How did you decide to relocate?

[Monsoon92]

We've been doing some thinking (me and DH) and have sort of decided that we might like to relocate a couple of hours away for a fresh start. We have a toddler and a newborn and think in the next couple of years is the right time for us to move and have re-evaluated what is making us stay in our current location vs what a new place could offer us.

But how do you make the actual decision to do this? How long do you sit on the choice before actually taking any action? Do you get a job up there first and then look for a house or the other way round? How long do you give it before you decide it was actually a massive mistake? Aagh there's so much pressure on a decision like this I don't even know where to start with thinking about it properly!

So I want to hear your experiences. If you've relocated (successfully or otherwise), how did you actually make the decision to do it?

Our decision was based on the quality of secondary schooling in our area based on the quality in the new area, it was a massive difference and drove our move. We could also afford a bigger house out of London so this also cinched the deal.
My exh worked half way between old location and new anyway so didn’t have to job change and I commuted to my old job until I found one locally.

Where our jobs would likely be and schools.

Ideally id love to live on a tiny island by myself but I need a job and DS needs to go to school!

For us the consideration has always been to think about jobs first, schools next, and then comes the housing options that best service those commutes. So our last relocation, DH got a job in a new area, then we thought about where within that new area would be closest to schooling options for DCs, and then looked in the overlap between commuting distances for my office and DH and schools. Rightmove has a handy tool where you can put in work and school locations and it shows you the blob-shaped area on the map where you are eg. no more than an hour from work and no more than 15 mins from school.

It's not a forever choice so don't put too much pressure on yourself! My family moved continents between my GCSEs and A-levels and that was fine - your kids are little, if it doesn't work out you can move again.

I would instead examine why you are feeling the need for a fresh start. A fresh start how? New job? New area? New career? Is your house falling down? Are the job options around you poorly paid or no progression? That's more relevant info...

Thanks for the replies, some food for thought.

@Xiaoxiong to be honest we live near a few toxic family members and the non-toxic ones are moving away, so we feel like we have no real ties here and only memories of those family members! Still not sure if that's enough of a reason to move yet as I don't want to do it as a knee jerk reaction, but I've never been open to the idea of moving before and now I am so..maybe it's the right time? It's a good excuse for some weekends away visiting places in any case!

That's as good a reason as any - moving away from toxic family members so you just aren't as available to them. But I wouldn't move without something concrete to go to, jobs wise.

So - if I were you, I'd start looking for new and better paid jobs and move to follow the work. It's probably one of the best times to look for something new as the jobs market is having a bit of a shake-up - at least in my industry and from what I hear on the news, in many others too!

But if no changes to jobs for you and DH? In which case - why don't you take your workplaces as the pivot point and look in the diametrically opposite direction for nice places with nice schools.

Eg. you currently work at the O2 headquarters in Slough, and commute in from Rickmansworth with a 30 min commute. You swing round in a circle and move to Bracknell - still 30 mins commute, but you are now an hour away from your old area.

That's a good idea to follow the work - I guess a new house means nothing if you can't pay for it after all! I'm a teacher so will naturally be looking at schools anyway, and DH has a job he can do anywhere, so hopefully we can canvas a larger area!