Relocating to East Sussex - advice needed pls

[Catsandfelix]

Hello

We are relocating from the North and need help figuring out where we should live.
Looking for somewhere no further than 1 hrs drive to Hailsham
Top budget is 800k, 3 beds
Need options for sixth form, independent or state
A town or city where a non driving family member won’t feel lost without a car, so near a town centre (15 min walk is fine)
Good for teenagers
Safe but with some atmosphere, cafes shops etc
Would like off road parking and or a garage
So far considering Eastbourne, Worthing but not sure. Like the look of Lewes and Tunbridge Wells, very expensive but look great for non driver and teenager.

Don’t know the area at all and is a huge move for us. Any advice or areas to look at or avoid would be gratefully received.

Eastbourne or Tunbridge Wells definitely.

Eastbourne, particularly old town and meads areas

East Grinstead perhaps?

Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks (if not too far). Eastbourne if the above are above price range

Don’t agree with the above - I’d not want a teenager in Eastbourne it’s way too boring! Lewes is a really good shout - we have raised children to adults all around East Sussex and honest to god don’t go to Eastbourne - it’s beautiful - but so sleepy … Worthing is also a good bet, but can also be sleepy … Go for Lewes

Eastbourne. If you need to be close to Hailsham then look at the Willingdon area. Meads is nice, and easier to walk to the town centre, but further away from Hailsham.

Battle is also a good choice if you want to try a friendly smaller town.

Lewes is lovely but is very expensive and I have heard it is less welcoming to outsiders.

The Meads area of Eastbourne is lovely (my ex used to live there so I’ve spent a bit of time there). It has its own little village but is well within walking distance of the town and the beach. It has had a reputation over the years for being God’s waiting room but there’s a much younger feel to it now. It still feels safer than Brighton of Hastings though.

I’ve just been browsing on Right Move for my lottery win house and noticed that there’s a semi detached, 4 bed, 2 bath house with a garage and driveway for 3 or 4 cars, currently up for £725,000. Denton Road. Less than a mile to the station. There’s loads to do there. It’s a really nice town. They do have an air show every August and it does get packed, but it’s only for the one weekend. And it’s very good.

Haywards heath might suit. 45 mins drive to Hailsham, great trains to London if that interests you. There are good schools, shops etc.

I lived in Seaford for years, I loved it. Beautiful scenery and south downs and loads of buses all day. Eastbourne can be very rough but just a short bus ride away. Avoid Newhaven, Peacehaven. Lewes is lovely but expensive but you should be ok with that budget.

There is much more for a teenager to do in Eastbourne than Lewes.... I love Lewes but it would be dull for a teenager unless you get the train to Brighton.

I’m surprised by the suggestion the Lewes is good for the young! It’s quite old in demographic. But there is a short train ride to Brighton and that’s fun for teens. London also east to get to on the train.

East Sussex and into Kent varies a lot! As above, Worthing, Eastbourne, Peacehaven are all quite dull and full of old codgers

Newhaven is a small and rough, Hastings is bigger and a bit rougher!

You have a good budget, so you'll have to decide to either get a really nice house in a nice part of e.g. Hastings; or get a smaller less desirable house in a better town like Lewes or the T-Dub.

Personally I'd go T-Dub, but I'm biased!

Uckfield. or Lewes if they really need a bigger town .

I am 5 miles north of Uckfield where there are more sheep than people which is my ideal. Just made sure they all drove within a few months of moving .

'Tis breathtakingly beautiful.
Hailsham, Is NOT neither is Eastbourne .

Have you looked at Mayfield ? Perfect idyllic village with a proper high st, fab girls school (boarding and day) and great bus services to TW and Hailsham .

Massively appreciate everyone’s comments. Struggling to find anything in our budget, that would be please everyone, in TW or Lewes.
A huge part of our search is to accommodate the non driving aspect (they won’t ever be able to drive). Want them to feel having a car isn’t the be all and end all, so walking distance to a high street or centre is key, and that obviously makes things expensive.
It’s completely opposite to what we are used to! Towns here are cheaper, further out more expensive.

@MIBnightmare no haven’t heard of Mayfield. Will look, thank you.
Where you live sounds very similar to where we live now. Beautiful but too rural to get around without driving.

@Mummysalwaysright is T-Dub Tunbridge Wells? Yes, you’re right but husband wants a drive and garage, which is making it harder!

Yes T-Dub is Tunbridge Wells!

If you want a garage etc. you will need to go to a less nice / further out part of TW which then doesn't help with the wanting to be near the town centre side of things.

Or you could bite the bullet and go down to Hastings and get a huge / really nice place for that sort of money. We know a few people who have done that and they seem to like it, though they are the type of people with loads of tattoos who like the edgy-seaside-town-motorbike-fighting sort of thing that Hastings seems to be known for.

Definitely avoid Eastbourne / Peacehaven as they are total God's waiting room places.

What about Hove? These houses in on budget and has a drive and garage:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131396606#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/133822331#/?channel=RES_BUY

I don't have any experience when it comes to secondary schools there though, but our friends kids go to a really nice primary there.

Love lewes and not far from brighton so teens will be happy! Gorgeous countryside, lovely town, not far from city etc.

@Mummysalwaysright thanks, I think! I was hoping there was an in between area for us. We don’t have a million for TW but equally don’t have loads of tattoos or like fighting with motorbikers. Maybe Gods waiting room is safer.

@nachotemple looks lovely but maybe too pricey for us. Are there any areas in Lewes within a 15 min walk of the centre, that you would recommend pls?

I'd go for Bexhill-on-Sea then.

Only joking - I think maybe Lewes or Hove as someone upthread suggested might be better... It's hard to think of somewhere where there is enough happening for teenagers and good walking access to the town etc. vs. being too much going on to want teenagers being there!

@Snoken thank you very much, will have a look. Need to see how close they are to the centre/high street.

Eastbourne is great, as people mentioned Meads or Old town, might be a better option. I wouldn't recommend Hastings or Newhaven.

Thank you @Wildandwonderful and @Nagado. Meads may be a good option. What you be happy with your teens walking into and hanging out in Eastbourne? I am unsure if it’s rough or they may be bored to death by OAPs 😬