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Original poster

Where would you move with our budget?

27 replies

LostWhereToGo · 18/12/2021 11:57

If you had 250-300k for a property and could live anywhere in the UK, where would you go?

My DH and I are at a bit of a crossroad. We have recently inherited a bit of money. We live in the SE and we just can't afford a house here. We already moved further out but despite two well paid professional jobs and a good deposit we just can't afford anything here.

I'd say our budget would be up to 300k at an absolute max but ideally a bit less than that.

We are now considering relocating properly. My husband WFH so can work anywhere and I am a part time teacher so hopefully I could find a job somewhere else. We have looked at Scotland as I have relatives there but my chances to work there are very low as they seem to have a lot of unemployed teachers in the central belt.

We don't have huge expectations but a small property with a garden would be lovely. We have two children at nursery age.

Any advice or suggestions?

OP posts:
scaevola · 18/12/2021 12:08

How about Lincolnshire?

Do you want town or rural? Even Lincoln itself doesn't feel large IYSWIM. Schools generally good - still has grammar schools if you're OK with that

EdithWeston · 18/12/2021 12:12

Lots on at around £250-310k in Grantham

Some are new builds, so presumable on the edge of the town, but also here are ones on more established areas such as this

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/117719534#/?channel=RES_BUY

Frogsonglue · 18/12/2021 12:13

You could get a fairly large property with a good sized garden in Hull for that.

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 18/12/2021 12:14

Loads of places here in leicester/Leicestershire where you would get a nice detached house with garden and off road parking for that budget.

EwwSprouts · 18/12/2021 12:19

Beverley regularly in articles about best place to live.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/80283030#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/116344193#/?channel=RES_BUY

JurgensCakeBabyJesus · 18/12/2021 12:21

Do you want to be mortgage free for that budget? A 100k mortgage for example wouldn't be much in terms of repayments but could give you more choices in terms of area

EducatingArti · 18/12/2021 12:22

Try Stroud in Gloucestershire.

IMarchToADifferentDrummer · 18/12/2021 12:23

Northumberland.

ISeeTheLight · 18/12/2021 12:24

North East, somewhere near the coast. You'd get a lot of property for that budget.

HaaaaaveyoumetTed · 18/12/2021 12:25

I really wish people would be more specific on these threads! Poster says "ooh Coventry" but it's huge, with nice and really not so nice parts! Specifics are important! For example, Coventry would get you a decent house Earlsden, Cheylesmore and Styvical are nice but avoid Hillfields and Stoke Aldermore. (Just an example but you get me.

Didiusfalco · 18/12/2021 12:27

If you don’t have specific requirements around commuting or access to the south, I would go to Shrewsbury or elsewhere in Shropshire in a heartbeat.

PotteringAlong · 18/12/2021 12:28

Around Durham / Gateshead?

Look at Chester-le-street
Low fell
Whickham
Rowlands Gill
Newton Hall

Original poster
LostWhereToGo · 18/12/2021 12:40

@scaevola thank you. I'd love to be a bit rural if possible as my children love the outdoors. But not completely remote. Not sure how I feel about grammar schools really, would have to have a think about that. I obviously don't know yet how academic my children may or may not be.

@EdithWeston thank you, that's a gorgeous house! We currently live in a flat that cost more than that so this would be an amazing upgrade!

@Frogsonglue will have a look at Hull, thank you!

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo detached would be amazing but not necessary I think. Sounds very promising though so I'll check what there is on Rightmove to get an idea.

OP posts:
gvb8 · 18/12/2021 12:43

Might be worth also posting on the Scotsnet board for some more information on the teaching situation

ToughTittyWhompus · 18/12/2021 12:46

Beverly is great for outdoor life.

Original poster
LostWhereToGo · 18/12/2021 12:48

@EwwSprouts that is a really lovely house! Thank you, will research the area.

@JurgensCakeBabyJesus oh no no we wouldn't be mortgage free. I think we'd probably have a 50-70k deposit and the rest as a mortgage.

@EducatingArti thank you. Do you live there? What do you like about it?

@IMarchToADifferentDrummer thank you. I'll have to research as I know very little about it. Do you live there?

