Help please- relocation to Cardiff

[A.karim]

Hi All,
I hope someone local to Cardiff or someone who knows it well can help us.
We are relocating to Cardiff due to new job (university hospital CF144XW)
We have no clue which area is good for us (needs to be within 5 miles or 10min journey from the hospital) we have 2 little ones so if someone good help which areas are the best and which ones to avoid.
We will be renting, which Is proving very difficult at the moment as properties are going like hot cakes!!
I’ve seen some people who have asked similar questions before but they are all from 2010-2013 so I’m not sure if anything has changed. Sorry for the lack of punctuation writing it in a hurry!!!
Oh apparently ST mellons is not great is old st mellons the same?
Many thanks in advance !

Edited by A.karim on Thursday 29th July 22:36

[A.karim]

LuS1fer said:

Old St Mellon's is very nice, new St Mellons is (or was) a large council estate on the other side of the A48

Posh places - Llandaff, Cyncoed, Lisvane, Roath Park

Decent - Radyr, Creigiau, Pentyrch, Whitchurch, Llandaff North, Heath, Rhiwbina (all North Cardiff), Cardiff Bay.

Lesser - Ely, Pentrebane, Llanrumney, Cathays and Roath (Studentland), Grangetown.

Hard to be prescriptive as many areas in Cardiff cost a lot of money these days and there are many expensive properties mixed in with the more mundane terraces but many bigger houses have been converted to flats.

Anomalies abound. The Caerphilly side of Caerphilly mountain is about £100k less than the Thornhill (Cardiff) side yet they are only about a mile or two apart.

As with most things, it's about schools and parking. Places like Cathays, Roath etc have parking restrictions etc. Many people live just outside Cardiff and commute in.

.

Edited by LuS1fer on Friday 30th July 00:00

Woohoo!! Thank you brilliant!! Just what I needed!
We are looking to rent so hopefully something in the nice area will come up!
Many thanks :-)

[A.karim]

elanfan said:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111130748#/...

2 minute walk to the station, train to Heath High level about 6 mins and a 4/5 minute walk to the hospital.
School catchment will be Thornhill Primary a great modern school.
Buses every 10/15 minutes. Large Sainsbury’s store. Doctors surgery next door.

Lived in Thornhill 25+ years I love it.

Many thanks for your reply!! Very helpful!

Oh I loved this house you’ve sent I showed it to my husband this morning and he wasn’t keen on the carpets in the rooms so said no !!! :-(

[A.karim]

elanfan said:

No carpets downstairs, upstairs cheap snd easy to replace (landlord may contribute). Thornhill is a very hot property market right now. You might need to be quick.

I know it’s been crazy, I’ve been looking every day for 3 weeks now and as soon as I call they tell me sorry it’s been let! So crazy! I thought the rental market here in Nottingham was nuts! But Cardiff is at another level !!! I hope we find somewhere it’s so stressful! I will enquire tomorrow morning if it’s still around.
Thank you again for your replies.

[A.karim]

Does anyone know if caerau is a decent area?

[A.karim]

LuS1fer said:

A.karim said:

Does anyone know if caerau is a decent area?

No, it isn't. Not even close.

Pheww I won’t offer on that property then!! Thank you ! :-)

[A.karim]

How about Splott guys?

[A.karim]

Hi thanks got your reply:

I’ve found two today

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/29942872#/?...


https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111290156#/...

I prefer the last one as it’s easier with two little ones but my husband wants furnished because he thinks it will be a hassle getting furniture moved around so I’m not sure.
Also we need it to be an easy travel to the Noah’s ark hospital.

Hope you can help
Many thanks

[A.karim]

Brilliant thank you both!! , my husband isn’t sure of the one in Whitchurch as it doesn’t look new enough arghhh!
Looks like we are still looking.
Criteria is
Prefer furnished but as long as there is white goods would consider unfurnished
2 bed minimum
Modern looking
And a nice area

Many thanks for all your help! It’s been VERY helpful.
Thanks

[A.karim]

Agree with you exactly !!!

There is this one I am viewing tomorrow he prefers this one, any thoughts?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMat...

[A.karim]

Brilliant thanks guys! If you had to choose between with the two which one would you go for this could be the decider, if they accept our offers both of 1050.
Many thanks :-)

[A.karim]

elanfan said:

On Rightmove are a look at Whitchurch village on Streetview. Lots of shops, Boots, cafe, chippie, smaller supermarket, pubs, furniture, jewellers, bakery. Think myself that would suit me better.

