Carlisle

[Hedgetrimmer]

I'm looking at moving oop north next spring. Can't afford to buy a property outright down here in the south, and want to be nearer to some of my favourite places. So I'm looking at Cumbria. Can't afford the Lake District region itself, and availability of properties at affordable prices and likelihood of future employment options all point to Carlisle at the moment. But I know nothing about the city.

I'll probably rent a flat to start with, so I can get a bit more of a feel for the area myself, and try to gauge if I'm doing the right thing, look at the job situation (only need something like retail, can't do really physical stuff, and don't need a huge wage/salary) etc.

Anyone familiar with Carlisle and the surrounding areas? What can you tell me about living and working there? Any estates/areas to avoid etc? Do you know who the big name estate agents are in the region, both for flat renting and buying a house (have only been looking at Zoopla and Rightmove so far)?

Any help appreciated, ta.

[noggythenog]

I've always thought that Carlisle seemed a decent place and what a spot to be in for travelling to many of the best roads. I went out on the piss there once but i was too pissed to really take in what kind of place it was.Whenever i get to Carlisle i feel like im pretty much in Scotland and i think as a border dwelling theres a right mixture there regarding identity.


I've driven around allot of nice roads between carlisle and north yorks from being based at Catterick.....never quite knew where i was but the roads are stunning.


I've never been north west of carlisle to Dumfries or to Stranraer either and looking on google Earth it looks a nice area to explore.


The roads off to Edinburgh...particularly the A701 is a fantastic road.


Then of course the Lake district which you know so well.


Sounds like a good idea because like you say it is more affordable so a better quality of life and less rat race will be on offer.


Hmm i havent actually helped.........Bump!

[slimwilly]

Do not rent a flat,, a small house or bungalow,,then the bike can be locked up by the front door (0or back)

[BIG MAC]

Just looking at the very wide spread of house prices £180K buys something decent

[limax2]

You will never be short of good biking roads in all directions from Carlisle  . Unlike a lot of towns and cities it is not connected to the next town by urban sprawl. I can't help on the other aspects but on the odd times I've called in it seem a decent place.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Do not rent a flat,, a small house or bungalow,,then the bike can be locked up by the front door (0or back)

Yeah, I've looked at rents for houses too for that very reason. What I don't want to do is end up spending a large part of what I've got to buy a house with on renting a place while I look for a property to buy. There is always the possibility of renting a lock-up. I'd worry a bit about the security of this if it wasn't on the doorstep, but there are some places that rent out lock-ups in secure compounds. But beggars can't be choosers, and I guess I'd just have to manage with whatever comes up in whatever place I find.

Just looking at the very wide spread of house prices £180K buys something decent

That's actually a bit over my budget! I'm not going to be able to afford a palace, but I have seen some nice little properties advertised well below that, some 3 bedroom (more than I want or need), but my big priority is a place with a garage. Unfortunately, it seems the easiest way to find that is to go for 3 bed, as most 2 bed properties (more ideal for me) don't have garages, or at least, less of them do.

It's all a bit worrying, and I could really do with a bit more cash, but cash is exactly where I'm hoping to be able to capitalise. Maybe if I can find somewhere that has been up for sale for a while, then move in with a cash offer, no chain etc, I might be able to score a bargain. Renting a flat or house to start with hopefully will give me the time to look for such a place, plus enabling me to find work and gauge if I'm making the right decision. Never bought a property before, and it's all very scary!

The alternative is rent a house, get a job, and live like a king for a few years (how many bikes did I want?  ), before the money runs out and I'm back to a very uncertain future.

You will never be short of good biking roads in all directions from Carlisle  . Unlike a lot of towns and cities it is not connected to the next town by urban sprawl. I can't help on the other aspects but on the odd times I've called in it seem a decent place.

The roads and places to explore are the main thing drawing me to the city. I could get even cheaper properties in the north east, but I want good access to the Lakes, Yorkshire and Southern Uplands. So far what I have read about Carlisle is very promising - one or two estates to avoid, but that's the same in any big town or city. Overall, I like what I'm hearing. House prices are said to be 39% below the UK average! The local authorities have recently been looking at ways of promoting the city, improving housing, attracting business etc. People say the feel is more like a large village, where people still have the time of day for each other.

Also, there are six or seven bike dealerships around the city, which is one place I'd be looking for work. I could probably get away with part time work cos of my forces pension, so more time to enjoy the riding, and maybe a bit of walking in the Lake District.

