Leeds - the good and the bad?

Pennlingtons

Afternoon Forumers,

My partner and I are in the process of looking to buy our first home. We have the deposit/fees money in place and an AIP, with our top end budget being 150K - not necessarily a huge amount for Leeds as we are finding out. But what I am looking to understand is areas to look at and areas to avoid when we are searching for places to buy - whilst we currently do live in the city centre and have done so for a few years, the outer areas are foreign to both of us.

We did see a new build development about 15K under our budget in Gipton that we are going to take a look at - not being familiar with Gipton at all, I had a Google and the first page results were plenty of articles on drug use, locking up gangs, how awful the area is and a recent murder. So maybe not the place we want to buy!

Now our 150K budget is also hindered by the fact we both rely exclusively on public transport, myself working in Weetwood and my partner working near York at a college in the area. But to be honest I find most of Leeds is covered pretty well with buses/trains.

That's it really - any advice any locals can give on areas and where we may find a decent 2/3 bed within our budget that wouldn't be a terrible community.

tykesi

At that budget, new builds are going to be small and in crappy areas. Gipton isn’t quite as bad as it used to be but there’s good and bad in all the estates across Leeds and it’s more pot luck whether you have any problems than anything else. Your best bet in my opinion (and what you’ll most likely find in your budget) is ex-council stock and there’s usually a good selection to choose from (It’s been over six months since I was checking Rightmove regularly though so I’m not sure right now).

You don’t say whether you’re interested in North, South, East or West (probably don’t know yourselves from reading your OP) but a few areas to search would be where I’d be looking if I were you would be:

North Leeds
Cookridge/West Park – LS16 (very handy for Weetwood & good buses to town for the train)
Moor Allerton – LS17 (as above for transport)
Meanwood – LS6/7 (probably not much choice up to £150k but not sure what it is you’re after)

East Leeds
Seacroft – LS14 (good transport into the centre)
Cross Gates – LS15 (good transport into the centre and Cross Gates station is on the York line)
Gipton – LS8/9 (good transport to town)

West Leeds
Bramley – LS13 (good transport to town)
Farsley/Wortley – LS12 (Good transport to town)

South Leeds
Middleton/Bell Isle – LS11/12 (good transport to town)

Unintentionally I seem to have typed that list in the order I’d be looking. Plug those postcodes into Rightmove with a 1-3 mile radius and a max purchase price of £150k and see what comes up. As above, most of what you find will be ex-council on council estates but not all of them are bad and probably won’t seem so if you live there. I’ve just moved from an ex council house in Meanwood after nine years living there, had the odd problem over the years but I don’t regret it.

If either of you drive it might be worth hiring a car for a day or two and driving round some of the areas at various times to get a feel for them.

Pennlingtons

Thanks Tykesi - appreciate the break down of the areas and your comments. We had asked colleagues as well, most of which live in Leeds and have done so for a majority of their lives, they knew about their local community well enough but didn't have much to say about anything outside of their suburb - people from Pudsey for example knew little about East Leeds other than to say it has a terrible reputation.


Your comments, my colleagues comments and the general "where to live in Leeds" Google search all indicate that North is the place to look initially and then further around if nothing is to be found. So as good a starting place as any.


If it really does come to it we could look at our budget - the 150k is based on what we have available in terms of savings for deposit and fee's right now. The mortgage company said we'd be ok up to a mortgage value of 210K as we have a combined income of 55K - unfortunately living in a City Centre place eats up a fair chunk of that so our savings are not as high as they could have been.

spirit

I recently moved from the Middleton/belle Isle area and wouldn't recommend it at all.


Ok the house prices are reasonable, but there's a good reason for that. I witnessed lots of d r u g taking/dealers, high crime rates. Robin Hood and Rothwell is a lot nicer.

aneary

LS16 would be where I would have moved to if I ever moved to Leeds I have family in Horsforth and Crookridge I love it up there and have never felt unsafe.

Trains and buses are regular into and out of leeds too. Only thing is the hills without a car!

Pennlingtons

Thanks all - my partner and I should definitely have a conversation about moving out of Leeds closer to her work and to see what kind of options that would present.


Aneary - LS16 would be really convenient for my work which would be great for me. I did see a property in the area that was ok (decoration isn't my case but doesn't look too much in the way of work needs doing). However in the background you can see some tower blocks and they look pretty close which makes me a bit nervous - I feel awful for saying that as I grew up on a council estate to a single Mum of 3 kids, hanging around the shops on my bike through my early teens and I'm sure making the residents feel uncomfortable.



Can't post the link as a new user - but Rightmove code 66796817

tykesi

I don't know the Fillingfirs specifically but that estate is typical of most in which you'll find houses in that price bracket, if you don't want tower blocks in sight you would probably be best moving to the country as that is what Leeds looks like.

I fear you'll need to adjust your expectations of where you're going to be able to buy, or dial down the snobbery. You will need to up your budget fairly considerably if you're wanting to get out of the council estates. View it as a stop gap/springboard into home ownership.

As I said I spent nine years in my old ex-council house and am now in a three bed semi on the edge of Chapel Allerton, one of the most desirable areas in north Leeds. Ironically my new house is less than half a mile from the old one as the crow flies, is the same size yet cost nearly twice as much so it gives you an idea of just how close the "good" and "bad" can be.

wantonnoodle

I would say look anywhere from Headingley, Kirkstall, Burley up to Adel, West Park, Holt Park and Horsforth areas.

They're all nice areas, fairly pleasant. The Headingley and Kirkstall areas are quite studenty though, so won't be quite so quiet, but you should be able to find something nice for that.

A quick RM search found this one for a starter: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49502805.html . Right on the main Otley Road, so fantastic for buses etc, and probably a short walk to work if you're in Weetwood.

BrassicWoman

maybe renting before you buy would be a plan?

aneary

Pennlingtons wrote: »

Thanks all - my partner and I should definitely have a conversation about moving out of Leeds closer to her work and to see what kind of options that would present.


Aneary - LS16 would be really convenient for my work which would be great for me. I did see a property in the area that was ok (decoration isn't my case but doesn't look too much in the way of work needs doing). However in the background you can see some tower blocks and they look pretty close which makes me a bit nervous - I feel awful for saying that as I grew up on a council estate to a single Mum of 3 kids, hanging around the shops on my bike through my early teens and I'm sure making the residents feel uncomfortable.



Can't post the link as a new user - but Rightmove code 66796817

I have family on Tinsal lane by the tower blocks they haven't had trouble in the asbo way but cars get broken into a lot but talking to others that is Leeds in general. My parents live in a really nice area of surrey and my car wing mirrors were pulled off so it's everywhere really.

trailingspouse

Are you on public transport from choice, or because neither of you drives? Your choices would be much greater if you drove.

How about living mid-way between Weetwood and York? Say Tadcaster, or thereabouts? Or somewhere on the route of the Transpennine between Leeds and York (don't know where it stops on that section of the route). The further out of Leeds you go, the nicer it'll get, particularly heading north.

What about the Menston/Guiseley area - a bit further out of town than Horsforth, but both Leeds and York are doable.