The Knimbies who say No Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Can't see a thread dedicated to Chester, so here goes. Recently moved to the area, looking at the stuff offered for sale seems like not much is moving. Hoole is a decent part of town, here's one up for auction next month, albeit on the busy main road: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-25484484.html Eye-catching guide price of £160k will likely be significantly bettered, will report back on the result. Seems that Hoole has lots of good-sized houses, but most have no parking. The bigger places with gardens etc are pricey. Nearby Newton is further from the centre, and offers better value, but still a 4 bedder with a garden is £200k+, more like £250k+ for one not requiring work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zugzwang Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Ellesmere Port's quite close... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manchester50 Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Everywhere is close to somewhere sh1tty. I don't know Chester but think two of the better suburbs are Hoole and Upton? I think Hoole is Chester's didsbury, but might be wrong on that. I do know the villages east and south east - so around Tarporley and around Delamere. The big thing missing from that area is an electrified train line to Manchester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 Everywhere is close to somewhere sh1tty. I don't know Chester but think two of the better suburbs are Hoole and Upton? I think Hoole is Chester's didsbury, but might be wrong on that. I do know the villages east and south east - so around Tarporley and around Delamere. The big thing missing from that area is an electrified train line to Manchester. Ta, didn't realise the line wasn't electrified, or the ramifications of that. Guess it rules it out for a Manc commute? Upton is regarded as a decent area, but I'm not so keen on all of it as it can be a long way from the centre of town. Hoole has character and life about it, at least in the busy shopping streets which have local businesses. In between them lies Newton, a small bit of town which lacks the character of Hoole but is a lot closer to town than Upton. Seems a bit cheaper there too. South of Hoole is Vicar's Cross, an area with little to recommend it as far as I can see, other than proximity to the town centre (for the Western parts). I've lots to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted January 27, 2013 Author Share Posted January 27, 2013 Ellesmere Port's quite close... Drove through there today. Reeks of decline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Necessities Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Handbridge is pretty and nice and pretty nice. Although it's impossible to get something there with any sort of garden, unless you have insane money to spend and live at the posh end. We rent a 2 bed for £600 but it only has a yard, have been here for 3 years, the same landlord owns the ones either side, identical houses, next door are paying £650 and the other side (who moved in before christmas) are paying £700. So prices have gone even more mental so we can't really move within Handbridge at a reasonable price, but being here has allowed me to walk to work and save a lot of car/parking costs. It is very easy to walk into town though (less than 15 minute walk to the centre). It has a garage if you need fuel (or milk!) and a covenent on the shops to prevent them building any Tesco local etc, they have a butchers, deli, hairdressers, that sort of thing. It's just south of the river. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Necessities Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 (edited) Chester used to have a Cinema and a Theatre right in the town. Now it has neither and they've been d*cking about for years saying they will build another one, but haven't done anything about it. When you think that Chester relies on the roman history and thinks of itself as a cultural centre for attracting tourists, the lack of those facilities is ridiculous. All in all though, it's a pleasant place to live, the centre is good because of it's historical look, although too many of the shops are generic chains that have since gone bust (there is a dead habitat, jessops, etc, and a lot of the shops are empty. Edited January 28, 2013 by Bear Necessities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StainlessSteelCat Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 (edited) Used to live in Chester - it wasn't really my kind of place. It seemed to be populated by people shopping for best clothes in their best clothes and the night scene was rougher/less friendly than Liverpool's. Also choked with traffic so definitely do multiple viewings around rush hour on anywhere that has the potential to be a rat run. The good areas seemed to be: Hoole Handbridge Upton Great Boughton Huntingdon while Blacon and Lache were regarded as less desirable. Surrounding villages off the A41 seemed nice too but probably ridiculously expensive. To give some perspective on prices though - the average place in Hoole sold for around £50K in the mid-late 90s. There are worst places to