Newcastle Etal Park - Good place to live?

kakalokia

Hi,

Was wondering if someone can help me with a question regarding an area in Newcastle.

We're in the process of looking for a property to buy, and we found one that we like (good size, clean, etc). I just wanted to ask about the location.

We currently live 5 minutes drive from the house we found. Our current area is Fenham/Blakelaw, and we haven't had any trouble with it (I know Fenham gets a bad rep, but it depends where in Fenham I think).

The property we found is in a place called Etal Park. I've tried to look around online but didn't really find much. There is a police station near the property in Etal Lane.

Is Etal Park considered a good place, or is it something we should avoid?

Thanks.

Cakeguts

Don't pay more than this for a 4 bed house in Etal Park because it will sink in value to the ex council houses that surround it.


Non new 3 bed semis sell for this https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-76488677.html So if you pay more than this for a 3 bed semi this is what you will sell it for.


Here is another 3 bed house https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71956136.html This gives you the resale value of a house in this area.


There are some big council estates in this area so houses are cheap because most people will try to avoid living there.

kakalokia

Thanks for your reply. The property in question is
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-76819019.html

Are you saying the asking price is about right for the property?

Is it considered a bad area due to the council estate?

We have a 2 year old child, so trying to find a good area.

Thanks.

Cakeguts

kakalokia wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. The property in question is
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-76819019.html

Are you saying the asking price is about right for the property?

Is it considered a bad area due to the council estate?

We have a 2 year old child, so trying to find a good area.

Thanks.

What is that right of access for past the front door and under that room? To be honest that estate looks like ex local authority housing. What you want to think about is who gets to walk past your front door and can the local kids ride bikes and motorbikes through there?



Actually when you look at how many properties have been sold near that one there are only 4 so if that estate had been built as a private estate I would expect there to be many more. How many are there at that address?



I think you are going to need to find out about crime in the area and whether there is a lot of anti-social behaviour around those alleyways underneath the houses.



If you get onto Zoopla you get this price comparison. https://www.zoopla.co.uk/property-history/4-beaumaris-way/westerhope/newcastle-upon-tyne/ne5-4ta/44549423


This one sold for £98,500 in May 2018. https://www.zoopla.co.uk/property-history/9-beaumaris-way/westerhope/newcastle-upon-tyne/ne5-4ta/44989144 I know it is only a 3 bed but the one you are looking at is £50k more.


The thing is that the price history goes back 20 years but all of the sold houses are recent which makes me think that they are owned by the local authority or you would expect to get more sales. There are only 5.



The only problem with buying an ex local authority house is that when you come to sell someone will only buy it if they can't afford anything in an area that where there aren't any ex local authority houses. So you have go to get the pricing right.



https://crime-statistics.co.uk/postcode/ne5%205jh I had a bit of a google to find this.


I did the same thing for my area and it came up with one crime in September 2018.

kakalokia

Thanks again for your reply.

Yes the area looks like a council estate to me, and the house front had me worried from the start.

I may need to go around the area and ask the locals. It's a shame if the area isn't good as the property is really nice from inside.

The other property we're interested in is https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-76794326.html

The area seems nicer and more private.

sgun

I do a bit of work in both areas and find them much the same. There are a good few LA houses in Etal Park and private landlords in Denton Burn. Any time I have driven through Etal Park at night it has seemed quiet, Denton Burn can have an edge sometimes but really you should go there yourself a few times, also around the time that the secondary school closes for the day. I personally would prefer Fenham as long as you avoid Ellesmere Road end. You might be priced out of the better roads though.

I think both the houses you are looking at have a premium for being so close to the A1, the second is a nicer house though, that bedroom over the pathway in the first house is just really weird.

Cakeguts

kakalokia wrote: »

Thanks again for your reply.

Yes the area looks like a council estate to me, and the house front had me worried from the start.

I may need to go around the area and ask the locals. It's a shame if the area isn't good as the property is really nice from inside.

The other property we're interested in is https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-76794326.html

The area seems nicer and more private.

This is an ex council house as well. There aren't enough sales for it to be a private estate. That is another large council estate.



I think you are concentrating too hard on how the houses look inside rather than where they are.


You can change everything inside a house. What you can't change is where it is so most people concentrate on where a house is as most important and don't worry about what it is like inside because that can be changed.

Cakeguts

Follow the advice of sgun and try Fenham but avoid the area near the road mentioned and if you don't actually need four beds don't look at them go for what you actually need now.

kakalokia

Thanks all for the replies.

Reason I'm concentrating on how the houses look inside is we're trying to find something that we won't have to change much in. Trying to find something for the long term with no major changes required. At the same time looking for a decent area, and also staying within budget!. Challenging, but hopefully achievable.

I plan to drive around Etal Park and hopefully get a better idea.

I currently live in Fenham and quite like it, so trying to look around it as well.

Thanks all again.

Cakeguts

kakalokia wrote: »

Thanks all for the replies.

Reason I'm concentrating on how the houses look inside is we're trying to find something that we won't have to change much in. Trying to find something for the long term with no major changes required. At the same time looking for a decent area, and also staying within budget!. Challenging, but hopefully achievable.

I plan to drive around Etal Park and hopefully get a better idea.

I currently live in Fenham and quite like it, so trying to look around it as well.

Thanks all again.

How I did it was to look on google maps and most of Etal Park area seems to be one big massive council estate. Fenham on the other hand has mostly privately owned houses. You can tell by how they look.



You may well find that for your budget you are going to have to buy a house that needs the inside changing in order to stay in your budget. There is also another very good reason to do your own changes and that is because you can make sure that they are done correctly. When you buy a house that someone else has done you don't know if they have cut any corners or papered over the cracks.