Moving to Cardiff (area) - ideas and suggestions

[hornetrider]

We've just bought into the area (or will do shortly) so have been doing the whole househunting thing. Do you need to consider schools? Also, how about life in the immediate vicinity. Liked Cowbridge but ridiculously pricey. Same goes for Penarth. We ruled out Radyr/Morganstown as there's virtually no pubs or life outside the developments. Whitchurch looks pretty good, the high street is bustling and there's a few nice streets in the area.

Rhiwbina/Heath seems to be popular with good quality housing and I've heard talk of 'cafe culture' but for the life of me I never found anywhere around there like Whitchurch High St.

So in the end we went for the Pontyclun area as it has a nice little High St, a few pubs, plenty of shops on the doorstep and a 12 minute train into Cardiff from the station.

Have you considered the east side of town, Marshfield etc?

[Tyre Tread]

hornetrider said:

We've just bought into the area (or will do shortly) so have been doing the whole househunting thing. Do you need to consider schools? Also, how about life in the immediate vicinity. Liked Cowbridge but ridiculously pricey. Same goes for Penarth. We ruled out Radyr/Morganstown as there's virtually no pubs or life outside the developments. Whitchurch looks pretty good, the high street is bustling and there's a few nice streets in the area.

Rhiwbina/Heath seems to be popular with good quality housing and I've heard talk of 'cafe culture' but for the life of me I never found anywhere around there like Whitchurch High St.

So in the end we went for the Pontyclun area as it has a nice little High St, a few pubs, plenty of shops on the doorstep and a 12 minute train into Cardiff from the station.

Have you considered the east side of town, Marshfield etc?

Thanks for that.

No worries over schools. No wee ones and now more than unlikely unless we can reverse the ageing process.

We're not really pub people but I suppose it might be a good way of getting to know peoaple in the area.

I'll have a look at Pontyclun

ETA: Any additional info on your experiences on moving to the area would be helpful. PM me if you prefer. Wher did you move from?

[SwissJonese]

hornetrider said:

Whitchurch looks pretty good, the high street is bustling and there's a few nice streets in the area.

Whitchurch is nice and great schools, but I believe they where going to sell off the land where the mental hospital was/is and turn it into a massive housing project?

[Blayney]

Re - you're job. What's your trade, if you don't mind me asking. I'm sure there'll be someone on here who could point you in the direction of something?

[hornetrider]

Feel free to pm me with any questions you might have TT.

[SwanJack]

hornetrider said:

We've just bought into the area (or will do shortly) so have been doing the whole househunting thing. Do you need to consider schools? Also, how about life in the immediate vicinity. Liked Cowbridge but ridiculously pricey. Same goes for Penarth. We ruled out Radyr/Morganstown as there's virtually no pubs or life outside the developments. Whitchurch looks pretty good, the high street is bustling and there's a few nice streets in the area.

Rhiwbina/Heath seems to be popular with good quality housing and I've heard talk of 'cafe culture' but for the life of me I never found anywhere around there like Whitchurch High St.

So in the end we went for the Pontyclun area as it has a nice little High St, a few pubs, plenty of shops on the doorstep and a 12 minute train into Cardiff from the station.

Have you considered the east side of town, Marshfield etc?

I moved to just outside Pontyclun from Whitchurch. Your money goes much further in Pontyclun, but would chose Whitchurch over Pontyclun every time.

[Tyre Tread]

Blayney said:

Re - you're job. What's your trade, if you don't mind me asking. I'm sure there'll be someone on here who could point you in the direction of something?

Erm, I don't have a trade. I have worked in or around the Credit industry for over 30 years (hell that's scary). From Barclaycard collections clerk to Repossessions Manager for part of Citibank to National Collection Manager for Snap-on Tools and lately Legal Manager (not legally trained) for a small business transfer agent.

There are lots of finance houses in Cardiff so hopefully something will come up. Already registered with one agency but it doesn't inspire you when they say if you haven't heard from us in a couple of weeks give us a call.

Thanks Hornetrider - might just do that

Cheers Swanjack

[RyanTank]

Have you considered coming further north than Cardiff? Maybe Pentyrch, Efail Isaf and Church village areas. you'll get a lot more house (and land with some) for your money in these areas.

