Where to look when priced out of Yorkshire property hotspots

One of the worst places to home-hunt for those on a lower budget is Ilkley.

Residential property values have always been high in this town that has it all, including great schools, shops, amenities, countryside and transport links.

They have been pushed further out of reach thanks to the pandemic realisation that homeworking is possible, attracting Yorkshire “expats” to move back to God’s Own Country from London and the South East.

Rocket fuel was then poured on to a red-hot market when Ilkley won the title of Sunday Times Best Place to Live UK.

The average home price in Ilkley is now £482,849 and, at the moment, the least expensive homes for sale include a one-one bedroom flat for £165,000 and a two-bedroom terrace house for £225,000.

Yet, if you widen your search, you can get a lot more bang for your buck and still be in a great location within a 20-minute drive of Ilkley and its abundant charms.

Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at Dacre, Son and Hartley, says: “Skipton prices are lower than those in Ilkley and Skipton also has great schools and amenities with the Dales on the doorstep and a railway station with trains to Leeds and Bradford.

“Otley is also an option as prices there are slightly lower than in Ilkley and although it doesn’t have a railway station, it has very good road links to Leeds and Harrogate.”

Among the least expensive homes for sale in Skipton are a one-bedroom apartment for £135,000 and a two-bedroom terrace house for £152,500.

Silsden, which sits between Skipton and Ilkley, also offers good value and has a two-bedroom semi-detached house with a large garden for sale for £190,000.

In nearby Harrogate the same issues exist, though it is possible to find lower prices in the Bilton and Starbeck areas of the town.

Also consider Ripon. The cathedral city is beautiful and is surrounded by pretty villages and has the Dales on the doorstep.

It is also packed with amenities, good schools, shops and a racecourse, along with easy access to the A1.

There is a two-bedroom semi-detached house in Metcalfe’s Court for sale at £199,950 and it has a home office in its pretty garden.

York is a blackspot for low earners wanting a home of their own and you have to travel quite a distance to find something less expensive.

Head out to the Selby district and you will find prices are lower.

A two-bedroom terrace house with a garden in the pretty and sought-after village of Cawood is on the market for £190,000.

Those forced out of York are also looking to Pocklington, which is within travelling distance of the city.

Housebuilders have been busy here after spotting the town’s untapped potential.

Over in Sheffield, the high end areas of Dore and Fulwood are a no-go for most buyers on a budget.

But Chloe Kingsley from Spencer, the Estate Agent, says: “Walkley and Hillsborough are good options for first-time buyers and you can get a two to three-bedroom house for £170,000 upwards, though they sell fast.

"My advice to anyone looking is to call the agency to book a viewing.

“Don’t email them as agents are inundated with emails and by the time they are answered an offer may have been accepted on the property.”

For those desperate to live in or close to the Dales, the pickings are slim, so look to the fringe. Barnoldswick and Earby are excellent choices as you can find two-bedroom terrace houses for £100,000 or less and Skipton, the Dales and the Ribble Valley are all a short drive away.

Finally, the hottest spot on the coast is Whitby, where locals are being priced out of their home town by those buying second homes and holiday lets and those who can now work from home.

Nick Henderson, of Hendersons estate agents, suggests looking further out at Glaisdale, Grosmont, Sleights and Ugthorpe for slightly better value.

Hendersons have a four-bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Ugthorpe for £295,000 with a local occupancy restriction.

That’s less than the going rate. Though – let’s be honest – it is still a huge sum of money.

For those who want a home on the Yorkshire coast but who are now priced out of the Whitby area, the answer is to check out villages around Saltburn and Scarborough, where terrace houses start at £130,000.

And don’t forget the beautiful Holderness peninsula, which also offers exceptional value