I'm relocating to the East Midlands need advice!

[Shorty]

Hi all.. and particularly those living in the East Midlands! It looks like I'm going to be relocating to somewhere near Derby (from South Wales)...

I've spent the last two Saturdays driving around looking at houses and endless hours house hunting on the internet during the week but it's really tough when you don't really know the area very well at all....

The area I am talking about is south of the A50, west of the M1, east of the A38 and north of, but including Ashby-de-la-Zouch...

We're a family of 4, with two children, 19 months and 6 months, so family friendliness and a sense of community, parent & toddler groups etc is high on our wish list, as well as good schools for them when they reach that age...

Anyone in, or very familiar with this area, please feel free to comment with either recommendations of where to look, or just as useful, places to steer well clear of....

one place we're struggling to suss out Swadlincote.. it's perfectly positioned, but is it nice? or is it a dump?

all comments/help appreciated by an East Midlands bound EarlyBayer!

 

[dubdubz]

I'll ask my friends at work they were from Derby orignally - so should know. I believe the slamwerks boys are that way......

 

[Rob b]

I'm just the man you looking for I live in
Coalville (the nice bit) an the better half is from ashby if your a family an can afford to live in ashby that's a lovely place to live the prices are a little more then Swadlincote an Coalville but really worth it there is an estate in ashby called the Willesley estate think that's not so good but only parts Swadlincote is really cheap housing I don't know that much about it even if I do work there but newhall in Swadlincote is meant to be nice Coalville is near to ashby too an cheaper too there is a few ruff places there like green hill estate an agar nook don't even look there


Rob hope this helps on your search

 

[Shorty]

Cheers Rob, great info.. We've yet to look at a house in Ashby as there seems to be little available... That said, one came up yesterday that we'd like to look at...

Swadlincote is cheaper as you say.... But we can't put our finger on why... And this is a little worrying as I've never got anything good cheaply! There must be a catch somewhere!

So, Coalville sounds like it's worth a look?

 

[Rob b]

I know what you mean about the house prices in Swadlincote I think it's just the area for some reason there seems to be loads of nice houses pretty cheap ive found also if you look on google maps street view it's a good help too as you can sort of figure the area out a little

If you can I would say ashby is your best bet lovely little village loads of nice people good schools seems to tick all the boxes for you


Rob

 

[Delilah]

If you need a bed for the night whilst you are up this way looking , you know where we are!

 

[Shorty]

I know what you mean about the house prices in Swadlincote I think it's just the area for some reason there seems to be loads of nice houses pretty cheap ive found also if you look on google maps street view it's a good help too as you can sort of figure the area out a little

If you can I would say ashby is your best bet lovely little village loads of nice people good schools seems to tick all the boxes for you


Rob

Google maps is fantastic when house hunting from afar I can tell you! Estate agents are great at not mentioning things like railway lines, electricity pylons and busy roads in their descriptions! I would not be exaggerating if I said we've dismissed at least 30 houses based on google findings alone... Google maps ftw!!!

Thank you all for your advice, both here and via PM... Keep it coming, we are finding it all VERY helpful...

Thanks again!

 

[Rob b]

No worries if you need to know anymore just ask on here or drop me a pm




Cheers rob

 

[Duds]

Would prob steer clear of Swadlincote , nothing wrong with it as a shopping base, but I would aim for one of the villages around there such as rosliston, overseal, Linton, nice villages with convenience of good shopping etc in burton on Trent or Swadlincote It quiter, greener and decent smaller schools

You could try Barton under needwood, just the other side of burton, great school for infants and juniors, then John Taylor is one the best schools in the midlands, my kids will be going there...plenty of buses in the village as well, take a look at the Dubklub website for burton vw owners , they meet in Barton


Anyway any advice or opinions drop me a line

 

[Shorty]

Great comments...What are your thoughts regarding Stapenhill? We've looked at a couple of places there and another this Saturday....

 

[Pete B]

Afraid I can't help with specific areas, I'm not familiar myself.
A suggestion here just to confuse matters, how about renting for a year or so whilst getting to know the area and giving the housing market an opportunity to find its feet? I accept that would involve the hassle of moving twice, but better than commiting to a purchase in a relatively unknown spot. Also, mid 90's I moved to Norfolk supposedly for good but 18 months later was heading back 'home'. Renting and having kept the equity cash tucked away made that so much easier.
Just a thought, sorry if it throws a spanner in the works!!!!

Have to say though, this part of the world is pretty damn good for access to anywhere, north, south ,east or west. Makes shows and work less of a hassle.

 

[Shorty]

On the contrary, that isn't a spanner in the works at all... In fact, if we don't like either of the properties that we are viewing this weekend, then that is exactly what we'll do! This will be the 4th weekend in a row I've made the 300 mile round trip to go house hunting... It exhausting to say the least... Especially with 2 babies in tow!

 

[Hadders]

I'm from, and am still in, Derby, but over to the the North-ish. Always a bit dangerous making judgements on other areas, so I'll try and play safe by saying that I think your other proposals are a bit nicer. I think places between ashby and the M1, ie Breedon on the Hill, Donington, Melbourne etc are all pretty decent for families - in my opinion ....

 

[Shorty]

Littleover? How does this score?

 

[dubscum]

littleover is good. Not as picaresque as some of the others that have been mentioned, but nothing wrong with it, good for location links

 

[Cuban Breeze]

Lots of places in and around Burton, including Newton Solney, Repton, Willington, Melbourne, Ticknall. Relocated here some years back - it's hard work. If you need any advice, happy to chip in like all the others.

 

[Shorty]

Hi all.. Thanks for your help and advice... We really appreciated it..

However...

We made the decision yesterday to stay in South Wales (the kop end as 'is,it' would say!)