Moving To Cardiff

BISHOPS

Hi Chaps,

I'm a first time buyer moving to South Wales soon.

Can anyone help me with regards to suggested areas? I would like to know the bad areas, to avoid and the Valuie for money areas.

Want to live near the Motorway (to commute a two or three days a week to Bristol)
Live in a house

I will be renting first somewhere but would like some native advice on areas in which to look to buy. I have seen Lisvane, Pentwyn, Llanrumney, even Taffs Well or even Caerphilly. (St Mellons - but it's in a flood risk area and i'm very twitchy about that).

Wife needs to get the train in to Cardiff to work.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks:D
Bish

pavlovs_dog

you'll find lots of advice in this thread HERE

ALWAYS_POOR

You won't be able to buy a garden shed in Lisvane for £175,000. Pentwyn, Llanrumney, St Mellons (but not Old St Mellons) would all have houses in your price range, as well as Rumney and Llanedeyrn and Pontprennau but none have railway stations although the buses are good. Taffs Well and Caerphilly have stations and probably house prices would suit, but those areas are a tiny bit further from the beaten track. You could also consider Whitchurch but prices are very very expensive although they have a railway station also.

Without running any of these areas down (Lisvane and Whitchurch apart), they all have their good and very very bad areas, bear this in mind, the cheaper the house, the less desireable the area.

In my lifetime have never seen St Mellons flooded.

TJ27

I would have a look at houses close to the Coryton train line. Always poor is quite right that you don't get much for 175k in most of the better areas. Birchgrove and Heath are nice though and you can get 2 bedroom terraces for that money. Possibly even 3 beds. (Birchgrove halt is really in Rhiwbina though and the 2 Heath halts aren't exactly in the middle of Heath either!). Taffs Well would be OK but is a little bit on the periphery. Or there's Llandaff North perhaps? You might afford something in some areas of Whitchurch.

As a rule I would definitely go Northish rather than East or West. However there are exceptions to this rule. Personally I wouldn't touch Lisvane with a barge pole, despite it being a very highly regarded area. On the other hand I think some bits of Splott and Grangetown are brilliant, despite them being though of as bad areas. Renting first is a good idea.

brazilianwax

I'm Cardiff born and bred.

Grew up in north Cardiff - very near Taffs Well, moved to Grangetown and lived there for 10 years as a lone female (loved it), and now live 10 miles north west of Cardiff near Llantrisant.

Commute every week to work in London, and work one day a week in Cardiff Bay - access to the M4 is easy from here.

Have to say I can't see how St Mellons could flood - it's on a hill!!!!

In_Search_Of_Me

I live in Spoltt & love it but you have to be careful which part of splott as some (close to tremorfa) are a bit suss. Sure you could get a nice terrace for that & its close to town & easy access to M4! Roath & Cathays more expensive for same house with diff postcode! Heath nice but more dosh, close to lake lovely but expensive! Depends what you want really & how much you want to do!

thegoon

i live in llandough and previously penarth and find those areas nice, you can get change from that money for a house in cogan too

03022242

i reckon you could get a property in roath, in one of the streets off albany road, as theres quite a lot now for sale, try bargaining from about 190K as alot of the properties are ex-rental as they are not being filled with students! there is a bus service ever 10 mins from there in to town and its not too far away from the M4

mikewebs

Dinas Powys - a village just outside Cardiff is lovely! It has two railway stations and by train is just 5 minutes away from Cardiff Central. Easy access to the motorway via A4232 which also serves as the main drag into Cardiff as well. People are friendly, low crime rate, two great primary schools, some good local businesses - but there seems to be an abundance of hairdressers with another one being done out as we speak. We have lived in Penarth also - very good for eating - small eateries and soon a Starbucks will be finished there too! walks along the clifftops are lovely, primary schools are good I hear, shopping is good with a mixture of locally run shops and a reasonably sized Tesco. There is a Waitrose not far away in Barry (only 20 minutes away from Cardiff Central by train - and properties are much better priced here than Cardiff) and M&S at Culverhouse Cross (directly off the A4232 between M4 and Cardiff Bay).

You will find a heck of a change from Hertfordshire (I did when I worked up there) but being by the sea - for me - is the main benefit.

Hope this info helps!

lolly_896

Grangetown sounds about the best for you, you can get a little railway house for about £150,000 these range from 2 - 3 beds. Has a train station, walking distance from town and a few minutes to the M4. As with all areas it has its downsides even Lisvane have these! Whitchurch but as previous poster said it is expensive. And at a guess i'd say your more likely to win the lottery than flood in St Mellons. They have some nice houses in the "Lakeside Retreat" ares very quite and away from the scary estate they have there. A lovely Hendre lake to walk around but No railway station. Splott is within walking distance from town which has 2 train stations but again like Grangetown it has a bad reputation!
Good Luck with what ever you choose