Is Chesterfield a nice place to live in?

Bestthingsinlifearefree

OK I was just day dreaming / thinking out loud on this thread (see reply / post 9 )

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=377517

Basically according to Right Move if I sold up in the south and moved to Chesterfield my 100K would buy me a house out right in Chesterfield and I could be mortgage free.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/action/publicsite.PropertySearch


(reason I chose Chesterfield is it is far North as I would want to go and a family member recommended it)

Just wondering if there is any one here with local knowledge and what areas or streets or estates in Chesterfield are good and what areas are bad (unless of course it all good;) )?

Any thoughts or recommendations about Chesterfield much appreciated.

Wickedwatkins

Hi

My friend lived in Chesterfield for a good few years and loved it there. Found the people to be really friendly and the area nice. He sold his house about 4 years after he bought it up there and made around £40k last year. He's now moved to the USA after being headhunted for a job.

Good luck if you decide to move!

looneyleo

Hi, I'm from Mansfield which is just south of Chesterfield. Like any place across the country there are good areas and bad areas, but essentially it is a nice place to live. Typical ex-mining/market town. Has had a huge amount of money invested from government (Coalfields Regeneration Trust, European Social Funds etc) to make improvements. The people are very friendly and down to earth and will always say hello. Some really pretty rural villages close by and you are also close to Sheffield and the Meadowhall Shopping Centre. Good Luck with your decision.

looneyleo

Oh and just remembered, it's very close to the Peak District national park which is excellent for days out and short breaks throughout the year (Bakewell, Matlock etc etc etc)

Bestthingsinlifearefree

Can any body suggest the good or bad areas in Chesterfield? (in their opinion i.e don't want to offend any one)

looneyleo

Can't help you with that I'm afraid as I don't venture there very often! I'm sure there are websites you can go on that give information about each area to help you with house hunting i.e. crime levels, deprivation levels etc. Might be worth a google attempt!

MonkeySaving?

Grassmoor, Walton (the parts nearer the town centre), Hasland and Brimington are places I would avoid. My sis lives in the centre and i'm from Matlock but go there regularly for nights out etc.

AntiLochus

I grew up not far from Chesterfield, in a village called Coal Aston to the North, nr Dronfield. However, I left home after finishing Uni and moved South - to be honest I have never looked back and would not want to go back.

Chesterfield is OK but for £100k you may not get a house in a desirable location. If you're looking to move up that way, I would say live closer to the Peak District - to me this is the most beautiful part of the country - within easy access of Chatsworth House, Baslow, Bakewell, Hathersage and many, many fantastic little villages.

I have friends who still live in Chessy (Chezzy is how the local young whipper snappers call it) and it has its problematic youth culture like every other town/city in the country. £100k would be a nice deposit for a £200k house which WOULD be in a nice area, surrounded by largish houses in a leafy suburb, but to be honest the houses there are not cheap anymore - at least not the desirable ones.

Really it all depends on what you are looking for exactly for you and your family. It IS a nice part of the country and it IS a historic market town (the town centre is still partly cobbled) and has easy access to the M1.

Sorry not been much help re-reading that but hope it gets you thinking !

Cheers :beer:

Bestthingsinlifearefree

Thanks for your comments guys.

Is Newbold a good area to live in ?

Also thinking long term I have noticed Chesterfield has a very successful state catholic school, very high up in the league tables / way above national average pass rates.

St Mary's Catholic High School

Newbold Road, Upper Newbold, Chesterfield, Derbyshire,

On the exam results on the BBC table it seems to have one of the best GCSE pass rates in the whole of Derbshire yet is a comprehensive.

(being a catholic and with a young child that could be another consideration in moving to Chesterfield i.e a very good state school)


I guess my motivation is being able to be mortgage free in one sweep but I suppose the question is; If it means moving from a 3 bed semi in a nice part of town in the south to a 2 bed in a tough part of town in the north.

Is it the gain in quality of life of being mortgage free off set by living in a worst area / smaller house ?

sav_2

Hi

I moved out of Chesterfield about 3 years ago (and I regret it! - but did so as I got married). I lived just outside Chesterfield in a place called Bolsover and I loved it - they were the best years of my life - people are great, a very comfortable pace of life and the peaks are amazing! We liked it so much that we did not have the heart to sell our house out there and may move back one day.
I would suggest a few day trips out there before you make your decision - just so that you can get a feel of it. Price-wise i think you can buy outright or not have a large mortgage (which should be paid in a few years anyway).
I usually go to upmystreet.com to check out areas (yes i have moved many times!) and that usualy helps. If you do go down for day trips then you can usually get a lot of help from the locals - they are always willing to help!
Anyway hope this helps.
Sav. x

MonkeySaving?

Newbold is quite nice, it get's better the further away you get from the centre though which i guess is common in any town. Bolsover is also nice, be aware though that as you move further north and west from Chesterfield the house prices start to increase rapidly (the closer you get to the national park). 100k wouldn't even get you a 1 bed flat in Matlock for example and it might just be enough to buy you a shed when you reach Bakewell, Calver & Youlgreave!!
I agree with AntiLochus regarding a house for 100k, you'll be hard pushed to find a house for that price in one of the more decent areas (of Chesterfield)