Morpeth is a really nice little market town in the centre, but the last few years its been a permanent traffic jam thanks to councils bad planning as there isn’t actually that much through traffic anymore!
Its a bit of a yuppy commuter town for Newcastle so house prices vary from OK to slightly inflated, but not so that you’d really notice.
Out of town its OK, though there are lots of cheap box houses popping up everywhere and they really help cheapen the place, though the entire country is now full of houses like those!
Alnwick is equally nice, but the roads around there are all ruthlessly policed with speed cameras, so be aware!
Some good riding about too, especially if you head just 10-15miles north & east of Morpeth towards and above Rothbury (which also has a really good bakery)