)
Or say "I'm very happy with my choice of property and I'm sorry but your attitude is outdated and snobbish."

Fly_Baby

theartfullodger wrote: »

Blimey! Such bigotry, you don't read the Daily Mail do you???

Now, which other group based on err, lemme think..... religion, race, colour, country of origin, if you are an estate agent - would you make that sort of remark about??

Cheers!

Lodger

I don't read Daily Mail - do you?

My view on council housing areas has been based on council areas which I came across - and if they were grotty, with notoriusly bad schools (did my research when choosing a school for DS), unfriendly-looking youngsters wandering around etc etc - then I am speaking from experience.

Which actually caused the whole confusion with the area I live in now - is it bad or is it good? BTW, a few houses have been on sale here since July - that I know of, may be from early on - and still not sold. So maybe it is not so desirable to BUY in this area. I wouldn't want to be stuck with the property I wouldn't be able to sell if I need to, or for others to look down on my house.

Isn't everything supposed to be about location when it comes to property?