Moving To A New Area

[jakep]

We are considering a move away to a completely different area, Suffolk from Kent. Is it possible to know which parts of an area to avoid?
In the town we live in there is a small area where many people would prefer not to live and one street that is practically a 'no-go'.
How do you learn this information when you have only ever visited for a short time?

[naomi24]

Speak to a lot of local estate agents - tell them what you want and what you want to avoid.

[Zacs-Master]

Property prices are usually the give-away. You can also use sites like this:
http://www.findahood.com/articles/guides/neighbourhood-statistics-up-my-street/44

[Zacs-Master]

The 'Find where to live' interactive page seems quite useful for someone on your situation.
You can't beat actually visiting the area tho.

[Buenchico]

Simply asking a question about a specific area on AB might well help you. I live in Suffolk and know the county well, so I could probably advise you. (There are several other ABers who live in, or have lived in, Suffolk as well).

In general, avoid large parts of Haverhill and Lowestoft. The Suffolk coast around Aldeburgh and Southwold is lovely (although it can be a long car drive to get to a supermarket) but mega-expensive. Felixstowe, Woodbridge and Ipswich are generally OK (as long as you avoid certain estates). Stowmarket is 'dull' but not 'threatening'. Bury St Edmunds is generally safe and pleasant but Newmarket is probably best avoided. Beccles, Bungay and Halesworth are all OK. Hadleigh and Sudbury are both pleasant, with very few problems.

For crime figures. etc, search here:
http://www.ukcrimestats.com/Postcode/IP68TJ

For loads more information (such as how far it is to the nearest supermarkets) carry out a postcode search here:
http://www.cheapmortgages.com/postcodes/

[jakep]

Thank you all for your helpful answers, particularly your knowledge Chris.
We are considering the areas around Halesworth - seems to be lovely country but within half an hour of the sea, and Minsmere, a favourite place.

[Buenchico]

Halesworth is an odd little town. Don't expect to buy anything in a shop at 5.15pm because they all seem to close at 4.30 or 5.00! You can't dash off to a supermarket either unless the Co-op stocks what you want because it's nearly 10 miles to the nearest Tesco or Morrisons, nearly 15 miles to Asda and around 20 miles to Sainsbury's.

Public transport isn't great either but there's a train service to Ipswich (with connections to London) and some bus services. Getting a taxi can be difficult in the evenings around that part of Suffolk, as most taxi offices close at 6pm (so you have to book before then; you can't just get a cab on the spur of the moment).

Road access can also be tricky as you'd often need to use the A12 which, from Ipswich to Lowestoft, often goes at a complete crawl.

However it's still a very pleasant town and just far enough from the coast to avoid the really high property prices that you'd find there. (A 2-bedroom terraced house on Southwold seafront costs around a million pounds).

Employment opportunities in that area are very limited though and you've got a long way to go to find many decent cinemas or theatres.

So, if it's a quiet life you're after, the area around Halesworth might well be for you but remember that (even if you're in the town itself) it can be a fairly isolated existence out there! (Don't expect the neighbours to talk to you while you're still a 'stranger' - that status for newcomers typically lasts around 20 years here in Suffolk!)

[Buenchico]

PS: If you'd rather be nearer to supermarkets and leisure facilities but still reasonably close to the coast, in a decent town but possibly with cheaper house prices than around Halesworth, BECCLES might be worthy of consideration.