Rotherham what's it like - where are the best places to live?

Hi All,

I am considering moving to South Yorkshire.

I am thinking of buying either a flat or small 2 bed house in any of the following areas, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Wakefield and Leeds or anywhere in this area that people might recommend.

Since I am not from the area I would be grateful to hear from anyone who has experience of these areas in terms of where to buy and where to definitely avoid.  I know that I can contact estate agents but would be wary about the information I might receive and think that it’s better to ask local people who have local knowledge.

A nice flat always seems a good choice but I am concerned about the maintenance charges being high as this could easily add £100 or more to my monthly bills so it would be nice to have an insight of what I could expect to pay although I expect it can vary greatly.  A freehold house with a nice small maintenance free garden might appeal too and would mean no monthly maintenance charges. My criteria is to get the area right and obviously it needs to be attractive and no work required. Other considerations are the job market in those areas and unemployment rates.  I realise that I have to do extensive research which is just beginning so any advice and tips about where to get additional information would also be greatly appreciated.

My initial review has revealed that there is no shortage of properties on the market and from what I am seeing plenty are selling so that's obviously a good sign too.

I would also be interested in opinions on the merits or disadvantages of buying close to the city centre.  In the past I have always thought that property close to the centre tends to have a higher purchase cost...but given what is happening to the high streets with businesses closing even before Covid 19 does it really mean much these days?  I am wondering if it could be a disadvantage given that many centres also have a lot of trouble especially at weekends when people go out and drink to excess.  I have seen a couple close to the centre so just wondering what others think concerning this.

I might be emigrating in about 12 to 18 months too, so if I do buy it would be nice to also know that it’s in a good area so would not be difficult to rent out as I will want to keep the property for the income it could generate.

I will have my own 'wish list' which should help me narrow properties down quickly but it's the areas that I'm stumped on.

Any help and advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks Tony