.....around Cardiff. 100k. House with 2 bedrooms.
Have been looking at -
Barry
Taff’s Well
Treforest
Llantrisant
Any recommendations.
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.....around Cardiff. 100k. House with 2 bedrooms.
Have been looking at -
Barry
Taff’s Well
Treforest
Llantrisant
Any recommendations.
Apparently, Barry has one of the fastest growing house prices in Wales , so I would probably choose there as you will get a better return for your purchase.
Treforest is well cheap, full of students mind, 20 mins on the train to civilisation. You get a 4 bed fir 100kQuote:
Originally Posted by Divine Wright
Mostly wrecked.Quote:
Originally Posted by goats
I work outside Cardiff in the valleys and have looked into the same sort of property. Unfortunately you'll have to go a bit further up to maybe, Tonypandy to find a decent place. Nothing wrong with the people or area, just a little harder to commute.
Depending on your cash budget for renovations etc there are properties at 100k but expect to put 10k to bring them up.
It's not cheap anymore. Unless you go to Maerdy etc.
If you have access to cash and plan to renovate/upgrade you might consider houses being auctioned. Are we assuming a but-to-let?
I'm currently living near Bilbao. We have a flat here. But I'm probably going to have a kid soon and would like him or her to get some Welsh medium education. So, I'm looking for somewhere to live.
My partner is from here and I think living too far up the Valleys might be a bit too much of a culture shock for her. Not that there aren't good things about the Valleys, just that she's used to a cosmopolitan, lively Iberian social scene and I think Mountain Ash or Pontlottyn might be a little too gritty and grey for her tastes.
I've seen some places in Taffs Well which I like....but the budget might have to be stretched to reach that sort of level. I haven't been in Wales for a while now, but my parents tell me that Barry is becoming quite a desirable place to live. I'll be honest, I've only ever lived in Caerphilly, Hengoed and various flats in Canton and Roath. I've got a rough idea of where would be ok and I think it's generally Cardiff and to the West and a little bit north, taking in the Caerphilly area, Tongwynlais/Tref/Taff's Well/GwaelodYGarth/Llantwit Fadre/ Llantrisant/Cogan/Penarth and Barry. That sort of area.
I've checked out Treforest and some of the houses look alrighty. It has always seemed a little bit tatty though for me....too student orientated. Wouldn't disregard it completely though. Great if we ever did need to rent it out.
I saw a nice little coach house thing in Cogan, that was pretty cheap and woulv'e needed a complete overhaul, but again, I wouldn't mind doing a bit of work on something like that.
Fair few places in Barry as well, most if them around the docks area. I haven't got a clue about Barry though, so don't know if the are areas that are a bit better in terms of amenities than others.
Llantristant looks nice as well, maybe a bit too far out though and no train .
I live in Beddau. You can get a small 2 bedroom house here in a new build site for less than 110k occasionally but they go within days of being put on the market.
Lors of fighting round there though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zenith
IndeedQuote:
Originally Posted by Croesy Blue
Speaking as a proud Barrian, I don't think you should take your child from Bilbao to Barry. Just sayin'.
Bit of a shithole? I feel the same way about most of South Wales. But I think it’s probably just a familiarity thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCBlue
I actually know a couple from Bilbao who’ve been in Cardiff for 15 years.
Maybe that’s the trick, only get somewhere in the City itself.
I'm interested in what took you to Bilbao and how you (presumably) have found work there, DW. Would you care 'to share', old fruit? Sounds interesting. And how important is knowing the language(s) in what you do?
By the way, I read earlier in the week that the Spanish word 'izquierda' actually came from Basque and was adpoted in order to avoid the 'sinister' association with the Latin word 'sinistra' (as still used in Italian).
You must know far more abiut such things than yours truly, of course.
No offence to the valleys but I think you are right, you’re misses won’t settle up there. Maybe Barry would be better? Ton and gwaelod aren’t cheap. Why don’t you rent somewhere decent to start with, somewhere a bit vibrant....Quote:
Originally Posted by Divine Wright
My sister has a lovely home in Barry. Victorian 3-bedded terrace that she’s done up a bit, but was very reasonably priced (relatively).
Barry may not offer the cultural delights but you have the coastline and you get far more for your £ than most parts of Cardiff. Comes down to your priorities I think.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Divine Wright
Tomorrow I will celebrate a year of living in Tynewydd (more or less at the top of the Rhondda Valley). I'm not a great fan of my new doctor's surgery and I think the road links to Cardiff are poor, but, apart from that, I have no regrets at all about upping sticks from Cardiff and the two bedroomed terraced house I bought (which I would say needed about 15 grands worth of work on it when I moved in) cost me 50 thousand pounds.
I'd say to anyone thinking of moving don't be put off by how far away from Cardiff some Valleys towns and villages are - I'm very happy with my move and, although I accept it's a bit of a cliche, my experience is that Valleys people are a bit more friendly than in Cardiff.
That said, I think the way you describe your partner does make me think that she might find it a bit of a culture shock up here - I'm 63, by myself (apart from my dog and cat!) and, although it wasn't always the case, don't need the cosmopolitan and lively social scene you talk of.
One thing I must take issue with you over though is your description of the Valleys as "grey". I've just taken my dog for her early morning walk and it's quite quite a grey and gloomy morning up here, but, even in weather like that, the views and natural surroundings are spectacular - I get the feeling that, as a newcomer not used to living in an area like this, I appreciate this more than the locals who have been here all of their lives.
It's not the location that will drive her away; it's the weather.