live certainly. It is well connected transport wise and is quite pretty in parts. The town walls and split level shops are a highlight. Edited January 28, 2013 by StainlessSteelCat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Necessities Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Chester does seem to be a little bubble of super expensive in the North West. Gets really busy on race days (12 a year) and a lot of tourists. Blacon is pretty rough. They built a new police station a little while back and moved the police operations to Blacon rather than their old location in the city, to save time and petrol. Having it in Blacon means they can be at the crime scene just by stepping out of the front door. Every time the local paper comes through and I read the crime stories I always get my wife to guess where the crim lives. It's nearly always Blacon (occasionally Vicar's Cross). Unfortunately they didnt site the police chopper in Blacon but in a village somewhere to the South West of the city. (I think they couldn't risk putting it in Blacon, else it would have been up on bricks with the rotors sold for scrap by the end of the week. Other than that, a nice place to live if you aren't fussed about living in a city, don't like the commute of a village and want a centre with some history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 Chester does seem to be a little bubble of super expensive in the North West. Gets really busy on race days (12 a year) and a lot of tourists. Blacon is pretty rough. They built a new police station a little while back and moved the police operations to Blacon rather than their old location in the city, to save time and petrol. Having it in Blacon means they can be at the crime scene just by stepping out of the front door. Every time the local paper comes through and I read the crime stories I always get my wife to guess where the crim lives. It's nearly always Blacon (occasionally Vicar's Cross). Unfortunately they didnt site the police chopper in Blacon but in a village somewhere to the South West of the city. (I think they couldn't risk putting it in Blacon, else it would have been up on bricks with the rotors sold for scrap by the end of the week. Other than that, a nice place to live if you aren't fussed about living in a city, don't like the commute of a village and want a centre with some history. Yeah, as it happens the south and west of the city are not ideal for me (I appreciate that sounds odd in a place so small), but east is better. That means Hoole, Vicar's Cross, Boughton, Newton and Upton. Pretty much ruled out Vicar's Cross (roughish) and Upton (too far from centre). Of the remainder Hoole is nicest, but it's pricey to get a place with off-road parking. I'm in no hurry to buy, prices are too high. Give it a couple of years and we'll see where it's at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Necessities Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Yes, Hoole is nice (but prices all over Chester are way too high!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 (edited) Yes, Hoole is nice (but prices all over Chester are way too high!) Indeed. Here's one in Hoole: Last sold April 2007 for £157,000 Now asking £159k, albeit after a refurb, on since September(according to Zoopla), just back after a sale fell through. It's a busy road, no back garden to speak of, and 1 car-width space outside for parking. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40359008.html I think it's rather attractive, but too much for what (and where) it is. These sold for circa £50k in 1997. Or this one, also bought near peak: 9th Nov 2007 £382,000, now asking £395k, a 4 bedder with two in the roofspace. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37398832.html Edited January 29, 2013 by cheeznbreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Indeed. Here's one in Hoole: Last sold April 2007 for £157,000 Now asking £159k, albeit after a refurb, on since September(according to Zoopla), just back after a sale fell through. It's a busy road, no back garden to speak of, and 1 car-width space outside for parking. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40359008.html I think it's rather attractive, but too much for what (and where) it is. These sold for circa £50k in 1997. Or this one, also bought near peak: 9th Nov 2007 £382,000, now asking £395k, a 4 bedder with two in the roofspace. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37398832.html That was when mortgage multiples were 3 times main income plus 1 times second income (3 x £17k + 1 x £9k, average house = £59k). Now people are happy to do 4 times joint income ( 4 x £25k + £15k, average house = £160k). If that is stretching them a bit too much they do it on a longer term mortgage to make it "cheaper" i.e. pay even more mortgage interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay67 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) Duplicate post. Edited January 30, 2013 by jay67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay67 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I used to know someone who lived in Broughton,which has a Chester postcode. It's 4 miles from Chester centre,but is technically in