Thinking of moving to Broadstairs/ Ramsgate - local info gratefully received

[sandyrose]

Hi all,

we're thinking of selling our London flat and buying a family home on the Kent coast. We're in love with Broadstairs but want to avoid making any mistakes on areas, as we don't know the area that well and we are hoping to stay in the new house for a very, very long time.

We're in love with a house that is currently on the market in the St Peters area, which we think looks lovely, however we suspect that this area is possibly a bit too sleepy and maybe even downright depressing during winter months...Also, it seems quite a lot of traffic passes through here during rush hour?

We also love the quaint Reading Street area and how close this is to the gorgeous beaches - what's it like for families around here?

The main problem we have is trying to work out whether the additional distance to the station is worth it as we both need to commute to London once or twice a week. We would also love to know what areas are best for families, and any 'insider info' would be fantastic.

We've also noticed that house prices are regularly slashed by up to £50K after a few months on the market, and again, would love some insider info on prices achieved vs asking, particularly on period properties.

Lastly, we are toying with the idea of a huge Ramsgate house and would appreciate any opinions on this area in terms of family life, safety, nearby beaches, schools, and whether the flightpath is a major disturbance or not.

[dodohead]

Hi. We (my family with 3 DCs) moved to Broadstairs from London four years ago, and I think it's a great place to live. We're right in the town centre and its pubs, restaurants and cafes, and we are five minutes from fantastic sandy beaches and one of the most beautiful coastlines in the country. If you're looking for the best place to live as a family in Thanet, I would choose Broadstairs over Ramsgate. There are many fantastic properties in Ramsgate - Thanet apparently has more grade II listed buildings than any other local authority area in England, and a high proportion of them are in Ramsgate - but it also has areas of very significant deprivation, and I think this has an impact on the town, both in terms of its atmosphere but also schools. Whereas Broadstairs is comfortable without being too posh, has a more relaxed atmosphere and tends to have the better schools than either of its neighbours, Ramsgate and Margate. Reading Street and St Peter's are great areas and are a relatively short walk or drive from Broadstairs station and, again, if these are places that interest you, I'd opt for them above a big property in Ramsgate. The town centre is a good place to be as well. The one thing I might caution you on, however, is the job situation here. The jobs market in east Kent/Thanet has never been great and, with the recession, is currently very poor, so if you need to work, you'd best have self-employment or a business that you can continue once here. If you can do this and you only need to get into London occasionally, the transport links (while terrible just a few years ago) now enable access to central London within an hour and 15mins (by the extortionate but very good fast train) or an hour and a half or so by car. Don't get me wrong, I have come to really like Thanet - it has plenty going for it, though some of the born-and-bred locals have a downer on it - and Ramsgate has a lot to offer. But if I were you, if you're looking to move here seriously, I'd concentrate on Broadstairs.

[starstarlet]

Hi there, this is my first post.....we too are considering relocating to broadstairs from London. I am kind of familiar with the area as my mum grew up there. But would be great to have some inside info!
We have 3 DC's (2,5,7) so would need school places. Have read a few ofsteds but am I correct in thinking people send their kids to private primaries in order to get them into the grammar schools. Also is their lots to do other than the beaches ( which we love) for a young family? My hubby may or may not have to commute into London but I will be around so would love to meet new friends. How easy did you find it to settle into the community and meet like minded people?