Would’ve been good for me too, have a walk around the village shops :-(

[A.karim]

Mr Spoon said:

Much more for your money living the other side of the m4.

He needs to be within 15min of the hospital for his on calls though! Would that be possible from the other side ?

[A.karim]

elanfan said:

You could consider properties off the flyover end of Whitchurch road, not necessarily the best of areas but properties will be larger and cheaper. There’s a footbridge over the A48 dual carriageway into UHW which might prove handy for you.

How did your viewings go?

Great thanks for the suggestion, I will look into that too :-)! I have made an offer on the house in rhwibina (I think I’ve spelt that wrong 😑) they said they will get back to me either tomorrow or the end of the week latest !! I wish they would hurry! My husband is still not keen on it and wants an fully furnished apartment which for me after living in one for 3 years on 3rd floor (no lifts) and 2 babies I can’t do anymore so I really hope we find a house quickly one that meets his standards if this offer doesn’t get accepted! :-(

[A.karim]

Masiv said:

Pontprennau isn't bad. About 5 miles away and right by Eastern Avenue, which is a main arterial dual carriageway that goes straight past the hospital, which is 10 minutes away.






https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110575247?u...

Thank for your message :-)
This looks nice I will show it to my husband 🙈!
I’ve just looked on the map it’s actually a very quick drive to the hospital from there also. Many thanks

[A.karim]

How about Penarth is that too far out 🤔

[A.karim]

elanfan said:

Mur Gwyn is a 9 minute walk to Llanishen Fach Primary and Nursery a great school! Nice kids park just off Mur Gwyn itself. Shops on Heol Llanishen Fach - newsagent, Spar, Chinese, hairdressers, pharmacy etc. Buses run on HLF to town passing hospital maybe a half mile walk. At the end of HLF there’s a Sainsbury’s local, Greggs Pub called the Nine Giants that does reasonable food and a Subway. Quite a genteel area your family will love it! I doubt you’ll want to go back!

Cardiff offers great shopping Google St David’s centre, Roath Park, Bute Park, Cardiff Bay you’ll love, Cardiff Castle you can walk along the Taff trail about 30 miles in greenery, ice rink very successful ice hockey team the Cardiff Devils, football and rugby stadia,

Haha brilliant you’ve sold cardiff very well there! I was a bit nervous about moving from Nottingham but I’m quite excited now!! Thank you!! I really hope our offer gets accepted quickly!!! Will keep you all posted! Thank you so much for all the useful information it’s been so so helpful! Sorry for asking lots of questions and possibly a few more to come.
We visited a few months the castle looked amazing but unfortunately it was shut for covid! Hopefully we will get to visit it when we are there!!

[A.karim]

covmutley said:

A.karim said:

How about Penarth is that too far out ??

Its not that far, but traffic can be relatively bad as its a bit one road in, one out and based on your responses I think you will want to be closer.


I agree with all the responses you've had. Whitchurch, rhiwbina, Llanishen etc (basically north cardiff) are all nice areas with decent access to shops and facilities but also all the older more traditional housing stock- so tell the husband to dsuck it up!!.

Not really sure why your husband wants a flat either with 2 kids, but each to their own I guess!

Perfect thank you. No no to Penarth!
Sounds like north Cardiff will be best for us, i am just going to search in those areas now.

He is from Egypt and they all live in apartments
Over there so I think that’s where it stems from! Not sure how to get through to him that it’s not nice for me being stuck all day in a flat with two little crazy boys!!

[A.karim]

covmutley said:

Yep, pretty sure you will like Cardiff. Not huge, easy enough to move around, decent parks and easy access to city centre, rivers/the bay, beach etc. And just generally a decent amount going on.

Edited by covmutley on Wednesday 4th August 00:52

Oh sounds lovely !!!

[A.karim]

elanfan said:

If you are sold on Rhiwbina get your name down now for the school it can be oversubscribed.

What are yours and hubby’s interests (sleeping I’d guess for him) what department will he be working?

UHW itself is massive, it has restaurant, concourse with shops etc, even a small pool. Parking can be expensive there and the parking company are barstewards. Park further out or bus it.

Good tip! If we get the house I will definitely do that!

Hubby has lots of hobbies! Football is the main one he used to play 3 times a week here in Nottingham so he is looking for a group to join who play regularly! Hasn’t found one yet.
Likes long walks
Diving!
Sight seeing etc.

He will be working in the children’s department at Noah’s Ark! And parking for staff is it not free?