It can be tricky moving to a new village, town or city, not knowing which area is safe, affordable or thriving - it can be even more daunting putting this research together alone.
I'm talking from experience, since graduating from Leeds Arts University in 2019 I've sworn I will move back to the city that stole my heart ever since, with a new job and a tenancy about to end it's now or never - my question is where should I move?
But of course this move doesn't come without a budget and criteria to be met - no messy students or house shares, £600 or less a month, a short commute to Leeds City Centre and a nice area with lots to do.
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From a quick Google search the most 'popular' places to live in Leeds show Horsforth, Roundhay, Headingley, Chapel Allerton and Leeds Waterfront.
Of course most people my age (23-years-old), would dream of an apartment in a high rise in the centre of Leeds, but budgets don't stretch that far, looking to spend less than £600 a month on rent, and after living as a student for four years the thought of having to share a kitchen and bathroom with another person does not suit me anymore - although I'm not fussy, I love DIY home hacks and the challenge of doing them on a budget.
I'm looking for a part of Leeds suitable for a 'young professional' on a budget - that isn't full of students, cancelling out city centre, Headingley, Meanwood. What about suburbs?
Rapidly gaining in popularity is Horsforth, a picturesque Leeds suburb with excellent connections to the city centre, York and Harrogate - but as demand for homes in the area increases, sadly so does the price of living there, and for people like myself, we have a budget.
Some more affordable places to rent in Leeds, with a lot more properties to choose from were Armley, Beeston and Seacroft, but, West Yorkshire Police had named these 'the worst areas in Leeds for violence and sexual offences,' amongst others.
Victorian market town, Morley, lies around five miles south-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire - the town has become increasingly popular with young professionals looking for somewhere to live while commuting to the centre of Leeds.
The drive to the city centre is around 20 – 25 minutes depending on the traffic, but you have plenty of public transport options to choose from too. Several bus services run including the 51 and 52 route or the train is undoubtedly your fastest option taking only 11 minutes.
Morley is nestled between the M621 and the M62, meaning you can easily access other big cities by car such as Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, Bradford, or jump on the A1 to head up North.
The suburb is home to the Morley Arts Festival, Morley Leisure Centre, plenty of parks and walks and is close to a huge IKEA at Birstall Shopping Park- this was my selling point.
At this point I'm pretty sold, my next questions are what's the cost to rent a home and most importantly, what is the bar scene like?
Surprisingly, Morley seems affordable for a young person looking to rent on their own with a budget - I managed to find a handful of properties in my price range, in a good area, close to the town centre and with good parking, bonus.
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Thankfully, Kristian Johnson, had sussed the bar scene for me describing it as 'no other,' to read his story on Morley Bottoms click here.
Morley has ticked all my boxes, and many people who live in the Leeds suburb have said they would never move out of the town - I move March 1, and can't wait to write a review on my new town.
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