Barnsey
Active Member
Hi everyone! 
Been a reader of this excellent forum for a little while, but now that it looks like a move up to Staffordshire is becoming a reality, thought i'd sign up for your wisdom and hopefully ongoing banter
Starting a job in Birmingham at the end of the year hopefully, moving up from London (yeah another one of THOSE couples, but fear not, we're not from the SE originally), have had enough of renting until we die, and miraculously somehow scraped together some amount resembling a deposit for a house over the many wasted years we've been down here.
We'll rent for a while anyway after moving up, but the classic dilemma is upon us, do we go for the suburban Waitrose dream of Lichfield with it's Cathedral, market shops, wig wearing MP and ridiculous house prices (the more I visit I get the sense it's really not quite what it seems, whilst Lichfield itself may be safe, seems to have a lot of nearby criminals come into it to carry out their dirty deeds and treat themselves to a nice keyless car or two), or do we choose Stafford, very much what you see is what you get right?
First key point from the off, before the "don't move here" comments get fired my way, is that we're talking about a 25-30% difference in house prices, HUGE difference for us.
I'd be taking the train during peak times, driving off peak, so there doesn't seem to be much in it from that angle other than a few extra miles on the car, although being at the mercy of the M6 does make me a little nervous, a few more road options from Lichfield into Birmingham.
Another + for Lichfield is that it's not perhaps as vulnerable to a big employer shutting down, as there aren't really any, whereas Stafford is maybe more exposed to this, but seems to have held up pretty well over the years?
Crime rate pretty much the same for both, although Burntwood probably bumps the numbers up for Lichfield quite a bit.
Been up a few times exploring already so pretty well educated on the various areas, but always welcome "must avoid" lists
Any thoughts/advice/opinions/experience very welcome and appreciated, thanks everyone!
Been a reader of this excellent forum for a little while, but now that it looks like a move up to Staffordshire is becoming a reality, thought i'd sign up for your wisdom and hopefully ongoing banter
Starting a job in Birmingham at the end of the year hopefully, moving up from London (yeah another one of THOSE couples, but fear not, we're not from the SE originally), have had enough of renting until we die, and miraculously somehow scraped together some amount resembling a deposit for a house over the many wasted years we've been down here.
We'll rent for a while anyway after moving up, but the classic dilemma is upon us, do we go for the suburban Waitrose dream of Lichfield with it's Cathedral, market shops, wig wearing MP and ridiculous house prices (the more I visit I get the sense it's really not quite what it seems, whilst Lichfield itself may be safe, seems to have a lot of nearby criminals come into it to carry out their dirty deeds and treat themselves to a nice keyless car or two), or do we choose Stafford, very much what you see is what you get right?
First key point from the off, before the "don't move here" comments get fired my way, is that we're talking about a 25-30% difference in house prices, HUGE difference for us.
I'd be taking the train during peak times, driving off peak, so there doesn't seem to be much in it from that angle other than a few extra miles on the car, although being at the mercy of the M6 does make me a little nervous, a few more road options from Lichfield into Birmingham.
Another + for Lichfield is that it's not perhaps as vulnerable to a big employer shutting down, as there aren't really any, whereas Stafford is maybe more exposed to this, but seems to have held up pretty well over the years?
Crime rate pretty much the same for both, although Burntwood probably bumps the numbers up for Lichfield quite a bit.
Been up a few times exploring already so pretty well educated on the various areas, but always welcome "must avoid" lists
Any thoughts/advice/opinions/experience very welcome and appreciated, thanks everyone!