So, the big questions are, will a decent property come up before renting eats too deeply into my funds? Will I be able to find work? Am I thinking about the right area in the first place? Do I really have enough money to give me much choice? To say I'm apprehensive would be a major understatement!

[slimwilly]

Now you are thinking straight,,


and what was that about wasting money on a second bike?

[Hedgetrimmer]

Now you are thinking straight,,


and what was that about wasting money on a second bike?

Waste money on bikes? Is that even possible? 

[fazed]

just a thought but have you considered getting something that needs some work done so you can haggle hard and get some value gain later.  there's a saying to the effect that you're better off getting a dowdy property in a good road rather than a good one in a dowdy road.......  Probated properties or repossessions are good and if you can move quickly there are deals to be had.........

[Hedgetrimmer]

just a thought but have you considered getting something that needs some work done so you can haggle hard and get some value gain later.  there's a saying to the effect that you're better off getting a dowdy property in a good road rather than a good one in a dowdy road.......  Probated properties or repossessions are good and if you can move quickly there are deals to be had.........

I'd like to be able to do that, but with my dodgy arm, DIY can only mean Don't Involve Yourself to me 
Honestly, I literally struggle to change a light bulb sometimes. So I'd end up paying through the nose to have someone else carry out any work needed. But it may come to that anyway. I suppose once I'm in a place, I can just get done what I can afford as and when. Just all depends on what comes up for sale when I'm ready to buy though.
 
TBH, all this property buying stuff, I'll be flying completely blind with. Never done it before. I've tried to find out what I can about it, but don't really know what I'm doing 
 
And throwing a job hunt into the mix at the same time, it's all a bit    for me!

[Rikki]

I've thought about doing something similar myself, should I ever get a redundancy package from my job. I would love to move near the lakes so I could explore & enjoy every nook & cranny at the weekends (oo-err!). However the house prices (except within the national park) are low for a reason, being that Cumbria is a high unemployment area.

I would spend some time in any place you intend to move before you commit to anything, so you can get a feel for it, find out who your neighbours will be & check the job market, crime levels etc.

Also if you need mortgage advice have a look at the money saving expert website. There are some good in depth guides you can download, and tools for comparing mortgages & calculating costs.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Well, I've got next week booked off work to go up to Carlisle to view a couple of properties. The first one is this:


http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/34151303#5EkkWY4UrAZ3ksls.97



No garage    but has room to have one built onto the side of the house, or maybe a garage/workshop in the garden. Living room looks a little small in the pics but as it's only lil ol me there...


And just spotted, and am arranging to view this one:


http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/35670662#c1K6XtAyeREjGAEh.97


which looks just about perfect! Dat workshop! 


Both are close to the city centre, and a very short ride/drive to the M6 junction. Whaddya think Foccers?

[dazza]

For that money they both look excellent.  value Nick.
I think fazed is bang on when he says you're better off buying a dowdy property in a better area.
Years ago my parent's moved to Newcastle.
They bought an ex council house on a council estate. I not being snobby but the place was full of thieving little cunts that made their life a misery.
Someone tried nicking my car when I was visiting once and because I disturbed them they came back and threw brake fluid over it.
My brother ended up hitting one of them with a machete and I had to pay him a visit in hospital but that's another story.
What I'm saying is,  make sure you check out the area first,  get some local knowledge of the type of people that live around you.
It really can affect your quality of life.

[lew600fazer]

The second one looks good Nick , but looks to me if it is ex council property, nothing wrong with that as long as everyone has bought there homes on the estate.but!!!!!!!!!!!neighbours

[Hedgetrimmer]

I've got Tues and Weds to view places and look around the area dazza (driving up Monday, driving home Thurs, B&B booked for 3 nights). The problem for me with buying a place that needs work is that I would have to pay someone else to do it, cos I can't do much DIY cos of my knackered arm (lack of range of movement and reach is a real problem). But yeah, I hear you about quality of life dependent on surroundings. Both estates those properties are in look nice enough, but what's the best way to find out what it's like to live there? Knock on neighbours doors and ask point blank? Go to a local pub for a bevvy or two and ask folks? Crime figures for the region generally don't seem too bad (but then I used to live in Romford    ). To some degree, will I have to just take a chance?


Also found a couple of likely places to start my job hunt - could at least leave a CV with them, one in particular is a very good bet. But i think I'll probably take a summer sabbatical first once up there to explore and have some fun on the bike (bikes? haven't forgotten I still want that Street Triple    ).


