Would you move to Wales?

[Champagneforeveryone]

Just that really!

We live in a beautiful area on the South coast where property prices are currently astronomical. We've recently been given notice on our rented cottage and we're going to take the opportunity to buy. However our budget returns a search of 4 or 5 properties and every one relies on us making at least one big compromise. We could move further out (30+ miles) but that triples my journey to work unless I move to another location (potentially easy if there are vacancies)

However if we are going to those lengths then there's literally nothing to keep us here. DH is from the Welsh borders originally and we have been idly looking at property in the general area.

We can buy a nicely presented three bedroom property with a garden and off road parking for half of what we would pay here. DH has no pension (a whole other story) and realistically will need to stop work at some point, the smaller mortgage would make that a much easier pill to swallow.

We will need to make new friends and contacts wherever we move, so I'm starting to think this is a bit of a no-brainer. However we live in the dream location, the place people yearn to move to. If I had more money I absolutely would not consider leaving, yet here we are.

In my situation would you take the leap?

I live literally just over the border in NE Wales. Wales is a very big place and there is a world of difference between some idyllic wee village up in the hills compared to the more urban areas.

Prescriptions are free. But good luck getting to see a GP to give you one.

Houses are cheaper here for a reason. There is less choice of employment and wages are generally lower. I live near an industrial estate so there is lots of low wage manufacturing jobs here. Amazon have also opened up recently and a lot of people have gone to work there.

I am in North Powys, I echo what another poster said about hospitals, we either have to drive to Aberystwyth or Shrewsbury/Telford for care and ambulance cover is sketchy at best. BUT what we lack in some areas we make up in others. Employment can be an issue for some specific sectors. Stunning area, low cost of living but do factor in that you'll need a car and probably do a fair bit of mileage if you go rural- my school run is 20 miles each way!

We moved from a city to Pembrokeshire. Lovely people, cheaper properties, the beaches, countryside. But there's very few employment opportunities here, health care system is broken. Someone I know wanted almost 3 hours for an ambulance last week, they were pretty sick too. This isn't a pandemic thing either. Not enough drs to weigh up the free script thing. No nhs dentists at all. I love where we live it's idyllic, but the downsides are getting worse for me.

If you are not Welsh speakers you may find that limits/hinders job applications in some sectors... and could make settling in some communities tricky. Just something to bear in mind when considering locations.

Wales is a big place and differs massively depending on which part you go to. I’ve lived in mid wales and now SW wales, both in a city and a suburb and the living experience has been markedly different in all 3. Do you want a quiet life with little or no entertainment facilities (cinemas etc) or do you want to live on the outskirts of a city or in a city?

North Wales landscape is dramatic and breathtaking, mid to South Wales tends to be greener and the hills are more rolling (except the beacons). North and mid wales has more Welsh speakers on the whole.

You need to narrow down what sort of area you want to live in!

All excellent advice and lots to think about.

A move would be dependent on my job, as I said, I would look for a transfer from my current role which should be easy enough (if there are vacancies) There is a Welsh language requirement but that is factored in to the job, and would I have two years to become proficient.

Healthcare could be an issue, but currently both DH and I are in good health. We already pay for private dental care so lack of NHS dentists is not too much of an issue.

We are happy to live quietly but would want to be within walking distance of some form of shops, church etc. Currently we need to drive to everything except the pub and the church so this wouldn't be a huge shock to us.