Relocating from south east to further up north, any suggestions.

[april74]

DH and I have been tossing the idea around for many years, and have finally decided it is the right decision for us to move. dh job is far too stressful, and we want to sell our house and buy one further north and be morgage free.

We are not restricted to any area, but what we would like is a nice area, good community spirit (rather than being barging past you and ignoring you) good schools, parks for dog walking, not a town centre (where we live now) but not to far away from one should we wish to go.

Would probably have about £120k for a nice 3/4 bedroom house.

Have researched various area's but each leads on to another to search, so any personal experience from mumsnetters would be great.

TIA

We used to live near Richmond in North Yorks which would tick all of your boxes, and has the added advantage of very pretty countryside around.

I think you may need to rethink your budget though, £120k is unlikely to buy you a nice 3/4 bed house anywhere in the UK, I suspect.

I think it will be difficult to get a 3/4 bed in a nice area, the north is a lot cheaper than London but you may have to take out a small mortgage if you want to tick all your boxes.
Cheshire, Shropshire and Warwickshire are all lovely counties which aren't industrialised and lots of villages with the community spirit you are looking for.
Good luck with your search - its a big country!

Thanks :-) yes it is a big country and after days of searching I had brain ache.

£120k is what we would have left after we have paid off the mortgage here, a small mortgage would not be a problem for the right place/house.

Lincolnshire? You can get small three bed houses for that amount. Grammar schools in some parts of the county.

Lincs

sleaford

tux ford has a good secondary school

You do need to be more realistic about prices, I'm surprised that after lots of research you think it is possible to get a large house in a good area up North for that price.
One or the other, but not both.

There is one on rightmove near nailsworth, glos. Can't link on phone, but type in gl6 and select house, min 3 bed and £140k max.

Nearest small town is lovely and good grammar schools nearby. Also close enough to still visit family and friends in london

Sorry, meant to say it isn't a pretty house, but nice garden etc. As others have said, unless you go very remote I think you will struggle on the budget

Thanks Viva :)

thanks all for our input. The budget is not rigid, its just the amount we would have left over after the sale of our house, in an ideal world be nice to be mortgage free, but not the end of the world if we have a small mortgage for the right place.

I live in Lincs and the house prices are indeed low. Think carefully about the area though - the further east towards the coast you go, the more isolated, and frankly grim, the towns and villages become. Lincoln/Sleaford and villages around that area pretty good. Sleaford has two excellent grammar schools, and a well thought of Comp.

Southwell just over the border into Notts is a beautiful small town with a Minster, great school and lots of community spirit.

Shropshire is where my MIL lives and is lovely. Anywhere within striking distance of Ludlow would be fantastic.

The downside of most of these places is that wages are low and if you want to earn more than £30k per annum and are not a teacher of doctor you have to be prepared to have a commute. Have been doing 2/12 hours a day for 4 days a week for the last three years.......