Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Can I ask ridiculous questions about relocation?

24 replies

PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 13:25

Just that really. We are considering a major relocation from the south east to the south west. How did others who have done similar manage the logistics?

Points to consider:

  • Currently own a mortgaged property, mortgage deal is up in December but could pay to leave early/go on variable rate for a bit
  • DC1 due to start primary school next September, but he may well have to start where we are currently and then move. DC1 currently happy and settled in a private nursery.
  • I work for myself so location is not an issue but DH is the main breadwinner by a pretty long shot and has a 3 month notice period
  • we have three house cats so renting might be a problem (otherwise I'd be quite happy to rent for a bit)

What did you do in this situation? Find a job first and then moving is sensible - but then what about notice period etc? How are we supposed to join up selling our current property, buying a new one and DH obtaining a new job?

I cannot for the life of me work out the logistics of all this and it feels very overwhelming. Any help/advice much appreciated.

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 07/10/2019 13:40

Why the south west and what sort of work does your DH do? Job opportunities outside low paid tourism related and possibly specialisms like doctor/dentist aren't great in the south west.

A friend of mine moved there as that's where his DWs family lives and now he pretty much either has to work away all the time to earn money, so insecure, needs to pay for digs, travel etc and is away from home a lot.

mygrandchildrenrock · 07/10/2019 13:42

When we relocated from a big city to a very rural/coastal location, I got a job first. Then we rented somewhere in the new area while the house in the city sold. It took less than 6 months to sell but took us about 8 months to decide where to live and buy.
In the past, we rented a lovely house for 6 months with a dog and two cats. Some landlords will rent to people with pets.

UnitedRoad · 07/10/2019 13:45

Following as we’re in a similar position.

I work from home too, and husband is the main (by far) wage earner. Mortgaged in the south east, but looking to move south west. Lots of pets so renting isn’t really an option, the only difference is our children are working, and one definitely doesn’t want to come with us, the other probably won’t (although we still have to look for a house with enough space in case they change their minds).

I'm worrying myself sick about the logistics of selling this house, buying a new one and husband finding a new job. We’re not close enough for him to get the job first, and commute for a bit.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Property
Finfintytint · 07/10/2019 13:48

We are in the middle of relocating. Husband has started new job and comes home at weekends. I’ll stay until house is sold.
The last time we relocated we took the plunge, gave up our jobs and bought a house in the new area. Found jobs later on.

Original poster
PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 13:51

Why the south west and what sort of work does your DH do? Job opportunities outside low paid tourism related and possibly specialisms like doctor/dentist aren't great in the south west.

Mainly family connections and just generally love it there. He's a software developer. There seems to be plenty about in that area there, we've looked.

OP posts:
Original poster
PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 13:51

Just to clarify, we wouldn't be looking to move rurally - basically moving from one city to another city!

OP posts:
Magstermay · 07/10/2019 13:54

Relocated a couple of years ago. Got house ready to sell whilst looking for a job so the day after I got an offer I handed in my notice and house on market. Went into rented so chain free. DH commuted for a while. Trying to coordinate new job start date, buying and selling plus new school is just too much!

Original poster
PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 13:57

We aren't definitely decided. May stay in the SE and relocate to Kent/Sussex area so DH keeps his job, though the long commute for him in Sussex plus the grammar school system in Kent puts me off.

OP posts:
PutYourBackIntoit · 07/10/2019 14:30

We moved to SW from SE and haven't found any issues getting work (engineering and finance). Absolutely love it here!

We asked relatives to look after our cat for 6 months whilst we rented (after we secured jobs), then bought after 6 months exactly. We were in s good position as not being in a chain.

Good luck! Is it Bristol you're looking at??

Original poster
PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 14:47

Yes, Bristol :) that's great to hear its worked out so well for you.

OP posts:
DreamingofSunshine · 07/10/2019 15:16

How easy will it be to sell your property? We sold first as lived somewhere where the market was very slow. Then moved into rented and looked for new jobs.

Original poster
PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 15:51

I honestly don't know really, it could be ages or it could be very quick!

