Where to move to?
Discussion
Afternoon all.
We're in an odd position - we both work from home with it very unlikely to change. We're currently based in the East Midlands. I have to meet with the team every month or so, my wife travels to down to the south west to work on site at her client's for a week once or twice a month. So theoretically, we could up sticks and move pretty much anywhere, provided we can get to our meetings without loads of bother.
Lately, for various reasons, we've been mulling over just selling up and going somewhere else. We currently have a five bed detached Edwardian place in location that's reasonable, but not great - the neighbours are mostly great, but there are some emerging issues on both sides that we're not pleased about. We also have problems with idiots driving too fast, using the road as a cut-through. We're now at the point where we're serious considering a move, but the question really is to where. We're not strongly tied to the East Midlands - our best friends live locally, but there's a strong chance they will be moving to the US this year.
Our house is a ten minute walk from the city centre, and currently worth about £450k, with an outstanding mortgage of £150k due to be paid off in the next 6 years, So around £300k in equity. Options are to downsize and go for a smaller or no mortgage, or stick with around what we're at now. Don't really want to significantly extend our borrowings.
So where's a nice part of the country with decent travel links to the East Midlands and South West? Ideally, we'd want another detatched or at least semi-detached near civilisation, but without being crowded in. Oh, and garaging too. Over to you
We're in an odd position - we both work from home with it very unlikely to change. We're currently based in the East Midlands. I have to meet with the team every month or so, my wife travels to down to the south west to work on site at her client's for a week once or twice a month. So theoretically, we could up sticks and move pretty much anywhere, provided we can get to our meetings without loads of bother.
Lately, for various reasons, we've been mulling over just selling up and going somewhere else. We currently have a five bed detached Edwardian place in location that's reasonable, but not great - the neighbours are mostly great, but there are some emerging issues on both sides that we're not pleased about. We also have problems with idiots driving too fast, using the road as a cut-through. We're now at the point where we're serious considering a move, but the question really is to where. We're not strongly tied to the East Midlands - our best friends live locally, but there's a strong chance they will be moving to the US this year.
Our house is a ten minute walk from the city centre, and currently worth about £450k, with an outstanding mortgage of £150k due to be paid off in the next 6 years, So around £300k in equity. Options are to downsize and go for a smaller or no mortgage, or stick with around what we're at now. Don't really want to significantly extend our borrowings.
So where's a nice part of the country with decent travel links to the East Midlands and South West? Ideally, we'd want another detatched or at least semi-detached near civilisation, but without being crowded in. Oh, and garaging too. Over to you
Quite a wide enquiry where if I were sat down the pub and given that script I would ask a few more questions.
You mention a current short walk to a town/city - how important is that to you? I love living in a city as me and Mrs Shnozz are childless and enjoy eating and drinking out several times a week. Many peers of similar age would hate that lifestyle and live happily in the arse end of nowhere in tranquillity.
Likewise, what hobbies do you have? If its walking/cycling in the rolling hills then it might effect things. As above, if its regularly dining out/cinema going etc than being too rural is going to interrupt that.
How bothered are you by being close to the sea? For some that is a driver.
You mention a current short walk to a town/city - how important is that to you? I love living in a city as me and Mrs Shnozz are childless and enjoy eating and drinking out several times a week. Many peers of similar age would hate that lifestyle and live happily in the arse end of nowhere in tranquillity.
Likewise, what hobbies do you have? If its walking/cycling in the rolling hills then it might effect things. As above, if its regularly dining out/cinema going etc than being too rural is going to interrupt that.
How bothered are you by being close to the sea? For some that is a driver.
Shnozz said:
Quite a wide enquiry where if I were sat down the pub and given that script I would ask a few more questions.
You mention a current short walk to a town/city - how important is that to you? I love living in a city as me and Mrs Shnozz are childless and enjoy eating and drinking out several times a week. Many peers of similar age would hate that lifestyle and live happily in the arse end of nowhere in tranquillity.
Likewise, what hobbies do you have? If its walking/cycling in the rolling hills then it might effect things. As above, if its regularly dining out/cinema going etc than being too rural is going to interrupt that.
How bothered are you by being close to the sea? For some that is a driver.