All looking very hopeful at the moment. I do expect some tears and anguish through all this, but if I can start by feeling positive about it all, then I think that hope remains. Definitely taking my chances in many ways, but I'm used to doing that, and things have always worked out in the end in the past 

[dazza]

If you are staying at a B&B for a few nights, then the owners of that sounds your best bet for an honest opinion of local areas.
With my past experience I would just walk into the nearest police station,lay my cards on the table,  tell them I want a quiet life and hopefully get an honest evaluation from them.
You are right of course, to a certain extent it's a chance, just go wwith your gut.

[Hedgetrimmer]

The second one looks good Nick , but looks to me if it is ex council property, nothing wrong with that as long as everyone has bought there homes on the estate.but!!!!!!!!!!!neighbours

What makes you think council estate Lew? Council estates I have lived on or near in the past have looked very much more "crammed in", signs of vandalism, piles of junk on front lawns etc. If you go to street view on either of those, everything looks pretty neat and tidy, and the estates seem very open and spacious compared to what I'm used to. I will of course try to find out all I can, but these do look promising?


I seem to remember reading about a couple of estates to be avoided, but these were nearer to the city centre, on the south and west sides of the city. I'll double check that before I go up there next week.


Local cop shop then dazza, I'll do that 

[tex]

I would go to the house during the day, and night, weekends, to check it out. Go to the local shop and ask there. And don't forget you aren't  from the area, so there will be a bit of suspicion, accent etc. It can be hard to find new friends  and fit in when you move so far.

[Hedgetrimmer]

I would go to the house during the day, and night, weekends, to check it out. Go to the local shop and ask there. And don't forget you aren't  from the area, so there will be a bit of suspicion, accent etc. It can be hard to find new friends  and fit in when you move so far.

A night time stroll around is a good idea. Unfortunately, I won't be there on a weekend this visit, but could probably pop up again sometime before committing to anywhere.


Yep, it's all a fresh start, so everything will be unfamiliar. Got quite a strong London accent, can't help that, but always been good at customer service, so I'll turn on the charm 


Hopefully, once up there, I'll be able to make new friends through my interests; biking being the obvious one, but fell walking too. I met and got chatting to lots of folks, both local and visitors, when I did my 2 month fell walking holiday in the Lakes region. One woman in a cafe in Keswick I used a lot offered me her spare bedroom as a base for finding a flat to rent    I'll also be looking for live music venues to go see some local bands; used to play guitar and who knows, might even get back into that a bit.

[Tuckerhauser]

Don't know anything about the housing situation in Carlisle
But used to go there as a kid and always seemed a canny place
But it's gotta be one of the best places in the uk for riding a motor bike!
Every direction has amazing roads, lakes get very busy though


Dumfries has some excellent roads that are really quiet! kielder, hartside, St Mary's loch, Devils bridge, a7, a6, Middleton in Teesdale, sammy lings all on your doorstep;-)

[Hedgetrimmer]

On another forum, they're all teasing me about rain, rain, rain! 


Been up that way enough to know that it's possibly the wettest part of England, but what can ya do eh? Hoping it'll be worth it for the fell walking, biking roads etc. 2 months, mid April to mid June, that I spent there, got enough sunshine even right up on the fells.


Hey Tuckerhauser, I'm gonna need a local(ish) bikers cafe, what's near enough to Carlisle to be a regular stop, and where exactly?

[Tuckerhauser]

Hartside cafe prob ya best bet can only be 20mile from Carlisle
http://youtu.be/Czm2nIBmGIU
That's the road up to it (not my video btw)


I'm over in Durham bout 50 miles to the east of hartside


Cafe is at the top of the hill between Alston and langwathby


Also hadrians wall just about starts in Carlisle runs across in Newcastle great views, walking & history
Filling station cafe in Keswick is a nice stop too


Yeah it rains but wait 5 mins:-) had plenty mates up from the south and they have all come back, it's not grim up north!

[Tuckerhauser]

Forgot to mention scotland on ya doorstep too!


Only 172miles from Carlisle to glencoe and the highlands:-)

[Hedgetrimmer]

It's always a foccin BMW Boorman Bastard that gets in the way! 


Hartside looks good for the local one then 



It has occurred to me to do a Hadrian's Wall walk, better situated for the Southern Upland Way too. But it's a long time since I did any long distance stuff.

[Looney tune]

Dumfries and Galloway is a gem of a place and most people fly past it on the M74 and head up north. They don't know what they are missing