How do you find out about an area?

taliwillow

Hello all,

Just wondering, if you were considering moving to a new area that you didn't really know anything about, how would you go about finding out which bits are good and bad? We are considering moving to Shipston on Stour and have seen a couple of houses that seem to be very good value but being the cynics that we are, we wonder whether that means they are in a bad bit of Shipston or maybe they are liable to flooding as I know Shipston was hit quite hard by the floods last year. We thought maybe we should go there and have a look around and maybe visit a local shop or newsagent (if they have any) and ask the person working there.
What would you do?
Taliwillow

tbs624

If you have the property postcode you can check out a map of the likely flood areas at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk ( & make sure that your solicitor asks appropriate questions about flooding specific to that property, when s/he completes the Enquiries Before Contract)

Check out the school league tables & catchment areas, Google “crime statistics” and “Shipston”. Type the property address into Google and see what comes up.

See if there’s an online local forum, and have a look at some local newspapers

Walk around the area at different times of day/night to get a “feel” for the neighbourhood.

There are also sites like www.upmystreet.com for all sorts of “lies, damn lies and statistics” for most specific areas. And, as you say, chatting to the locals….

Doozergirl

When we moved up from London we were searching the area around Stratford.

I saw a lovely house for sale in a new development that was for sale in Shipston on Stour but when we drove around the town, we didn't like it at all. 5 years ago now though. I don't think it's that well regarded but it's far from the ghetto! I'd much prefer Evesham and suspect it's a little cheaper too; Stratford is horrendously expensive and the tourists are a bit tedious

Martin's written an article on checking out a house and the area:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mortgages/free-house-prices

kunekune

Quite a good source of information is OFSTED reports. Now, if you don't have children, you might not think about it, but at the beginning of every report there is a bit of a summary of the area - how many rent, how many own, the level of social deprivation, etc. There is no spin, because the report isn't selling anything. Well worth a look.

The original idea of popping into the newsagent doesn't sound awfully ... um ... scientific to me!

Jorgan_2

Get the weekly paper sent to you over a period of a few months to see what is happening in the area. If the same areas keep coming up as trouble spots you know to avoid them.

If you have identified an area you think is suitable, speak to the local police station to get the lowdown.

Once you have done everything that you have been advised of so far, you need to get out & about yourself to get the 'feel' of the place. If your going to commute, don't do test runs at weekends, you will not get a realisitc feel or time for the journey.

Suzy_M

Sounds flippant but spending an evening in the nearest public house on a promotions night (brings them all out of the woodwork) should give you a good idea of what an area is like.

Running_Horse

kunekune wrote: »

The original idea of popping into the newsagent doesn't sound awfully ... um ... scientific to me!

Finding out the kind of local knowledge not available on Upmystreet is exactly that, a science. Walk around the area you are interested in, and chat to people. Find out what the local problems and issues are. The pub idea is also a good one, as people will talk more freely over a pint.

Careful_with_that_Axe

I always think you can tell about the sort of people who live in an area by looking at the queues at the bus stops!

kunekune

Finding out the kind of local knowledge not available on Upmystreet is exactly that, a science. Walk around the area you are interested in, and chat to people. Find out what the local problems and issues are. The pub idea is also a good one, as people will talk more freely over a pint.


I don't disagree; I just thought that if the newsagent was ALL OP was planning to do, it wasn't a great plan. I was trying to be tactful .. ok, I thought it was daft!

taliwillow

Just to clarify, the newsagent thing wasn't the only plan! Just a starting point. I have since found a Shipston Forum and put a post on there asking the locals what it's like. I got a very nice reply from a man there (a private response - not on the forum) and basically from what he has told me about the areas that the houses we are looking at are in, we have decided to give shipston a miss!! Seems that what seems like a very good price to us is actually considered very overpriced for that area of Shipston. But obviously the estate agent didn't tell me that.....!!! Lol.

PasturesNew

I've recently started using this as an indicator. It shows me how individual streets change quite markedly:

http://www.uklocalarea.com/index.php

You can then more directly compare a postcode/street to where you are now, or where you know well.

I'd also google the area, looking for news of fights/crime/bad boys.

I'd also join local forums (I've never found anybody on the upmystreet ones, but that will change area to area so worth a look).

I would also look at the area in 3D using http://www.aboutmyplace.co.uk/ although not every area is available in 3D (load the site, type in the postcode then see if there's a birds eye view option). Other things like Google Earth (and similar) if you have it installed will do the same thing.