Good questions! You mention a current short walk to a town/city - how important is that to you? I love living in a city as me and Mrs Shnozz are childless and enjoy eating and drinking out several times a week. Many peers of similar age would hate that lifestyle and live happily in the arse end of nowhere in tranquillity.
Likewise, what hobbies do you have? If its walking/cycling in the rolling hills then it might effect things. As above, if its regularly dining out/cinema going etc than being too rural is going to interrupt that.
How bothered are you by being close to the sea? For some that is a driver.
Being near the sea would be a plus, but the lack wouldn't be a deal-breaker.
We're not particularly outdoorsy, but again, it would be a plus to be somewhere green and lovely. We're childless too, and we used to eat out a lot - less so nowm, but this is still a consideration. I like that we can be in town quickly and easily, but before buying this place we were somewhere semi-rural, which also had its benefits. One of the likely limiting factors of being somewhere more remote would be broadband speed. Our jobs depend on having a reliable and reasonably fast connection. We currently have gigabit fibre to the property, which is arguably overkill, but a connection measured in single digit megabits will be difficult to accept.
Difficult one. East Midlands looks like a pretty big area if I Google it. South West, equally ambiguous. Which bit of the South West and where do you work OP?
Cross Country Trains (which I'll be the first to admit are pretty rubbish) go from Aberdeen to Penzance via Edinburgh, Newcastle, York, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, etc., so that gives you a transport corridor for those trips into the office from the South West, depending which part of the South West we're talking about and where in the East Midlands the office is.
Cross Country Trains (which I'll be the first to admit are pretty rubbish) go from Aberdeen to Penzance via Edinburgh, Newcastle, York, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, etc., so that gives you a transport corridor for those trips into the office from the South West, depending which part of the South West we're talking about and where in the East Midlands the office is.
Yorkshire Dales - Settle, Kirkby Lonsdale
Cumbria - Penrith, Kendal, Arnside
Good train links on fast line from oxenholme / preston to Manchester and onwards to london as well as good wifi infrastructure now in place and access to M6 motorway as well as superb driving roads in the dales. Rains an issue but good value if you make sure you're outside the LD national park and a thriving community feel.
Cumbria - Penrith, Kendal, Arnside
Good train links on fast line from oxenholme / preston to Manchester and onwards to london as well as good wifi infrastructure now in place and access to M6 motorway as well as superb driving roads in the dales. Rains an issue but good value if you make sure you're outside the LD national park and a thriving community feel.
Crumpet said:
If it helps, I can confidently offer advice on two places to avoid; West and South Yorkshire. They’re f
king stholes and I’d gladly leave tomorrow if it wasn’t for family. North Yorkshire is incredible, on the other hand.
The bit of West Yorkshire I live in is lovely and I'd only leave it if were to move to my dream location in Cornwall, but I will concede that there aren't many options around here.king stholes and I’d gladly leave tomorrow if it wasn’t for family. North Yorkshire is incredible, on the other hand. MitchT said:
Difficult one. East Midlands looks like a pretty big area if I Google it. South West, equally ambiguous. Which bit of the South West and where do you work OP?
Cross Country Trains (which I'll be the first to admit are pretty rubbish) go from Aberdeen to Penzance via Edinburgh, Newcastle, York, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, etc., so that gives you a transport corridor for those trips into the office from the South West, depending which part of the South West we're talking about and where in the East Midlands the office is.
My office is in Derby; wife's current commission is in Plymouth. We've discussed moving to Plymouth, but there commission contract is due for renegotiation next year, so wary of committing.Cross Country Trains (which I'll be the first to admit are pretty rubbish) go from Aberdeen to Penzance via Edinburgh, Newcastle, York, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, etc., so that gives you a transport corridor for those trips into the office from the South West, depending which part of the South West we're talking about and where in the East Midlands the office is.
In a similar boat - just finished our mortgage so we have the full equity to play with and want to get out while where we live is still nice enough to command a decent price.
Mrs DS has a large, close family and they’re all in Yorks (Leeds and north Yorks), I am happy to just get out.
Both WFH so no problems there - and I’m not ever commuting again should I lose my job.
