Margate/Ramsgate/Broadstairs etc...

[pinkytheshrinky]

I wondered if anyone can recommend places around these areas, or indeed areas to avoid.. we need a big house (for 250k or thereabouts) and my DH needs to be able to get to London easily....

We are going to for a looksee in the next couple of weeks and needed some starting points from you lovely ladies

My thanks in advance

[pinkytheshrinky]

..

[pinkytheshrinky]

does no one live in these places?

[talkingnonsense]

It's quite a long commute to London from there, locally known as planet Thanet. It is pretty and there is a nice new shopping centre, but it's pretty poor/ deprived, ramsgate tone centre is v sad since the shops decamped to the new place. Beaches are lovely. Sandwich is gorgeous and might get a bargain house wise now pfizer is closing. I think all the secondary schools are grammar/ high so it's an 11+ area. Anything in particular you are looking for?

[pinkytheshrinky]

Well DH commutes for 2 hours each way now so it would be about the same as he needs to go into Westminster - as long as he only has to do one train and one tube he is cool with the amount of time We need a big (period) house mainly and want to stay close to the beach if at all possible. We want a garden and as much space as we can afford - I have just found out I am expecting number 5!!! so need a 4 bed house. We have been looking to move for a while and want to remain on the coast if we can. We had a look at Hastings etc but hated it! so carrying on looking in the Kent coast area

I will check out Sandwich, thank you

[happymole]

Margate isn't great. Broadstairs seems fine (was there on Wednesday). Herne Bay is nice . Whitstable is popular.

HTH

[talkingnonsense]

Where are you moving from? Cos for kent it really is quite deprived. Whitstable much more expensive. Hastings probably nicer than Margate! Do bear in mind about secondary schools, causes a lot of angst round here.

[talkingnonsense]

Deal is ok come to think of it. I'm not sure of what trains you need though!

[pinkytheshrinky]

You see we are moving from a nice area which obviously we cannot afford a big house in (it would mean liquidating all our assets and I am not happy to do that in the current climate and put in one house) - I know the secondary school thing is an issue - they all seemed to be pretty poor performing when I looked into them a while ago but I think we are going the Home Ed route anyway....

I thought Hastings was horrible and I like a decaying seaside town but for me it had a horrible feeling about it (very scientific)

[pinkytheshrinky]

Deal is okish for trains

[talkingnonsense]

Well to be honest once you get past whitstable it is pretty decaying all the way round to Dover! Sandwich is stand out, ramsgate and deal next best. But there are still nice people, nice places, nice beaches- just depends what you are used to.

[pinkytheshrinky]

Yes well the beaches are important (more so as I have got older) and nice people of course and the housing stock is just right up my street.

I am spoiled living in leafy West Sussex (but I will be keeping this house) and I found Hastings just really sad for want of a better word - you have to do there and see for yourself don't you really.... Suck it and see

If I want a big house and to live by the sea I have to compromise it really is that simple and I really do appreciate your take on it because it si great to have a starting point.

[Vicbic]

Birchington is nice and one of the nearer areas on the train. Definitely avoid Cliftonville - it looks nice because the buildings are lovely but it is very rough indeed.my DP is from there so can provide advice on specific areas if it helps!
If commuting is difficult, you could consider Faversham... not on the coast itself, but has a lovely creek.which makes a nice (long) walk to the sea, and is much easier for commuting. £250k would get you something nice.

[drcrab]

We are in Canterbury and you won't get a 4 bed for 250 unless you go to wincheap or chartham. Folkestone is nice - lovely playground pirate themed for all ages. Gets you to London on high speed too.

[SparklePrincess]

Don't down Hastings & St Leonards until you've explored it properly.. which to be fair I don't think you have. Granted, there are plenty of places in the area where I wouldnt live, but... West St Leonards (Cavendish Avenue, Essenden Road & Boscobel Road North area) is gorgeous with views to the sea & beachy head. If you have sat nav put in TN38 0NR. Its my old postcode. Explore the surrounding roads. I sold a massive 4 bed 3 reception room house with large garden, garage & off road parking a few years ago for 225k. Its a REALLY nice location. Far nicer than where I live now & the area where the house is I currently plan to buy in Reigate (v expensive) Surrey. The schools in the area are SHIT! Which is why I sadly chose to leave. But if you plan to HE its not an issue. :)

Do your homework a bit more before you dismiss it.. Happy to advise. :)

[harrietthespook]

I have a friend who moved to Broadstairs who seems to like it and a colleague used to commute from Whitstable. I believed he moved when something happened with the trains there that it made it all much more difficult. So, I would check into the status of the trains to London very very carefully before you commit to a certain area. Also - I guess if you live in West Sussex now and he commutes you woudl do this but check on the cost of a monthly ticket commuting out that way.

Planet Thanet supporters are very vocal - but I've found that many of this brigade seem to have pied a terre's in London they slink off to OR are not dependent on local state run schools (apart from my friend in Broadstairs.) I would think carefully about this area if you are dependent on commuting to London.

[Paschaelina]

You could try Hythe, not sure you'd get what you wantor f £250k though. There's a train station up the road in Saltwood.

[Paschaelina]

for

[aliceliddell]

Happymole I was there Thursday! Did you go to Morelli's for an ice cream? Back to the OP - nice cheapish houses, getting more gentrified/trendy lately, but the 11+ thing is hideous

[aliceliddell]

What seaside towns are on the Javelin train routes into St Pancras? it's quicker

[janmoomoo]

As everyone has said, the only nice places are sandwich, whitstable and deal. I would check out folkestone as it is on the high speed link and has really changed a lot recently, lots of development.

I might be wrong but I think you would be lucky to get a four bed house in a half decent area for under £250k.

[pinkytheshrinky]

well we can go a bit over but yes i know it is a big ask.... it is the stamp duty thing to be honest - seems to be dead money in this market and I really resent paying it (dh is buying this house and he is a first time buyer so he will have nothing to pay if we stay under 250k)

That said we are in an excellent position with nothing to sell and a mortgage in place so we can only try eh?

[ChristinedePizan]

Broadstairs is lovely - we moved here nearly a year ago. I wouldn't live in Ramsgate or Margate but you would be hard pressed to find a really big house under 250k here. It's 1hr20m to Kings X.

And the schools are fine - there are some very competitive grammars and some less competitive ones. Agree that it's not a wealthy area on the whole but there are a lot of DFLs (down from London's) who have moved down so it is definitely changing.

Don't live anywhere on the slow line, it takes forever.

[pinkytheshrinky]

Well as I said the school thing is not really the thing for us - i think a combination of home ed and part time independent as my oldest dcs have learning problems and we need to find another way than the orthodox system.

[ChristinedePizan]

There is a really great school for kids with LD here, with a particular focus on ASD. I know people who have moved here specifically to get their children in.

[cjbartlett]

I'd go for Faversham, Sittingbourne way , commute will be much less, less train fare a year means larger mortgage affordable each month