@ISeeTheLight thanks. I'll love the seaside so yes good shout researching some areas in the NE and then doing a Rightmove search.

OP posts:
Original poster
LostWhereToGo · 18/12/2021 12:52

@HaaaaaveyoumetTed to be fair my post has been VERY vague as well. We are literally at the beginning of thinking about this. So far we've been a bit stuck down here for jobs but with working from home now and more money things have changed a bit.
Once I have narrowed it down I will do a more precise post. You're right though - having been to Coventry there are some areas I DEFINITELY wouldn't want to live in. Just like where we are now.

@Didiusfalco I don't think we will have to commute no. Maybe a few times a year for specific events but not more. Thank you!

@PotteringAlong thank you, I've never been to Durham. Will have a look! And thanks for some suggestions of specific towns, gives me some direction to research.

OP posts:
Original poster
LostWhereToGo · 18/12/2021 12:56

@gvb8 thank you I will. I am a member of some Facebook groups and there are so many people struggling to get jobs and are stuck in supply for years. We can't really afford for me not to work and I definitely need a job for a mortgage. I know northern Scotland has more of a need but I'm not sure I want to move quite that far and remote to be honest.

@ToughTittyWhompus you're the second person to suggest Beverley so that might be a good starting point to look! Thanks

OP posts:
ISeeTheLight · 18/12/2021 12:57

Someone mentioned specifics, these areas in Tyne & Wear are nice:
Seaburn, Whitburn, Cleadon, East Herrington, Doxford Park (parts of it), Whickham, Tynemouth (might be a stretch on budget), Whitley Bay, Monkseaton, Gosford (might be a stretch re budget).

Twizbe · 18/12/2021 12:57

I think work first and go from there.

As a teacher you probably want to be in an area where there are quite a few towns around to maximise the amount of jobs available. Too rural and you'll either be commuting far or not find a job. The midlands would be good for this.

For your husband, what industry is he in? Are there centres for that industry around. WFH for now needs to be considered as a 'for now' and not perm. If he were to lose his job in the future would he be able to find another in a commutable distance. My DH is in finance and jobs in his sector are in London. While he's WFH at the moment and has requested to stay that way, if he moved job he might not be offered that.

Looking at those things might help you decide whether it's a cheaper part of the SE or a bigger move you can take.

gogohm · 18/12/2021 13:03

You can buy here in North Somerset, what you get depends a lot on how close to Bristol you are (closer is more expensive) but we paid £370k for a large 4 bed a year ago, there were 3 beds in your price range, excellent schools and only 30 mins to centre of Bristol

meadowbleu · 18/12/2021 13:20

I'd second researching jobs and narrowing down search areas from there.

The Wirral might be a good idea as you have access both to coast and countryside and also transport networks.

Example houses.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113747102#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115884632#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/112638629#/?channel=RES_BUY

EducatingArti · 18/12/2021 13:30

I grew up in Stroud and still have family connections.
It is a beautiful area - something that I did not really appreciate fully until I went to Uni in London
Stroud is a very lively market town with an award winning farmers' market. It is on a decent train line to London if you need that.
The surrounding valleys are extremely beautiful ( eg Laurie Lee's Slad - but that is by no means the only lovely village) and the tops of the hills are NT common land that is open to everyone. Great for walks, kite flying and amazing views.
There are amazing walks to do pretty much on your doorstep.
There are some excellent schools ( would particularly recommend Foxmoor Primary School but there are others).
It still has a partial grammar school system and the boys and girls grammars have a very good reputation, but there are good comprehensives in the area also.
It gives an excellent balance between lively things going on in the town and beautiful rural lifestyle.
You would only be able to afford cheaper 3 beds at your £300k budget so no picture perfect cottage in a chocolate box village, but even the cheaper areas still have such attractive countryside on the doorstep.
You should be able to get something that you could add value to in a reasonable area. I'd recommend visiting for a weekend.

tallywag · 18/12/2021 13:38

Or what about this one near Cromer - lovely spot and could do B&B if you wanted?
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/113450201#/?channel=RES_BUY