Lincolnshire looks very nice - we cycle through some fantastic looking villages around Louth and Horncastle, bonus close to seaside. 5-600k will buy something very nice. 90 minutes or so to her family which is slightly longer than from where we are now (Lancs Pennines) but that’s assuming there isn’t a smash on the M62 coming east, which four out of five times it is.
Other alternative on our books is. North Yorks and up - so Northallerton, Thirsk, Teesdale, Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland etc. again convenient links to Leeds for her and house prices reasonable.
My major consideration is that wherever we go will stay nice for at least the next 20-30 years. I always now look at any impending population shift, are houses going to get built etc
Another thing - east of the Pennines = less rain. A lifetime living at the bottom of a Pennine in Lancs with the really quite incredibly wet climate gets very very wearing indeed. Sick of it.
Mrs DS has a large, close family and they’re all in Yorks (Leeds and north Yorks), I am happy to just get out.
Both WFH so no problems there - and I’m not ever commuting again should I lose my job.
Lincolnshire looks very nice - we cycle through some fantastic looking villages around Louth and Horncastle, bonus close to seaside. 5-600k will buy something very nice. 90 minutes or so to her family which is slightly longer than from where we are now (Lancs Pennines) but that’s assuming there isn’t a smash on the M62 coming east, which four out of five times it is.
Other alternative on our books is. North Yorks and up - so Northallerton, Thirsk, Teesdale, Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland etc. again convenient links to Leeds for her and house prices reasonable.
My major consideration is that wherever we go will stay nice for at least the next 20-30 years. I always now look at any impending population shift, are houses going to get built etc
Another thing - east of the Pennines = less rain. A lifetime living at the bottom of a Pennine in Lancs with the really quite incredibly wet climate gets very very wearing indeed. Sick of it.
judas said:
My office is in Derby; wife's current commission is in Plymouth. We've discussed moving to Plymouth, but there commission contract is due for renegotiation next year, so wary of committing.
Well, based on the criteria of Plymouth and Derby I'd be looking at a quiet, rural spot in Somerset with a decent link to Bristol Temple Meads but, if your wife's position in Plymouth might change I'd hang fire until the long term position is clear.Crumpet said:
If it helps, I can confidently offer advice on two places to avoid; West and South Yorkshire. They’re fking stholes and I’d gladly leave tomorrow if it wasn’t for family. North Yorkshire is incredible, on the other hand.
Parts of West Yorkshire are lovely, though they tend to be the bits near to North Yorkshire and £300k won’t buy you much…king stholes and I’d gladly leave tomorrow if it wasn’t for family. North Yorkshire is incredible, on the other hand. It’s a difficult question to answer, you’d be better renting somewhere first, even short term in an Airbnb.
I’ve often said I want to live in Cumbria / Lake District but in reality I don’t think I could. On the one had I love the area, countryside, etc but it’s handy living near an airport, many restaurants, takeaways, large shops and supermarkets, etc.
I’ve often said I want to live in Cumbria / Lake District but in reality I don’t think I could. On the one had I love the area, countryside, etc but it’s handy living near an airport, many restaurants, takeaways, large shops and supermarkets, etc.
Dog Star said:
Lincolnshire looks very nice - we cycle through some fantastic looking villages around Louth and Horncastle, bonus close to seaside. 5-600k will buy something very nice. 90 minutes or so to her family which is slightly longer than from where we are now (Lancs Pennines) but that’s assuming there isn’t a smash on the M62 coming east, which four out of five times it is.
Lincolnshire is a most definite no. Wife lived in Horncastle for a couple of years before uni. Her mum still lives out that way. Getting there is awful, and there's very little to recommend it once you're there. 
judas said:
Lincolnshire is a most definite no. Wife lived in Horncastle for a couple of years before uni. Her mum still lives out that way. Getting there is awful, and there's very little to recommend it once you're there.
Also flooding is an issue in some parts.For south west places like Tiverton are on the cross country route and easy to get to the coast.
KingGary said:
miniman said:
I’d cheerfully move into the depths of Shropshire or mid-Wales if I was allowed to.
I was going to suggest the same. Somewhere remote, with a pub.Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff