Where to live in Sussex?

[PickledLilli]

You were all so helpful on my Suffolk vs Sussex thread so I thought I'd ask for some area suggestions.
I'm planning a move from Scotland to the South East(or possibly East) and I'm considering Sussex(Also Kent and Hampshire but that's another thread.)

My budget is £550,000. It could be stretched a little if necessary. I'm looking for 2 preferably 3 bedrooms. I'd prefer to live in the suburbs/small town or possibly a village as I like a quiet life but don't want to be too remote . I would like to be within an hour of a larger town or city though. I'll be working from home and only going into London once a month or so so while it'd be nice to have a train station relatively near it's not essential. No real preference between East or West.

I'd like an area where there are some things to do so not completely remote. I don't drink and I'm not a fan of nightlife so that isn't an issue.

My main concern is finding a nice area. It doesn't have to feel "posh", just nice enough and relatively safe. I'm from a major city but I'm far more comfortable in the "soft suburbs". So being a wuss I'm very anxious to avoid any dodgy areas.

I've been considering in and around Chichester(But I've heard that it's going downhill). Horsham and I've been recommended Eastbourne but unsure and. I've been warned off Hastings but perhaps there are some nice areas around it?

Any suggestions and areas to avoid would be appreciated. TIA

Was just about to comment and say Chichester!
Sevenoaks?

P.S Apologies if I offend anyone or their town. I know comparatively little about the areas and a friend has been telling me to avoid certain areas and recommending others. I don't know how accurate she is but I'm hoping to get a broader range of views here as she could be wrong.

How about Lewes, on the fast line to London and Brighton.

Horsham is regularity in the top 10 places to live in the U.K. It’s a nice town with a park and good access to London and Brighton. Close access to pretty countryside. I’d be tempted if I didn’t have to be in London so much (and my dad lives there which would a bit too close for me!)

My brother lives near Sevenoaks. Also a nice town!

Some ideas:

Lewes
Lindfield
Haywards Heath (commuter town)
Chichester
Uckfield

I have no children at present. I forgot to mention that.

I'd assumed that Sevenoaks would be out of my budget, as would Lewes but perhaps not then. I'll have a look at property there.

Horsham is too busy for me but a lot of the villages surrounding Horsham are lovely! Or slightly further South you have Henfield/Partridge Green/Cowfold which are within 30 mins of both Horsham and Brighton and within 15 mins of a train station on the Brighton line. Nice villagey feel, on the edge of the South Downs but still plenty going on.

Lots of East Sussex is gorgeous too. Rye and surrounding for example.

Born in Sussex (Eastbourne in fact) and now live in Kent so any questions ask away OP.

Eastbourne is a good shout and your budget will get you a lovely home in a nice area. I think EB is hard to top in a lot of ways. Good train links for london, great proximity to brighton, large town with masses of amenities. Brand new shopping centre in the middle of town. Beachy head and the downs in one part of town. Miles of beaches. Lovely harbour and no grotty seafront vibes. Eastbourne has lots of lovely quieter areas on the outskirts, places such as alfriston or east dean for example, Willingdon.

Bexhill and hastings are nowhere near as good unfortunately, nor is their periphery.

Otherwise maybe Lewes, sevenoaks, crowborough, tunbridge wells area or Tenterden are all worth a look too?

I don’t know Sussex hugely well but think it’s beautiful. Personally I prefer the bits away from the coast, especially in the Downs. As you will be travelling in to London so infrequently then if I were you I would target somewhere without a station. Sussex is very much in the commuter belt, and places on easy reach of the London line will attract a hefty premium, which I wouldn’t pay unless you need it regularly.

I was going to say Chichester, how sad that it's going downhill. I live in a town very similar to Chichester, and that's also going downhill.

Horsham definitely. Surprisingly good value for money, an hour from London and has fantastic amenities.

Dontgobaconmyheart Do you prefer Sussex or Kent if I may ask? I appreciate that it depends on where one lives in each and other factors, but I'm curious to know if you have a particular preference?

Tunbridge Wells? It's on the border of Kent and East Sussex, 50 mins-1hr to London by train, surrounded by beautiful countryside. It's a town with lots of villages surrounding it, is known as a naice area but I think you should be able to find somewhere within budget.

Chichester is still pretty nice - it's just getting more students as the uni grows. The villages around Chichester are good, too. Bosham is beautiful but pricey, and there is a huge amount of new building going on if you like new houses, all along the A259 coast road corridor in both directions. I live on the Hampshire border in Emsworth and absolutely love it (small town, but feels like a village, harbour walks, pubs, etc).

Salisbury Road, Horsham
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73612541.html

Six Acres, Slinfold
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-80178059.html

Holbrook Park, Old Holbrook, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-83537408.html

I live between Bognor Regis and Chichester. I don't know where you've heard it's going downhill but I've been in the area since 2003 and it's thriving. We are lucky to have both the sea and South Downs on our doorstep. There are lots of attractions and events throughout the year.

Bognor in particular has a great community and is much larger than Chichester (which is v overpriced and the community a bit elitist). Chi does have a great market, posh pretty shops and lovely parks. Bognor town centre isn't great, as with many coastal towns, but tbh we rarely go there. It has been receiving a lot of business investment recently though, particularly around the University campus. I'd suggest looking at Love Bognor on Facebook, they're doing great things.

The seafront here is lovely and the beaches go on for miles. Most people live in the outer villages/suburbs, places like Aldwick and Felpham. Your budget could get you a detached 4 bed near the beach in a lovely area. Further east, Rustington and East Preston (v posh) are very nice, and Worthing has lots going on if you want somewhere bigger.

Transport wise, there are great links to Portsmouth and Brighton, and a direct train from Bognor to London.

Good luck with your move!

Forgot to say - I'd avoid Yapton and littlehampton. Your money will go further, but theres a reason for that

Thank you all. I'll check out the areas mentioned, including TW which I was considering but I thought it might be out of my budget again. I'm not fixated on a particular area/county as I just want to be in the SE.

Reassuring to hear that Chichester is still a good area. My Friend told me it's going downhill and I found comments online stating the same, including some on MN.

I do prefer to live in one of the coastal counties though even if I'm not living directly on the coast.

Budget-wise, Chichester will be on the edge of that, so the slight shift towards populism is probably helpful!

My parents live East Sussex and I love Tenterden. It has a lovely wide high street. Seems a good mix of shops.

I love Horsham!

I used to live in Lewes and loved it. It’s a great community, and you get the amazing spectacle of Bonfire every year - not to be missed. 20 mins drive from Brighton, or there’s a rail link.

"My Friend told me it's going downhill and I found comments online stating the same, including some on MN."
Maybe that's just online culture? They could be referring to the closure of some big name stores like House of Fraser but that's not unique to Chi. Culturally it hasn't changed in the last 15 years and there's a lot of growth in the business sector. I went to a networking meeting there last week in the pouring rain and it was still super-busy!

Felpham village is one of our favourite places, it has a gorgeous cafe on the beach called the Lobster Pot and it's where William Blake lived. I also love Chichester Harbour (Bosham, Itchenor) and West Wittering but it's only got one road in and out, so it's a bit remote and gets clogged by tourists in summer.

Yes, The Lobster Pot in Felpham is fantastic!