How did you choose the area you live? (Paranoid about moving to a bad area)

oldMcDonald

david89999 wrote: »

My wife's solution is remarkably accurate - check for matching nets. If the area is full of places where the net curtains are dirty or don't match, you will find the people living behind them are on the lower rung of the ladder, or missed it completely.
That doesn't make them bad people, and in fact they could all be far nicer than the miserable and ignorant gits who live in my brand new estate, all with matching nets.
However as a rule of thumb it does work well. I can say this, as my job involves going to a lot of houses, and the ones where I go most often because of prolems they are having or causing tend to have dirty / non matching nets!

....and throws / duvet covers that have been half - pinned to the window frame, with loads of black mould growing on the window glass - that is usually a pretty bad sign!

MrsE_2

david89999 wrote: »

My wife's solution is remarkably accurate - check for matching nets. If the area is full of places where the net curtains are dirty or don't match, you will find the people living behind them are on the lower rung of the ladder, or missed it completely.
That doesn't make them bad people, and in fact they could all be far nicer than the miserable and ignorant gits who live in my brand new estate, all with matching nets.
However as a rule of thumb it does work well. I can say this, as my job involves going to a lot of houses, and the ones where I go most often because of prolems they are having or causing tend to have dirty / non matching nets!

Hardly anyone has nets anymore:p

Lotus-eater

TBeckett100 wrote: »

i discounted areas that has a large white van population parked up at nights. Also i looked at ages of cars in the area to work out general wealth. we settled on a village that had a large number of wealthy people and nice looking teens. If I saw Donnay or that other brand chavs wear i moved on.

I would have thought that a large white van population meant that a large portion of the population was working and that could only be good. I think we're a bit close to snobbishness here.

Pennywise

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I would have thought that a large white van population meant that a large portion of the population was working and that could only be good. I think we're a bit close to snobbishness here.

Actually white vans would put me off too. There are huge numbers of people working "on the side", and an unsigned white van is often an indicator. Some of these could be benefit fiddlers who I would rather not live close to as if they are happy to be illegal in one aspect of their lives, they are probably not too bothered about the law in other aspects either.

I would be less worried about lots of signwritten vans and that indicates they are legitimate workers. I don't think it is snobbery at all. Our next door neighbour is a lorry driver who brings home a massive artic lorry - and he comes from a middle class family - in his words, he prefers a simple life rather than being stressed out like the rest of his family.

Back to the OP, when I bought my first house, I spent hours sat on the road in my car watching what was going on. Sometimes, I'd stop by early in the morning on my way to work, other times, early evening, and sometimes late at night. I spent so long there that once the police came to see what I was up to as I had been reported!

mlz1413

Oh dear, my nets don't match and my fella has a white van .......... i'll hang my head in shame.

Steptoe may we move in with you???

MrsE_2

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I would have thought that a large white van population meant that a large portion of the population was working and that could only be good. I think we're a bit close to snobbishness here.

Agreed totally.

Its becoming, "don't want to live there dear, they are trade":rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Lots of those white vans will be owned by tradesmen who earn a damn site more than most pen pushers, myself included;)

kunekune

Totally agree about the danger of snobbishness. In NZ, the place we lived that I liked the most was a very working class, fairly chavvy distant suburb of Wellington (Wainuiomata for those in the know). It was also green and beautiful. Everyone was friendly and open minded. Employed? Who cared.

I don't care whether my neighbours are working. I do care whether they have loud parties, bullying kids (especially as my son is disabled and vulnerable), or drive cars dangerously around the house. I do care what the general area looks like - I prefer to look out of my window and see hills/moorland/trees/water rather than rows of grey or brick houses. I like to live near public transport. Schools are important, as are other amenities such as shops, medical facilities, etc. That's secondary as well, so we have swathes of ofsted reports and maps of catchment areas. We need childcare after school, so that's another factor. And of course, the area has to have houses that are the right size and have secure gardens (said son sometimes escapes).

A tall ask? It would seem so. We have created a fancy database to compare areas and work out where we're going to live once we move on from rental. We're nowhere nearer a conclusion! If you find an answer, let me know.

TBeckett100

MrsE wrote: »

Agreed totally.

Its becoming, "don't want to live there dear, they are trade":rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Damn right.

TBeckett100

mlz1413 wrote: »

Oh dear, my nets don't match and my fella has a white van .......... i'll hang my head in shame.

Steptoe may we move in with you???

No, you can move in with the "orse!"

TBeckett100

i think the shannon matthews neighbourhood highlights deprived council estates.