DH and I are looking to retire in 2 years time. We both work in London but live in Home Counties; we moved out when we had the DC for more space, schools etc. However, now the DC are grown up, the youngest leaves school this summer and we want to sell up and buy a place in London and one out of London.
Our thinking is that we have a couple more years to go at work but might carry on a bit longer, maybe on a part time basis, and DH's family are in London. It is also likely that the DC will need to be in London for a few years with their careers, at least. Also, although London prices seem a bit crazy at present I think London is always a relatively safe option for investing.
However, I don't want to be in London all the time. I love the buzz of London and the theatres etc, but I also love space, fresh air, and stillness outside; we also have dogs and cats and I am worried how they would adapt to an urban lifestyle.
Therefore, if achievable, I would like a place in London with at least 2 bedrooms, preferably zone 1 but would consider further out, and somewhere out of London but within easy reach. We were thinking of one of the villages near the Ashford fast rail link so we could get to London quickly but also the continent. I grew up by the sea so would ideally like to have easy access to the sea. In an ideal world, both properties would rent out easily, so we could decide to rent out one and live in the other for 6-12 months if we needed to raise some cash (but not whilst the DC are living there obviously, so that's more of a medium to long term consideration).
I have seen really good advice on this forum before, so would be very grateful for all suggestions. The budget is £1.25m, but we could push to £1.5m for the right combination of property. I would in an ideal world love an 1930s London flat and a period house with beams etc or Georgian (the latter probably not achievable). I appreciate that it might mean that one property might have to be sacrificed for the other - I am aiming high at present, but may need to moderate expectations. Given that these properties are for retirement, I really don't want to get it wrong!
I apologise that this is long but my experience is that it is better for posters to give the full spec at the outset if they are hoping MNers will help them with some pointers and ideas.
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Help with my retirement plans - London and Kent for £1.25m
27 replies
CrazyCockerel · 29/03/2015 10:24
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