OP posts:
Kakfor · 07/10/2019 16:34

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

lazylinguist · 07/10/2019 16:45

We relocated from the SE to the NW. Dh applied for jobs first (as he's very much the main earner). He accepted the job in February but the job didn't start until September (teaching). We were moving from mortgaged house to mortgaged house. Our sale took longer than expected. Fortunately nobody else was interested in the house we wanted to buy, so the owner was willing to wait. Dh had to move up in September to start work, and stayed in a friend's house. The dc and I had to stay in the old house until the house sale got sorted and we moved up in early October.
It was all pretty stressful, not least because we were house hunting 4 hours away and buying a house in an area we didn't know at all! It all worked out brilliantly in the end though!

RetreatingWeasels · 07/10/2019 16:56

We did the same. I started my new job and moved with DD firstly in with my DM and then to rented. DH and teens stayed in the house and we put it up for sale. DH joined us 5 months later when his job was able to transfer him.

Ended up taking a year to actually sell and complete so we were paying both rent, mortgage and 2 lots of council tax, as well as nursery fees. (I really don't recommend that).

Left our cats in the house with the teens, who moved into rented once the house was sold.

The one flaw in your situation is that if you don't move until after the school deadline, because of the infant class size rules you will end up with a school nowhere near your house, because most schools are full. The only way to avoid that would be to pick an area where there are always spaces, but that isn't easily done.

stucknoue · 07/10/2019 16:58

I would look for work first. Plenty of rentals do allow pets so that would be easier, it can take a lot longer than 3 months to buy and sell unfortunately, you can then move as soon as his notice finishes. I'll be honest that coordinating a new job and housing was a nightmare

carrie74 · 07/10/2019 17:02

We moved from London to Bristol. DH could actually transfer his job, but everything was led by his job (I was giving up work temporarily, eventually finding a job once we'd settled - it also coincided with us starting a family, so this worked well).

We sold very quickly, but were prepared to just rent our London property out. We then rented in Bristol to get a feel for where we wanted to live, this took a few months of exploring, and then we found a house and bought it, as we had no chain, it was quite straightforward.

Schools are an added complication, but they're so adaptable when young, if he'd have to change schools a couple of times, I don't think it would be the end of the world. But of course school places aren't always straightforward, it depends where you move to. We eventually moved rurally, where school places wouldn't have been a problem.

Original poster
PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 17:15

The one flaw in your situation is that if you don't move until after the school deadline, because of the infant class size rules you will end up with a school nowhere near your house, because most schools are full.

Yes I know - sadly there's just no way we'll be able to move before January (or March, as I know they extend it until then). If that happened I'd probably put DS on the waitlist and home school him until a school nearby had a space.

OP posts:
Original poster
PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 17:15

I would happily rent our place out but we haven't got enough equity for a a buy to let mortgage (also we won't have a deposit for a new place unless we sell it).

OP posts:
PutYourBackIntoit · 07/10/2019 18:26

Are you set on moving to Bristol itself? Have you looked at areas?

We live 20 mins north in a beautiful town, with train links to Bristol. It's on the Cotswold way. No issues here with school places, there's always spaces and all schools are good.

It's also much much cheaper than Bristol itself, which might give you more options!

Original poster
PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 18:33

Oh no, I'm quite happy to look at the surrounds. probably prefer the surrounding areas to be honest as will be cheaper.

I have family in Bristol, Stroud and Cheltenham.

OP posts:
Original poster
PontinPlace · 07/10/2019 18:33

PutYourBackIntoit do you mind me asking where it is you live? PM me if you prefer!

OP posts:
TreacherousPissFlap · 07/10/2019 18:40

Depending on your budget I wouldn't immediately rule out renting for a short term.

One of the positives of living slightly more rurally is that there are large estates with cottages, farms with cottages and a fair amount of other property where pets are allowed - if you think about it there's little point renting a property surrounded by countryside if you are going to be anti-pet.

You'll normally find it's not the smaller properties or those in town, but we've got pets and have never had an issue with renting in the South West. If you're reasonably flexible about location and are willing to pay an increased deposit against cat damage it may not be as difficult as in other parts of the country.

PutYourBackIntoit · 07/10/2019 20:35

Sure, I'll pm you when all DC in bed (taking ages tonight!) but it's in-between Bristol and Stroud 😊

New posts on this thread. Refresh page