Affordable place to live between York & Leeds?

labradorlove

If you're looking for closer to the Leeds area you can buy in Castleford a town just on the outskirts of Leeds you get a lot more for your money we bought a good sized 3 bed semi with a lovely garden for 135k, good routes to Leeds city centre via bus/train, to get to York would be a 45 minute drive without traffic but there are also train/bus routes that could get you there within 1 hour or 1 hour 30 minutes.


Lots of new build too

lisyloo

The drive to York daily will wear you down.

Isn't this just one of the compromises that normal income workers have to make. The choices are much more stark in London.
Some people choose less ideal commutes for one person for a better home for the rest of the family and certainly general employment prospects have to be considered.
I'm on my second home but 6th job in 28 years, so I try to base myself somewhere that would be good in general rather than for 1 particular job.

Personally if the commute isn't ideal I prefer public transport (if available) as it's possible to do other things whilst travelling even if it's just reading or meditation. Even if it's not ideal many people "relax" into their commute and find something productive to do with the time e.g. people read on the tube even if it's cramped.

thermal2844

lisyloo wrote: »

Isn't this just one of the compromises that normal income workers have to make. The choices are much more stark in London.
Some people choose less ideal commutes for one person for a better home for the rest of the family and certainly general employment prospects have to be considered.
I'm on my second home but 6th job in 28 years, so I try to base myself somewhere that would be good in general rather than for 1 particular job.

Personally if the commute isn't ideal I prefer public transport (if available) as it's possible to do other things whilst travelling even if it's just reading or meditation. Even if it's not ideal many people "relax" into their commute and find something productive to do with the time e.g. people read on the tube even if it's cramped.

Yes very true...public transport certainly does make a longer commute more bearable, although even in a car, there are podcasts or audio books. Still public transport is certainly the more "relaxing" and preferable option. It is difficult to strike that balance between job prospects and home prospects, especially as the jobs around here are in Leeds, York, and Harrogate, which makes the ideal home location the Golden Triangle, but that isn't at all ideal in terms of what we can afford I imagine it's much harder in London.

lisyloo

especially as the jobs around here are in Leeds, York, and Harrogate, which makes the ideal home location the Golden Triangle

I think that's a tautology.
The prices are high precisely because of the employment prospects hence the demand. You are competing with your peers.
Yes although the compromise is similar it's much more stark in London. We do have excellent (but often crowded) public transport options and higher paid jobs and density of employment but the compromise is the same.
Commodity/space vs "niceness" of location vs money vs commute.

Personally I dislike the "waste" of commuting, but I can see why people do it when there's a family at stake.

Is your job one where you can work at home at all?
This can mean you can stand a longer commute if it's not every day.
In london some people consider air b&b or couch surfing, but it's often the more highly paid jobs that make these compromises worthwhile.

Also a common tactic is to move your working hours if possible.
I have some colleagues who come in early and some who work a slightly later shift which as a team works really well.
It can certainly improve commutes drastically in London nad I suspect elsewhere if you are able to do that and don't be afraid to ask as it might be in your business/team interests.

Beenie

Having caught the train from Dewsbury to York a couple of times, and gone through Leeds, it is amazing how crowded the train can be (standing room only for me last time). It's not only London that has packed public transport. The lady standing next to me said it was like that every day.

Whatever you decide, good luck with your house search. Something always turns up is my experience.

lisyloo

It's not only London that has packed public transport.

I agree. Other places have high house prices, packed public transport and congested roads too.
I used to work in Bath which has all the problems of London without the public transport choices.

There isn't an easy answer to this. It's a case of finding the best compromise for everyone involved which often involves the "commuter" making a sacrifice for the family or for long term goals.

WibblyGirly

After years of public transport I!!!8217;d much rather commute in my car. I have my own space, no one smells bad and I can listen to my music without general bus noise in the back ground.

Driving into York or getting the bus in from park and ride can be a nightmare! The main roads in get gridlocked in the morning. Sometimes I found it faster to walk to work than get the bus. If you can get a job that starts earlier or later than 9 to miss rush hour then it!!!8217;ll be fine.

[Deleted User]

walwyn1978 wrote: »

Acomb to central Leeds is a 45 minute commute minimum, over an hour if the A64 is busy (as it often is). Good in terms of budget and proximity to York though :-)

Some bits of Acomb are rough. There are some really nice houses, but large parts of it are not great. Go around the town center part first to see what I mean.

Tadcaster also floods too.

thermal2844

Hmmm that is a shame about Acomb, is it any nicer on the north end towards Knapton?

Are there areas of York to strictly avoid at all costs? For example I think I read somewhere Tang Hall and Dringhouses have a bad reputation?

usefulmale

What about this one in Micklefield? Just across the road from the train station with direct trains to York and a reasonably large garden.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52017717.html