Will the commute by the mrs be a driven one or would she prefer trains/buses? tbh its cheaper to drive into Cardiff than get a bus from some places. by moving to these areas you can take the old road into Cardiff and avoid the A470/M4 blockage, she can drive straight to the link road to get her to the Heath hospital on the old road too.

I'll post a selection of houses around my above named areas for example of what you can get for your budget, even if they don't suit you still get another area to consider.

---

Edit---- just re read you desire a garage. you cant select garage, only 'parking' so sorry if one or two on the list don't have a garage.

Pentyrch - top end of budget- no garage but ample space and a decent garden to potter in until you get work - http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Church Village/Tonteg - some at the top of the budget, others for almost 1/2 your budget.

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

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

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


heres a link (i hope it works) for an area i've outlined to search for properties for you. you can edit it i think by clicking on the map tab on the page - http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find....

Happy hunting and give us a shout if you need anything else


-edit- Job wise, have you considered lecturing? you said in/around the credit industry, could you turn that experience/knowledge to teaching. even if its just a temporary thing until you get a job you want?

Edited by RyanTank on Friday 17th October 18:59

[anonymous-user]

If I was looking to buy in/around Cardiff I'd be looking at Pontyclun. Nice village-y feel to it, decent place to live, far enough outside the city that houses are reasonably priced and it's on the main rail line into Cardiff Central. I'd live there, no problem.

I wouldn't live anywhere without a railway station in walking distance, but maybe that's just me.

[RyanTank]

its also worth considering if she's catching a train to work over driving, depending on the area you may end up in she'd need to get the train to Cardiff central before changing to one that passes the Heath Hospital.

[Tyre Tread]

Wow guys, really appreciate the time you are taking to help out here.

One of the things we have decided on, based on past experience, is we won't go back to a semi detached or terraced as we had a bad experience with neighbour noise 2 houses ago. Detached or bust and preferably with a bit of space around it.

Neither of us are really gardeners but grass cutting isn't too much of an issue - especially if I can justify buying a ride on mower.

SWMBO will be happy to commute by train if she can. She has driven in and out of Leicester and Liverpool for the last 23 years so train would be a good change for her. If I commute in I would prefer to drive but the job will determine that. (if/when I find one).

Can anyone advise on the area around Llandough Hill?

[Try5t]

Have you looked at Wenvoe? - lots of new detached properties being built by Redrow just gone live on their website?
It is 7 miles from Cardiff City centre - and near to shops and supermarkets etc; there is a community council website that has a load of information on it.

[Tyre Tread]

Indeed we had a quick look while we were in that area.

The new busilds are unlikely to have the garage or space for one that I am hoping to find but thank you for the thought.

[hornetrider]

I don't know what Rhoose is like (we ruled it out as it's Barry school catchment, which isn't the greatest) but the houses there seem to be very good value. Plenty of big four bedders with double garages, sea views etc. They are quite close to the airport but Cardiff airport is on it's knees, there's very few flights.

[Tyre Tread]

I had ruled out Rhoose as close to the airport.

Latest reports suggest traffic will increase: http://www.cardiff-airport.com/news/2014/02/12/car...

[hornetrider]

You do realise that article refers to three flights. Three actual flights. Not three a day or three a week. But three flights.

It might give you some idea how 'busy' the airport is!

[Tyre Tread]

hornetrider said:

You do realise that article refers to three flights. Three actual flights. Not three a day or three a week. But three flights.

It might give you some idea how 'busy' the airport is!

No I hadn't realised that

There seems to be a couple of flights an hour in/out so not exactly Heathrow but not sure how noisy/disruptive that would be.

It definitley gets you more house for the money though.

[hornetrider]

Yeah true just checked the live departures board. There are 6 flights departing and 9 landing between now and the end of the day. I think you'd get more noise living near a main road or railway line.

It's just an angle where you can get a bit more for your money.

[tpp_uk]

I would pay little or no notice of any information published by Cardiff airport - It's owned by the Welsh assembly (nice of them to ask before they bought it on our behalf!). I live slightly to the west of Cowbridge (on the flight path), and sometimes look up to see the very occasional plane leaving (it's a novelty). If you fancy a laugh go and visit the airport - the staff outnumber the passengers by some considerable margin. The place is a joke. In short, I wouldn't worry about noise!! I have money on the place closing in the not too distant future

[Tyre Tread]

Thanks TPP. Does that mean a huge housing development coming to the area soon?

Or another racetrack?