Where to live in Exeter city

[Cocomobile]

Hi all, looking for some advice

Moving to Exeter from abroad, with two children (newborn and 2yo). Would like to be walking distance to a nice park, decent supermarket, and nice cafes. Also need to be close to the rd&e hospital (preferably a short bus ride or walkable). Any suggestions?

I don’t know anything about Exeter (or England!) so any advice would be much appreciated

Thanks

What’s your budget? St Leonard’s is the loveliest but also obv the priciest. It’s right next to the rd&e, near a Waitrose and walking distance to town. Heavitree also very close by and well liked. Heavitree park is huge and lovely.

Heavitree is good. There's a big park with paddling pools, shops and cafes, you can walk to waitrose and the hospital. The schools are good and the area is full of families. You can easily walk in to Exeter centre too. St. Leonards is lovely too but very pricey.

I used to live by Heavitree Park, but I think the area has really gone down hill and seems to be a rat run. Topsham Road (from Barracks) always popular and easy to get to town and river.

Thanks for the replies!

We’d like 3-4 bedrooms. Would a budget of up to 1200pcm be feasible for the areas you all mentioned?

I’m having trouble finding heavitree park on google maps. Is that the same as heavitree pleasure ground?

And when you say ‘st leonards’ does that mean st Leonards road? Sorry for the silly questions. I’m not English so some of these things are just lost on me... (even though English is my first language!)

And what are your thoughts on living in a village such as clyst st Mary? Do any villages have the features I’m after, with an easy bus ride to the rd&e?

Would love a place with at least a small garden with grass for the kids to play in...

The main shopping street of St Leonards is Magdalen Road and if you google St Leonards you'll see the doctors, the roads around etc which is the overall area. I agree Heavitree may also be good for you. You want to make sure you live on the same side of the river to the R D and E as crossing town in the rush hour is terrible. I would try to get walking distance to the hospital, there's a lot of housing (although students take up a lot of it). I'm sure for that budget you could get a 3/4 bed house in a central location- at the moment, though, student properties are bumping up prices so you need to look for someone who wants to rent to a family and not student prices.

Personally I would think that it would be a pain to get in to the R D and E, depending what time of day you need to travel- rush hour is about 7.45-9 in the morning, and evening 5-6pm. I wouldn't want to live in a village and commute in, but lots do. There's been a huge amount of development near Pinhoe, if you want to rent a brand new or nearly new house- travel in ok as on the right side of town but will still take a while in the rush hour.

Yes the park is Heavitree Pleasureground. Your budget sounds fine for that area - you can look on Rightmove for rental prices. There are some lovely villages nearby. I loved Lympstone. Topsham is lovely but expensive and the people are snobbish apparently! I've only lived in Exeter so don't know what the rush hour traffic is like getting from the villages to the hospital. I have many friends still in Heavitree. I haven't heard that it's gone downhill. They're all very happy there.

Digby us good too . Brilliant park and Tesco’s up the road Not really a cafe though. Train into town centre and a short bus ride to RDE . Parking is hopeless at the hospital so plan a place nearby or somewhere with good bus conbection . Don’t plan to travel and park

You’ve all been so helpful - thank you! Will go off and do more research based on your advice now 😊

Villages to the east have good access into the city, there's a large park and ride with a bus to the hospital at the m5 junction. East Devon is really nice and there's a lot of house building going on to the east of Exeter. I don't know the city that well (family are in a village) but it's a lot more urban and busy than the villages. Most people drive to be honest.

Lots of options... I think being walking distance to nice cafes and shops is most important to me as I’m going to be quite isolated (no friends or family) to begin with

On a sort-of related note, I’d be interested in doing some volunteering at a charity whilst living in Exeter. Is there a list of volunteer opportunities or reputable charities that I could have a look through?

Would probably be most interested in either refugee or migrant assistance, or animal charities.

Most towns and cities in the UK have a 'volunteer bureau', go through them. Might be called something like 'Volunteering Exeter'.

Given you want to be near the hospital and cafes I think St Leonard’s is where you should start . Try Gras Lawn development there is a small park there or look nearer to Belmont park for a larger green space . I am struggling to think of parks at St Leonard’s though. Magdalen lane has a great cafe environment.