And the message board posters :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Vindec
Taking someone from the magnificance of Bilbao to the Welsh valleys where the culture is somewhat a required taste would be a step too far for most people. Sorry but the Guggenheim, the cosmolitan life and the local wines around Bilbao do not compare with Brains Bitter, the absence of night life and the local British Legion in the valleys not forgetting the valleys wet climate.
Only at 5pmQuote:
Originally Posted by Croesy Blue
:sherlock:Quote:
Originally Posted by Vindec
You could look at renting in Cardiff to see how you settle
Reading all the above I think there is something wrong with my wife, who is Thai.....
I'm lucky enough to live in the Dordogne, with pool, but until mid last year we also had a terraced house in Aberdare.
Guess what??? She misses Aberdare (and I must admit I do sometimes...!), and the friendliness of the neighbour...and the weather.
We plan to move back to UK if /when we sell our house here, and would like to get something around South Wales - we have a decent budget but I need some space!
Can you imagine going out for food at 11pm in the valleys like the Spanish like to do? I guess the petrol station at Tesco might be 24 hrs....:hehe: also, there are 1000’s os Spanish etc in Cardiff so she would like it. Happy wife happy life......Quote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
There is a train station in Pontyclyn, which is more or less joined to Llantrisant. Good schools too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Divine Wright
Good read.
Although, my missus is even less confident about the move after reading this to her!
Funny though how she seems to think Bilbao isn't all it's made out to be. I think there is definitely something in it when people say you don't appreciate what you have until it's gone/ grass is greener, familiarity breeds contempt.
As has been pointed out, some of the countryside around Cardiff is beautiful . When I mention "grey" I'm referring more to the urban backdrop of the valleys and less so the valleys themselves, which have a special charm imo. Some of the forests around Tongwynlais, going further up the valley are some of the lushest I've seen. Up on the top near Eglwysilan is lovely. 4 falls.......it's a place I feel a spiritual connection to (there, I said it)....having been brought up in the area. The problem is not me, I'd happily live somewhere half decent up beyond Merthyr if it were down to me. I saw a place in Cwmtwrch, which is miles off, but the country side around that place looks beautiful, as does the are of Glyn-Neath. I'd be "perfectly" content living somewhere like that, going to the occasional gig, pottering around with hobbies and stuff. But alas, I am not ready for a solitary existence just yet. So ye, Taff's Well it is.
Taunton, I'm actually teaching English over here (poor buggers) but I could probably take on a more normal job now that my Spanish is good. I came over here because I had previously lived with a chick I met, whilst she was on Erasmus in Cardiff, in Spanish Spain. I liked it but it was a bit too baron in the South so I decided to live in the North, look for work and see what the Basque Country had to offer. And it's lovely. Not without it's peculiarities and things that require some getting used to but on the whole, it's a very easy place to live, whilst also maintaining a bit of an edge. The history and political background of the Basque Country is really interesting, and it takes some time to get your head around what they've been through and how society works over here. I have been living in Vitoria-Gasteiz (which is the Capital of BC) for 10 years now and regardless of whether or not we get a place in Wales, I'll be back here to live again at some point.
RE, Renting, it is by far the most sensible option. If possible though, I'd prefer to put that 10k of a years rent into renovating a crappy house or putting down a deposit.
barren
Did your cat make his way back home after Paul? I’m from the valleys and when I lived in Cardiff for 2 years I hated it eventually convinced the mrs to move back and although she found it difficult for a bit she now loves it the train station is just around the corner and the bus stop is just outside the house 30 mins to Cardiff, I look at the view outside my house and love it beautiful mountains everywhere as Paul has said the biggest problem is there only 2 ways in and out and when you get to Clydach it’s only oneQuote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wales-Bales
There’s some really nice houses there as well
Yes. I’m surprised it’s as it is considering it’s got a old village feel to it and is within 30 minutes of Cardiff.Quote:
Originally Posted by jamieccfc
Caerphilly is actually ok too. Some nice cottages.
I think that’s what I’d like to find. A welsh style cottage as close to Cardiff (or a train station) as possible.
I just checked the train timetable, and it's 14 minutes by train from Pontyclyn to Cardiff Central. There is a large shopping complex nearby, and it's also near the M4. I'd definitely stick it on your list :thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Wales-Bales
I love Barry and live in the waterfront but can't think of anywhere in the waterfront area you'd be able to buy for £100k. You can just about get 2 bed terraced houses but they'd be in the town, Cadaxton and Gibbonsdown areas.
No way is Barry as cheap as the valleys.....Quote:
Originally Posted by simonp_ccfc
Funnily enough, my sister e-mailed a Facebook post by someone who lives in my old street in Cardiff with a photo of a black and white cat that had started to turn up in her back garden. When I first looked at it, I thought it could well be Felix, but doubted it was him because I did not know the woman (my old street is quite long and so I figured she must live some way from where I did) and so thought if he was able to travel the 20 miles or so from Tynewydd to Fairwater, it seemed odd that he couldn't go the extra few hundred yards to where he used to live (he originally lived with my neighbour). When I dug out a photo of Felix though, I was reminded of a small black spot he had on his face and this cat did not have one, so there's no point me making a journey down to Cardiff to see the lady who posted the message.Quote:
Originally Posted by jamieccfc
Felix will have been gone a year in about a fortnight's time and, realistically, I'm not going to see him again - all I can hope is that he has found someone who is looking after him well.
No, Barry is not a shithole at all. In fact, parts of it are beautiful. It's just not Bilbao.Quote:
Originally Posted by Divine Wright