Wales,so the house prices are similar to the cheaper parts of Stockport. She'd had no trouble there over many years. I've not visited the place,but may be worth a quick look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generation jones Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 CH2 is a good postcode to search - covers Upton Newton Hoole and beyond this is a RM search for 3 bedroomed houses up to 180k in CH2 - hope it works http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?searchType=SALE&locationIdentifier=OUTCODE%5E457&insId=3&radius=0.0&displayPropertyType=houses&minBedrooms=&maxBedrooms=3&minPrice=&maxPrice=180000&retirement=&partBuyPartRent=&maxDaysSinceAdded=&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on&sortByPriceDescending=&primaryDisplayPropertyType=&secondaryDisplayPropertyType=&oldDisplayPropertyType=&oldPrimaryDisplayPropertyType=&newHome=&auction=false Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 I used to know someone who lived in Broughton,which has a Chester postcode. It's 4 miles from Chester centre,but is technically in Wales,so the house prices are similar to the cheaper parts of Stockport. She'd had no trouble there over many years. I've not visited the place,but may be worth a quick look. Thanks, but looking for somewhere closer to town. Walking distance to station a must. Pretty much restricted it to selected parts of Hoole, Newton and Upton already. Most of Upton is too far from either station, and knock out the busy roads and you're left with not a huge number of streets. 4 bedroom is a minimum if I bought, but these start getting expensive quickly if you want a driveway. I'm not buying anytime soon, certainly not at these prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 Another second stepper who has spent lots on doing up their house, which looks lovely: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40513058.html Paid £176k in June 2006. Now asking £185k. 28 Gladstone Avenue, Chester CH1 4JU £176,000 Sale date: 30th Jun 2006 Eight short years saw the price paid almost exactly triple. £85,000 | Sale date: 23rd Feb 2001 £58,500 | Sale date: 28th Aug 1998 Ominously, the most recent sale in this street was a similar standard 3 bed house which has been bought and sold 3 times since peak, with a lower price each time, the latest 17% off the 2007 price: 29 Gladstone Avenue, Chester CH1 4JX £157,000 | Sale date: 15th Nov 2012 £182,500 | Sale date: 15th Jul 2011 £189,000 | Sale date: 20th Dec 2007 http://www.zoopla.co.uk/property-history/29-gladstone-avenue/chester/ch1-4jx/17222550 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 5 bedder in Upton, well really a 4 bed with the garage converted, dropped by £10k today to £309k: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37933007.html?premiumA=true Listed in May 2012 at £329k Another peaky buy: 44 Appleton Road, Upton, Chester CH2 1JJ £300,000 | Sale date: 8th Jun 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Another second stepper who has spent lots on doing up their house, which looks lovely: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40513058.html Paid £176k in June 2006. Now asking £185k. 28 Gladstone Avenue, Chester CH1 4JU £176,000 Sale date: 30th Jun 2006 Eight short years saw the price paid almost exactly triple. £85,000 | Sale date: 23rd Feb 2001 £58,500 | Sale date: 28th Aug 1998 Ominously, the most recent sale in this street was a similar standard 3 bed house which has been bought and sold 3 times since peak, with a lower price each time, the latest 17% off the 2007 price: 29 Gladstone Avenue, Chester CH1 4JX £157,000 | Sale date: 15th Nov 2012 £182,500 | Sale date: 15th Jul 2011 £189,000 | Sale date: 20th Dec 2007 http://www.zoopla.co.uk/property-history/29-gladstone-avenue/chester/ch1-4jx/17222550 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venger Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Another second stepper who has spent lots on doing up their house, which looks lovely: http://www.rightmove...y-40513058.html Paid £176k in June 2006. Now asking £185k. 28 Gladstone Avenue, Chester CH1 4JU £176,000 Sale date: 30th Jun 2006 Eight short years saw the price paid almost exactly triple. £85,000 | Sale date: 23rd Feb 2001 £58,500 | Sale date: 28th Aug 1998 Ominously, the most recent sale in this street was a similar standard 3 bed house which has been bought and sold 3 times since peak, with a lower price each time, the latest 17% off the 2007 price: 29 Gladstone Avenue, Chester CH1 4JX £157,000 | Sale date: 15th Nov 2012 £182,500 | Sale date: 15th Jul 2011 £189,000 | Sale date: 20th Dec 2007 http://www.zoopla.co...h1-4jx/17222550 I don't like to intrude on threads when I know very little about the area, other than some history, but that is quite encouraging. It seems to be happening there, to some extent. Like the complete opposite of Wilmslow, although I do expect it to turn in Wilmslow in a similar way. After all the rapid trebling of values, they have to give some back. Interesting to see heat reduced from the first-time buyer type of target house, which detracts from my own theory with such houses being bid up by don't-want-to-miss-the-boat younger buyers pushing up prices in Wilmslow. Also doesn't a nice bay make a huge difference to improving the looks and function of a house. I like the houses with bay top and bottom (double bay fronted?). I'm less certain about the garden area. Hard to be sure, but it almost looks like you have to access the garden area separately, perhaps over a ginnel, and next-door possibly have built a garage on their side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 Crap neighbours perhaps? Seems odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 (edited) here's 3 places on a fairly busy road through Newton. They are about 70 metres apart, all in. 132 Kingsway. 