Newly single and priced out of the south help me find a new home town

[Shitonthebloodything]

My absolute peach of a husband is buggering off leaving me with 3 kids and no hope of securing a mortgage anywhere close to my home county of Essex. I can’t rent forever and I don’t qualify for any single parent help from UC so it’s time to put down roots somewhere new.

Budget £150-170 (yeah, I know!)
I need at least 3 bedrooms, close to a town that’s good for shopping and teenage socialising.
A college where ds16 can finish his plumbing training or equivalent opportunities
A decent secondary to start ds10 in yr 7
A decent primary for ds3 to start reception
Plenty of things to do
Somewhere reasonably safe
Somewhere friendly that will welcome us
Somewhere with nice outdoor places to visit seeing as I’ll be bloody skint forever.
Poss near a motorway to allow for regular travelling back to see family etc.

And the moon on a stick.

Any ideas would be very much appreciated, at this point I’m basically just sticking pins in the map and searching on Rightmove.

How far are you willing to move? You could get that in the North.

Do you have to leave the family home? Can you request in the divorce to keep the house until the children don't need it any more and then sell and split it?

Is your budget per month or week?

Can you look at shared ownership properties nearby and see if you meet the criteria for them ?
I believe you can get housing benefit / universal credit towards the rent element if you are on low income

The budget is 150 to 170 k to buy a house.

Somewhere in Yorkshire/the north east? Then at least you’re on the M1/A1M for travelling back down to Essex.

There are houses in your budget in Suffolk and Norfolk, so still close to your family.
3 bed in Thetford, £160,000
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/109702442#/?channel=RES_BUY
3 bed in Ipswich £160,000
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115821932#/?channel=RES_BUY
3 bed Bury St Edmunds, offers over £150,000
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113655386#/?channel=RES_BUY

Why do you not qualify for UC support? Plenty of working single parents in the SE. I was on a decent wage before I remarried but still qualified for some help.

I'd check your entitlement to benefits before I make such a drastic move.

CAB?

Budget £150-170 (yeah, I know!

I don't understand.

170k

That isn't terrible though?

Suffolk - Ipswich?

@spotcheck

Budget £150-170 (yeah, I know!

I don't understand.

170k

That isn't terrible though?

It is down south!

First make sure your ex pays his way with the kids - if you have them most he should pay maintenance- you can claim with CMS

Wilton Bank, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, TS12 1NS
I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111105860
Pros- lovely town, near the sea, lots of stuff going on, good coffee shops, fish and chips & a few nice restaurants, good for surfing, beautiful landscape, people generally very friendly
Cons - very far from your home town, not very diverse, everyone will comment on your accent & pos call you a cockney, not loads of jobs available

I depends how far you're willing to travel. The North East near Newcastle or Sunderland would give you everything on your wish list.

This one in Middlewich is in budget but I honestly don't know whether it fits your other criteria.

it's where I'd move in a similar situation. I'd get into sea swimming and hiking across the moors and eat loads of really good fish and chips

South Yorkshire.

Recently made a similar move. We live within five minutes walk of a good primary, secondary and sixth form (not out of the world spectacular, but just normal good schools). Itsca village just outside a big town... can drive in in 15mins, or bus in 30mins (deliberately chose to live on a good bus service route!) Easy access to A1, M1 and M18. Plus the countryside.

Lots of options in and around many northern cities. Although if you're a single parent of 3 DC, won't you be entitled to UC, especially if you rent and/or pay childcare?

Nottingham/South Derbyshire has lots of decent properties around that price point. Not necessarily the most glamorous parts of the counties but decent homes.

Oh no this is awful. You poor thing ☹️

Sounds like your only option is up north. Or could you afford to rent in Essex?

Have you looked at Milton Keynes? There are usually resale shared ownership properties there as a lot were shared ownership properties were built there. There are also quite a few decent secondaries depending on which area you end up in as well as MK college and lots for teenagers to do. You'd still be in the South East and not that far from Essex
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115896176#/?channel=RES_BUY
for example which is in catchment for Walton High school which is a good secondary. You could increase the % you owned over time.

£150-170 is fine, a lot more than most people have got. I'll have £170-ish when I buy. Clacton? Portsmouth? The south coast is a lovely area, plenty to do.

I live in Nottingham, you can get a 3 bedroom house easily in some areas here for that money. My 2 bed was £100k, not the poshest area but good transport links to the city.

Have you looked at Dovercourt and Harwich?

South Wales is cheap still.