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Should we move again? London to Bath (or who knows)

91 replies

planforeverything · 11/07/2020 12:37

Apologies if this isn’t right place for this but looking for some honest and helpful advice.

I’m 30, DH 32 and lived in Bristol for 5 years before moving to London. I moved from Scotland straight after University for work and DH’s job was also in Bristol. First 18 months were good in Clifton. I didn’t really take to Bristol as a city as a whole, I loved life in Clifton and that was our bubble. (Note: people absolutely love Bristol, it’s a great city and I like a day visit but I found it too alternative/hipster for me to live in). We then moved to North Bristol to buy an ‘opportunity’ house, my husband had just gotten a job just outside London which he commuted for and I hated those 3.5 years in Bristol. I found the place rough, it was a new build estate near nothing, I’d come from a cute seaside town in Scotland with a lovely high street and bike rides on my doorstep and I was living in an estate near absolutely no parks/amenities/anything, couldn’t walk anywhere, had to drive everywhere including work/shops, our lovely detached new build was next door to social housing and we had an attempted break in within 4 months of being there and our direct neighbour getting an ASBO for constant arguments and fights outside. I was thoroughly miserable and on my own 80% of the time.

Given husbands job was in London (and he’d had a near miss of a serious accident on his commute home one night) I visited SW London, loved it and we sold up (made a lot of money on our 4 bed detached new build house) and bought a 3 bed garden flat in Putney. I adore SW London, the parks and feeling of green space, cafe culture, cute pubs, restaurants - it’s just an all round lovely area though traffic and parking are a nightmare.

Anyways, last year DH became unwell, was hospitalised and was left with post viral fatigue and has been off work for 7 months. Whilst he loves what we have here, he is ready for a little bit of a quieter pace (I.e no beeping horns on our street at 2am, not being able to get parked on the same street as our flat, noise of tube etc) but still with nice cafes and restaurants but main thing is he wants more space (DH grew up in a huge stunning period house with a walled garden so more space to me means something a little different to him!)

Husbands job has changed slightly in that he only needs to commute once a week, we used to visit Bath a lot and loved it. We have also considered other areas of SW London (Teddington, Richmond) but don’t know if it’s still too much for him. I would live there in a heartbeat. I don’t know if going back west is scaring me a little as I had a rubbish time there before. We aren’t village people, more large town people (probably aren’t big city people given we don’t leave SW London much) Also thought about Edinburgh but jobs for me there look thin. No children yet - I might not be able to have any so it’s not a guarantee we will but irrespective I do want to live in a lovely, family friendly, SAFE as houses area (I’m OCD on safety after an incident in Bristol which left me with anxiety). Not sure this is even important but DH is a little genteel if that’s the the right word?!

Does Bath sound like it could be right for us? Visited Marlow and Henley and liked them both but commute to London for me would probably be a pain. If we moved to Bath I’d work in Bath or Bristol. Also thought about Windsor too.

Looking for ideally a period detached house with a driveway, garden, minimum 4 beds in a really nice area where the people are friendly/sense of community and it’s easy to make friends. Budget is £1.4m. I really want to find somewhere I can settle and not move every 3-5 years! Help!

OP posts:
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Smallgoon · 11/07/2020 13:23

Budget is £1.4m.

Are you asking Mumsnet how to spend this money for you? I mean, you could live anywhere in the uk really. Pick a place and move Grin

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planforeverything · 11/07/2020 18:55

@Smallgoon haha spending it is the easy bit. Where to go is the harder bit.

OP posts:
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Blackcurrant66 · 11/07/2020 19:00

If you’ve spent a lot of time in Bath and like it then that is as good a starting point as any. You’d definitely be able to get what you want. I don’t know which areas of Bath are particularly desirable. Presumably you want a bit of a villagey feel with shops and restaurants on the doorstep.

Or if you liked Clifton why not just move back there? I’d hardly call it alternative and you’ve got all the amenities you’d need.

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NameChangr678 · 11/07/2020 19:11

I think Bath is lovely personally. It's the nicest place I've ever lived (and I went to school in Marlow, thought it was a bit posh and blah), I'd live there now if there were jobs in my industry. I always hated Bristol when I visited, it felt really rough and run down, like Stevenage of the West. Can't go wrong with Bath though.

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Rainycloudyday · 11/07/2020 19:20

Bath sounds ideal for you. It’s very similar to Clifton I’m terms of architecture and the hilt environment and from what I know there is a lot less of the hippy/alternative element of Bristol! Lots of culture and lovely cafes and shops. If you’d said what you were looking for without mentioning Bath that would have been my first suggestion.

