Lewes Forum thread

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Cleve Terrace

On 17 Feb 2013 at 8:36pm House mover wrote:

Hello All
Not sure if this is the done thing on this forum, as I've only recently started looking in. But I've just had a tip-off that there's a house available for private sale on Cleve Terrace. It's not a road or area I know well at all, and so I'd love any advice on whether the houses there could flood, whether the block of flats nearby are noisy or attract boy-racers, whether there could be subsidence as it's quite hilly, and whether there is any rat-run traffic issues.
I'm keen to avoid estate agents, and will need to move quickly to secure the house in question. It seems to be one of the more affordable roads in Southover for period houses of that size. Any serious comments and advice will be very much appreciated, thank you all.

On 17 Feb 2013 at 10:34pm the old mayor wrote:

One usually gets what one pays for !!

On 17 Feb 2013 at 10:59pm BA wrote:

Cleve Terrace is a lovely place to live. Think Grange Road without the parking problems.

No, the flats aren't noisy. There isn't really anywhere to boy race to either, so no, what traffic there is necessarily moves reasonably cautiously in narrow roads. No rat run issues either since there's nowhere to rat run from or to.

The Edwardian houses on the hill probably have moved a bit - you can see that some of the window frames have distorted a little. I don't think anyone thinks it's a big concern, although I certainly would get a proper structural survey for the properties at the bottom of the hill in particular since they're effectively propping up the two terraces.

The Course (the road that runs along the bottom) is on the flood alert map and certainly has flooded in the past, but again unless the house you're thinking about is at the bottom end I wouldn't worry. There's certainly no problem at the top.

Other benefits: ten minutes flat walk to the station; St Pancras Rd stores; little noise pollution from the bypass (compared to some other parts of Southover); comparatively easy parking.

You'll not get much change from £500k mind...

On 17 Feb 2013 at 11:15pm Resident wrote:

We've been very happy here. The people are nice in the main (though there's one appalling woman on the corner who drives my wife crazy with what she calls LLBB- Little Lewes Busy-Bodying) and the kids are a polite lot. Parking is OK normally- some of the houses have their own spaces off St Pancras Road. Check the environment agency website for flooding history as one or two houses at the low end did get wet in 2000. The Planners can be very fussy about what are fairly unremarkable houses, which is probably just the Southover effect!
I wouldn't rush into buying too hastily though, as several houses have hung around on the market for a long time recently and sold for well below initial asking prices- if they sold at all. I would interrogate the source of your tip-off.

On 17 Feb 2013 at 11:40pm Ben wrote:

I know the house. It was on with an agent last year but didn't sell. No flood risk, great area. The house was too small for us, I can't remember the price it was on at. Houses built on chalk so subsidence risk is less of a problem. Have a good listen for A27 road noise, it can be a real issue in most of Southover. The weather and wind direction can affect the noise so check it out on more than one visit. Good luck with it.

On 18 Feb 2013 at 11:36am BA wrote:

If it's that house, then it was really badly marketed as being larger than it really is.
The A27 can be quite noisy but in fact Cleve Terrace is sheltered from much of it by surrounding buildings so we suffer less than most of Southover. It certainly doesn't bother me! The neighbours are, in the main, really nice without being intrusive (although I confess I'm intrigued by "the woman on the corner" identified by Resident!) I feel very lucky to have found this place.

On 18 Feb 2013 at 11:51am Resident wrote:

Having re-read my previous post, I want to apologise for being judgemental, unfair and thoroughly unreasonable.
Each to their own, even on here.
Good luck to all involved.

On 18 Feb 2013 at 1:40pm Ben wrote:

Yes BA, 'marketed as being bigger than it actually was' is exactly what i was trying to say. Having said that it is still a lovely small house in a brilliant location. If its big enough for you then go for it.