4 bed semi, £210k asking http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39998642.html?premiumA=true rather ambitious asking, given the owners don't appear to have any recent bubble buying pricing pressure on the face of it: Last sale: £110,000 | Sale date: 27th Feb 2003 No interior photos. The pricing looks pretty stiff in light of its near neighbour #142: --------------------------------------------- 142 Kingsway. 3 bed semi, £155k: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37602947.html?premiumA=true This was flipped to its current owners in 2008, who are resigned to a haircut is seems. It's been available since April 2012, having dropped by £4k recently. Last sale: £162,000 | Sale date: 14th Mar 2008 Previous sale: £127,000 | Sale date: 23rd Mar 2007 http://www.zoopla.co.uk/property/142-kingsway/chester/ch2-2lw/4470808 --------------------------------------------- 133 Kingsway. 3 bed semi, £185k: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-25292427.html Bought at bubble peak: Last sale: £148,000 | Sale date: 19th Sep 2007 Zoopla says it was offered at £120k in September, but the current listing seems to show the same furniture to I presume that might be incorrect: http://www.zoopla.co.uk/property-history/133-kingsway/chester/ch2-2ln/18955297 Just been bumped up £10k today. Takes some brass to see a house for sale opposite, with same bedrooms, been on the market for 6 months+, and to then put yours on at £30k more. ----------------------------------------------------- And a fourth much further along the road towards the city centre: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40487429.html 24 Kingsway. 3 bed semi, no last sale date. Pricing is high, but someone got lucky in with #10, getting £200,000 | Sale date: 8th Jun 2012. The gardens in these ones are much bigger, so they ought to be worth more than the first three, but £200k is nuts. Still a pretty busy road at this point. Edited February 1, 2013 by cheeznbreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 Not bothered about flats in the main, good for a laugh as far as calamatous purchases go but I'm not interested in ever ending up in one as an owner occupier. But this caught my eye. 3 beds, original asking of £225k in Sept 2011 reduced quickly to £170k in Dec 2011, nothing much doing in 2012 but the new year has brought £20k off today to bring the asking down to £150k, exactly a third off the starting price: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34778288.html?premiumA=true Looks cheap compared to the others up for sale in the same block. Will that be enough..? A 3 bed penthouse, #58 is also up for sale. Bought a twelve years ago for £350k, now asking £425k: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36793340.html?premiumA=true Last sale: £350,000 | Sale date: 26th Apr 2001 Impossible to know individuals' circumstances, but I imagine the sort of people that could afford that sort of place on a repayment basis are not commonly found in Chester. Sold prices for the block (CH1 1HJ) show that the HPI fairy has not always been kind: Apartment 19: Property type: Flat | Tenure: Leasehold | Last sale: £230,000 | Sale date: 25th Mar 2011 - Less details Property type: Flat | Tenure: Leasehold | Previous sale: £280,000 | Sale date: 14th Sep 2005 Property type: Flat | Tenure: Leasehold | Previous sale: £244,000 | Sale date: 10th May 2002 (new build) The prices must have looked obscene in 2001/2, and the place is on a major artery into town, and must get plenty of passing noise on weekends. The mind boggles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Can't see a thread dedicated to Chester, so here goes. Recently moved to the area, looking at the stuff offered for sale seems like not much is moving. Hoole is a decent part of town, here's one up for auction next month(14th Feb), albeit on the busy main road: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-25484484.html Eye-catching guide price of £160k will likely be significantly bettered, will report back on the result. Seems that Hoole has lots of good-sized houses, but most have no parking. The bigger places with gardens etc are pricey. Nearby Newton is further from the centre, and offers better value, but still a 4 bedder with a garden is £200k+, more like £250k+ for one not requiring work. And a three bed detached on the same road, also up for auction, same guide price as the other one above. Auction is 27th Feb for this one: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-25835421.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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