Experiences of Harrogate please?

mjdh1957

I lived in Harrogate for ten years, and it is a great place to live though property is much more expensive than some other towns in Yorkshire.

The areas to avoid include the St Andrews bit of Knaresborough Road and the Jennyfield estate.

Most of Starbeck is OK and handy for the train, and a bit cheaper than some other areas.

Though it is a 'stuck-up Spa town' there is a surprising amount of deprivation. On the upside there is a great community if you are prepared to make an effort to integrate and take part.

I did think of retiring there but am now settled in Hebden Bridge which is even nicer...

bagpussbear

Sinhanada wrote: »

And just seen you're working in Leeds, so perhaps Weatherby is another option - in between Harrogate \ Leeds, lovely little town.

I think for your price range though Harrogate may be a little too high - again I'd suggest surrounding areas, otherwise Ripon is another part which should meet your needs - although the bus to Leeds is about 2 hours from there

Thank you Sinhanada, maybe we will take a drive out to Ripon or Weatherby at the weekend to check those areas out.

bagpussbear

mjdh1957 wrote: »

I lived in Harrogate for ten years, and it is a great place to live though property is much more expensive than some other towns in Yorkshire.

The areas to avoid include the St Andrews bit of Knaresborough Road and the Jennyfield estate.

Most of Starbeck is OK and handy for the train, and a bit cheaper than some other areas.

Though it is a 'stuck-up Spa town' there is a surprising amount of deprivation. On the upside there is a great community if you are prepared to make an effort to integrate and take part.

I did think of retiring there but am now settled in Hebden Bridge which is even nicer...

Thanks mjdh1957, knowing tips like that is really helpful. Nothing beats hearing from someone who really knows the area

xylophone

I have a relative in Ripon and often visit - a pleasant place to walk, easy motorway access and some attractive housing. There is no railway station though, although the 36 bus service to Harrogate and Leeds is very good.

lyverbyrd_2

I live in Harrogate. I find it a bit dull but it's a nice enough place (not quite as exclusive as it likes to believe).

Your budget may not stretch to the house you want, we live in one of the most expensive places in the country.

Odie_Schmodie

Why have you decided on Harrogate? There is a bit of a bizarre tension there because the income of the resident population varies so widely. On your budget, to commute from Leeds, I wonder if things along various train lines aren't better- Shipley/Saltaire/Bingley will allow you to buy a beautiful 3/4 bedroom character property within your budget with frequent and direct links to town, as well as a location by the River Aire? Wetherby and Ripon are both quite posh and property prices are well above W Yorkshire average, and the latter will be a sloooow commute during rush hour (as will Harrogate actually, it will take 45 minutes + into Leeds when traffic is heavy). Otley might be a posibility, although not horribly well connected and further West.

ConfusedofYorkshire

Ilkley is my favourite town. Think that would be commutable to Leeds depending know where you work.

pleasedelete

You probably wont get what you want for that budget. To get a 3 bed semi Southside (saints) you would need closer to £300k.

There are houses at that price but not in nicer areas. But it is all relevant to where you live now. Some of the rough areas described above are not rough by standards of most of West Yorkshire.

jennyfield is an area of 3 parts- a mixture of social housing (which is why people say avoid) but it also has newish private estates. I wouldnt avoid it other than it is too far out of town. Bilton is cheaper and variable by street. I would say that parts of Starbeck are probably the worst (bedsit and takeaway) but other parts are great.

The harlows and going out towards harlow carr on otley road has some nice cheaper houses but probably still out of budget

It is a very street by street town. There are lots of train stations - harrogate-knaresborough, starbeck and hornbeam.

Rightmove only brings up 10 houses with 3 beds at less than £175k which probably indicates that it is out of your price range. They mostly look to be ex LA housing

Fraise

lyverbyrd wrote: »

I live in Harrogate. I find it a bit dull but it's a nice enough place (not quite as exclusive as it likes to believe).

Your budget may not stretch to the house you want, we live in one of the most expensive places in the country.

I didn't realise Harrogate was so expensive.

On the 2013 chart for the top 50 most expensive places to live in the country, Harrogate isn't featured.

http://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/pdfs/lbg/2013/2812_Most_Exp_Streets.pdf

Is it the Duchy area if Harrogate that is plush?

ConfusedofYorkshire

Prices in harrogate vary massively. It depends on your priorities really.

Skipton is also nice though not as refined as harrogate.