'I'm a property expert - here's how to successfully buy a home in Leeds' most popular school catchment areas'

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Mark Manning, managing director of estate agent Manning Stainton, outlines the most popular school catchment areas in Leeds right now and gives his advice on how to successfully buy a home in one. 

When it comes to buying a home in the catchment area of a sought-after school, competition is often fierce, with people pulling out all the stops to bag one.

And with VAT now looking likely to be charged on private school fees, this competition may get even fiercer as people who can no longer afford the increased fees look to put their children into good state schools instead. 

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Mark Manning, managing director of estate agent Manning Stainton, outlines the most popular school catchment areas in Leeds right now.Mark Manning, managing director of estate agent Manning Stainton, outlines the most popular school catchment areas in Leeds right now.
Mark Manning, managing director of estate agent Manning Stainton, outlines the most popular school catchment areas in Leeds right now. | Manning Stainton

The Leeds areas that are most popular because of good schools tend to be spread across north of the city, where there’s an abundance of highly regarded schools. 

Mr Manning said: “Horsforth is a real hotspot, with lots of people moving there to secure a place in one of its many excellent schools, that include primary and high schools. Also very popular are Roundhay because of Roundhay School, and Alwoodley because of Allerton High. 

“Meanwood, Chapel Allerton and Moortown are popular with families too, in particular those with pre-school aged children, because they all have a generous selection of fantastic  primary schools

“The desirability of schools has always impacted house prices, with homes in the catchment areas of outstanding and popular schools in Leeds usually fetching premiums of between 10% and 20%. This makes these areas some of the most expensive in the city.”

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To assist in finding the best catchment area, Mark revealed his five top tips for buying a home in an in-demand area:

Horsforth is a real hotspot right now, according to Mark Manning.Horsforth is a real hotspot right now, according to Mark Manning.
Horsforth is a real hotspot right now, according to Mark Manning. | James Hardisty

Research, research and then research again

“Make sure you research the exact catchment area of the school you want to apply to, including the cut off areas, as these often change from year to year, sometimes quite dramatically.

“It’s a good idea to check the most up-to-date maps on the Council’s website and to email the school itself. Seek advice from local estate agents too, as they’ll often be able to give you advice about where to buy to give you the best chance of getting into a certain school.”

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Be in a position to act quickly 

“Homes in popular catchment areas tend to receive a lot of interest and sell very quickly, so if you want to get one, you need to get yourself in a position where you can move fast.

“If you already own a property, then ideally, you should already have an agreed sale on it. If you don’t, make sure you put it on the market before trying to make an offer on the one you’d like, otherwise you might not even get a viewing.”

Roundhay School is one of the most popular in Leeds.Roundhay School is one of the most popular in Leeds.
Roundhay School is one of the most popular in Leeds. | Tony Johnson/YEP

Have the right funds in place

“Make sure you have the money in place to buy a new home by getting a mortgage in principle agreement, which you can show to the agent marketing the property.

“People will try to outbid each other for a great home in a great catchment area, so I’d advise budgeting at least 10% more than the asking price so you have room to move if you do get into a bidding war.”   

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Consider future needs

“If you’re moving to an area to get your children into a good primary school, try to think ahead to the future and research which secondary schools it feeds into.

“If you can buy in an area that has both great primary and high schools, it means you won’t have to move again to secure a high school place when the time comes to apply.”

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