advice on the plymouth area please.

galadrial

we have been looking to buy a property in plymouth, any advice on which areas are good or bad. also some advice on good schools for our 7 year old please.

thank you.

tonydee

Use the ofsted site for info on schools as it's sometimes better to use your own judgemnt rather than a biased opinion.

Good luck

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.1c8478149b4a6342502b011069f034a0/?event=searchByAuthority&previous=providerCategoryName@Primary%20schools|event@searchByDateAndRegion|regionID@6|currentPage@1|providerCategoryID@16|sortOrder@3|maxResultPerPage@10&currentPage=1&authorityID=879

earner

Some bits of Plymouth are well dodgy. Only 2-3 years back you could buy property there for £9000!!!

Try upmystreet.com too

Nowhere, NOWHERE near Union Street. That is the nighttime economy: binge drinking, fights, prostitution.

jamesd

Avoid the areas where there are large numbers of council properties - Efford, for example. Beyond that, check the schools first then the area and ask for comments with the name of the city in the title of the post to make it more obvious to the locals that you're asking about their city.

davef

Hi Galadrial

I am a full time developer in Plymouth and have lived here on and off for 30 years of my 40 so know it pretty well.

More desirable areas include Peverell, Mannamead, Hartley & parts of Plymstock (eg Dunstone ward) & Derriford. Just outside Plymouth but within catchment areas for good Plymouth schools you have Heybrook Bay, Wembury & Down Thomas all near the coast.

I avoid areas such as Devonport, Keyham, North Prospect, Southway, Tamerton Foliot, Ernesettle, St Budeaux - actually many areas to avoid. I say research, research & research. Use the internet, local rags, estate agents, any friends family and contacts.

If you choose Peverell you should look at both Hyde Park and Montpelier junior schools. This area has mostly victorian & edwardian period properties circa 1880 - 1910 with large rooms, period fireplaces etc etc but pricing are constantly on the up e.g Burleigh Park Road, Peverell-min price approx £250k.

I have just moved into Peverell and Central Park is on my doorstep. Parking can be an issue but sometimes worth the sacrifice for a large period property. If you can afford off road parking then go for it !!

Once you have your reasearch notes, drive around your chosen area at different times of day & night to gauge its appeal. Also if brave enough knock on peoples doors, ask in local shops etc etc.

Good luck !!

Graham_Devon

Deffo steer clear of st beudeaux!

Other than that, I never really go there. The barbican is nice though, but a very sought after area.

burbs_2

I went to Uni at Plymouth, graduated, started my first business there and now own a number of property there.

Firstly as someone has said Union Street is the clubbing area of Plymouth. Just behind Union Street is the "red light area" although they have cameras there now and this has stopped a lot of it.

Parts of Plymouth are very nice, parts not so. North Road East and West, any areas around the Uni, this is obviously where you get your bigger houses, most occupied by students.

You MUST AVOID North Prospect, or as it is known to the locals - Swilly. This area is one that you wouldnt live in if you were paid.

Nice areas, Manadon, Derriford, Roborough, Loosleigh, Peverell

burbs_2

earner wrote:

Some bits of Plymouth are well dodgy. Only 2-3 years back you could buy property there for £9000!!!

Try upmystreet.com too

Nowhere, NOWHERE near Union Street. That is the nighttime economy: binge drinking, fights, prostitution.

What bits of Plymouth are "well dodgy" in your opinion then?

burbs_2

jamesd wrote:

Avoid the areas where there are large numbers of council properties - Efford, for example. Beyond that, check the schools first then the area and ask for comments with the name of the city in the title of the post to make it more obvious to the locals that you're asking about their city.

Efford is not really all that bad, it is undergoing regeneration.

burbs_2

Graham_Devon wrote:

Deffo steer clear of st beudeaux!

Other than that, I never really go there. The barbican is nice though, but a very sought after area.

Whats so wrong with Budeaux?

jamesd

burbs, check the school report for Highfield and compare it to others. Say, those in Keyham, which do better. Best to leave it as a place to consider only if the budget isn't sufficient for a better one.

Might work nicely as a BTL area, given the demographics.