Where in the UK should we move to??

[ifihavetomove]

Do you live somewhere affordable and nice? Where do you recommend?

NCed as I know some people on here and not up to discussing this in person yet. My DH and I both born and raised in Sussex but with our incomes and the housing market we will need to move if we want to buy a home - we rent at the moment and have a 1 year old DC.

We can move anywhere, I'm a primary teacher and he's a dog trainer. We both work part time on different days in order to do childcare ourselves, we earn around 30k between us. (Total not each). We've known this was coming so we've been saving well, had a cheap registry wedding, no holidays etc and with good savings accounts and some help from family over the years we'll have about a 70k deposit.

We both have Help to Buy ISAs which means we'll get given 25% of what we've saved - if the property is maximum 250k, so this is our budget. We're not picky about where we live, we'd love to get as much garden as possible as we love to grow our own food. We don't mind where as long as decent schools nearby and ok size house with a garden. Happy to do work on a place.

I'm looking and looking and just don't know where to narrow my search. Honestly I'm sad we have to move at all as our whole lives are in Sussex, our family, friends, memories, favourite places...but with our jobs, wanting more kids in future, and the housing costs in Sussex, we just can't stay. So - recommend me places! Where is nice?

Do you want 3 beds? How far from Sussex are you prepared to go? What could you compromise on?

I live near Newark, Notts. You can get a nice 3 bed detached for about £240k. The town is a nice market town with lots to see and so e nice shops. Can get the train to Nottingham, Lincoln or Grantham. Only 1.5hrs on the train to Kings Cross London.
easy access to Peak Dist, or the Lincs coast.

Is a 2 bed you are looking for?

Northern Ireland? You can get an Irish/Eu passport with 5 years

Prob more dog walking opportunities nearer to Dublin but as a primary teacher difficult to get employment without Irish.

@wonderstuff 3 bed would be better for future children but could do 2 bed and try to extend in future. Happy to move anywhere in the UK. Not sure what else we can compromise on as the only thing I said we wanted was a garden

@TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams I have looked into this as have some Irish family, but primary teachers in Ireland need to know the Irish language to leaving cert. level which I do not! Could study it with an online course or something?

@Twospaniels thank you I will look into the area!

You could get a 3 bed in Basingstoke with a garden. But it would be an ex council house, not in the nicest parts of town, but good schools, good connections, lots of work options.

Lincolnshire is pretty cheap. Do your research, though. Some of it is cheap for a reason.

"@TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams I have looked into this as have some Irish family, but primary teachers in Ireland need to know the Irish language to leaving cert. level which I do not! Could study it with an online course or something?"
Which is why I recommended NI as it's not required and your qualifications should be fully recognised. BUT long term, for retirement, for your kids to go to Uni
In U.K., NI , the Irish republic and the Eu - they will have options.

Scotland. That budget could get you a lovely property and massive garden. Lots of choice really.

Another suggestion for Scotland, here's what you could get:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125521373#/?channel=RES_BUY

Having also lived in Sussex though, you might find the weather a shock in comparison!

I haven't seen any nice 3 bed properties with a massive garden in a nice area in Scotland. I looked near areas I had previously worked in and where I have family, gardens were small or over 450k and prices are up to 30% over ask.

House prices have gone crazy. This time a year ago 250k would buy you a 6 bed 4 acre house in the north east (slight exaggeration, but you get my point)

This is probably the biggest house that doesnt need work if you like grey i can find: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125671667#/?channel=RES_BUY

Peterborough

I moved to Suffolk recently from Essex, house prices are so much more affordable here, couldn't even afford a bedsit in Essex nowadays for what I paid for my house here, good luck in your house search.

Scotland will always get my vote. This is in a nice wee village near me. Loads and loads of teaching vacancies up here. www.aspc.co.uk/search/property/410243/25-St-Michaels-Crescent/Stonehaven/

(Realistically I think you should stay closer to Sussex with all the ties you have there, but…)

Here's 80 3 bed detached houses with gardens in Aberdeenshire. In the more popular areas they'll be fixer uppers at that price, but you can get a relative bargain if you go more rural.

ASPC property website

(Personally, I wouldn't ever move to Croy - in that rightmove link).

Wales! Pembrokeshire

Devizes might be affordable? It’s ok

Shrewsbury is an excellent city. Beautiful, more affordable,

Aberdeenshire is lovely and relatively cheap.

This is an example of a house within your budget.

www.aspc.co.uk/search/property/409152/6-Bellwood-Road/Aboyne/

Have you considered Shropshire/Staffordshire ?

Normally I always suggest NI on threads like this but you won’t get a permanent job as a primary school teacher here, it’s so competitive even supply isn’t easy. Unless you had a job offer it wouldn’t be a good idea.

If you're primary, I'd be looking at areas with a dearth of primary teachers, before you set your heart on a place.

Dumfries www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125995400#/?channel=RES_BUY half hour train to Carlisle then I think so about 3.5 hours to London

Bath or Bristol