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LadyMonicaBaddingham · 11/07/2020 19:24

Have you considered Oxford?

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hollieberrie · 11/07/2020 19:29

Henley and Marlow are lovely. Or St Albans or Berkhamstead? Or Richmond / St Margarets.

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1981m · 11/07/2020 19:35

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CeibaTree · 11/07/2020 19:38

If you are not sure about leaving London, but looking for a slower pace of life then then the Teddington/Ham/Kingston area would be ideal. So many green spaces and £1.4m would get you a decent sized place with a nice garden:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-77240206.html

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BustPipes · 11/07/2020 19:43

She's asking for advice on the property board. I would give a hard pass to any area she thought 'cute', but that's about tastes and values - no need to be personally abusive.

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NCParanoia · 11/07/2020 19:44

Jealous much, @1981m?

Bath sounds ideal if you already really like it. I've visited a few times and liked it too, but I'm the opposite and prefer bristols vibe 😁

Agree with PP that Berkhamstead would be worth looking in to. Lovely small town on a river, naice shops (a waitrose!) and on the main train line in to Euston.

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Smallgoon · 11/07/2020 19:47

OMG your post is one of the most entitled and obnoxious posts I have read on here. Budget 1.4m, Bristol too rough for you, too alternative. You sound horrible.

@1981m You actually sound much worse tbf

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stanski · 11/07/2020 19:49

I'd take a look at Kingston Upon Thames. It's lovely and within london but on the outskirts of leafy SW. Has a lot of life to it and you could get a good sizes house for that budget

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1981m · 11/07/2020 19:51

Not jealous in the slightest, I love where we live.

I just thought the slagging off of 'rough' areas and being too alternative was just horrible. Only Clifton is good enough and boasting about her budget. Yuk. It sounded really snobby.

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1981m · 11/07/2020 19:51

By too alternative, she means to many poor people. Not middle England enough.

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OverTheRainbow88 · 11/07/2020 19:54

I was born and breed in Bristol, and have lived in london, but have settled back in Bristol. I LOVE bath, beautiful place, but my mind Bath is a place I visit for a day trip, nice lunch, shopping and home!!

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WhenPushComesToShove · 11/07/2020 19:56

@1981m - I'm usually live and let live but I have to ask, who made you the Queen of what OP really means. That's entirely your interpretation; surely you must see that. Bath is fabulous OP.

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lakeswimmer · 11/07/2020 20:05

@1981 sorry but you're completely out of order. The OP is looking for certain things in a place to live - she's entitled to do so. Just because what she's looking for might be different to what you would choose doesn't make it wrong. It sounds as if OP and her DH are being influenced by the type of places they grew up in which is perfectly reasonable and wanting to feel safe is pretty fundamental. Who the hell wants to live somewhere they feel unsafe?

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mrscampbellblackagain · 11/07/2020 20:05

Bath is lovely but actually to find detached with 4 beds and driveway etc for your budget may be quite difficult.

In terms of areas, Lansdown is popular as not far from the town centre albeit on a steep hill and proximity to good schools which may be a consideration in years to come. I know of a house for sale which fits your requirements although it needs some work.

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user1493494961 · 11/07/2020 20:07

I would stay in London if I were you, you obviously love it and can afford it.

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ellie2201 · 11/07/2020 20:11

I would move to Bath in a heartbeat but we can’t afford it at the moment - if I were you I’d move! Send us links to houses so I can live vicariously through you please.

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Stuckforthefourthtime · 11/07/2020 20:12

Sorry that you've had such a horrible poster jump on you. I'm certainly envious of your budget - but can also totally see why with that to spend, you're not willing to compromise too much.

Personally I find Marlow similar a bit posh and blah as posters above, and would also suggest Bath, Oxford or could you look at Clifton again, Bristol has changed a lot in the last few years. Depending on which area of London you commute to, Guildford, Tunbridge Wells or St Albans are large and commuter friendly and 'genteel'?

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Flamingolingo · 11/07/2020 20:16

Have you considered Hampshire? Lots of nice towns/villages, good access to London, and if you go further South you have both new forest and South Downs national parks and access to the coast

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1981m · 11/07/2020 21:37

I know she's perfectly entitled to ask about houses I just think some of her comments are horrible and make her sound super snobbish. Oh well, not that bothered anyway.

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1981m · 11/07/2020 21:37

I know she's perfectly entitled to ask about houses I just think some of her comments are horrible and make her sound super snobbish. Oh well, not that bothered anyway.

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