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.

I’d go for Eastbourne too - agree it’s getting a bad/outdated press. Bede’s is excellent and Eastbourne College a good option too (both private).

I would live in the old town, lots of younger families moving in, nice coffee shops and restaurants a short walk away - I think it has a nice vibe. Loads of outdoorsy stuff to do. An art gallery. Good housing stock too, large period houses. You can also walk up to the downs and be in the countryside in no time. Lots of bus options too.

I much prefer it to Brighton which is so busy and grim of an evening. Although Brighton is much better for shopping.

Have told this story here before, moved to Lewes with DH and three kids. Friendly neighbours, nice house near the Downs, found it a bit insular tbh but we were generally happy, A couple of months in I got an anonymous letter in my letterbox, full on letters cut out of a newspaper and stuck down kind of thing. “Go back to where you came from, you and your ugly children”. We had moved from Brighton! Made the decision to emigrate to Aus very easy 😁

Totally agree about Bede's.. I have two children there.. both excelling in different areas but what I love best is the schools attitude - the pupil's happiness is paramount.. Pastoral care is second to none, agreed. (and I have experience in that area professionally.) Utterly great school and we have tried a few ..

@DoThePropeller brilliant, Eastbourne is coming out on top.
@Flatandhappy my god, shocking and totally weird. Hope you’re happy in Aus 😁
@Calliope23 you have been so helpful. Thank you.

Thank you everyone, you’ve all been so kind and helpful

I know these areas quite well.
Lewes hilly property very expensive, but good rail links
Newhaven rough, hilly, two railway stations, although you can get a lot of property for your money
Peacehaven flat but no centre to it, built in blocks, not somewhere I would like to live tbh.
Saltdean prices have become quite expensive due to the closeness to Brighton, quite hilly too. No rail stn.
Seaford fairly expensive property, nothing for teens, railway stn, yep agree there are buses, but if you want to go into Brighton or Eastbourne for the evening, it’s a PITA to get back. You can’t get a train to Eastbourne from Seaford, you would have to change at Lewes.
hailsham quite nice, rough in places, but it has shops etc. I don’t think there is a railway stn, polegate would be the nearest, possibly
Hastings roughest place you could imagine, it’s a such as their are some nice looking properties but wouldn’t recommend.
bexhill nice love the De La Warr close to Hasting but much nicer.
Alfriston is a lovely village but also is quite rough at the back, the nice part is expensive and prone to flooding, traffic and visitors in the summer cause a few issues, the village gets crowded.
Eastbourne, can be rough, I would rather my DS’ go to Brighton than Eastbourne tbh. Meads is very expensive for property now. Eastbourne old town I do like but parking can be problematic.

Ringmer near Lewes I like but nothing for teens, but it’s quite a nice village.
laughton nice but expensive, perhaps too far out, Lewes prices if not more.
Tunbridge Wells is lovely, expensive property, lovely for shopping.

have you visited these areas OP?

Forgot to say I not keen on Worthing either that traffic is abysmal. We relocated from the South Coast to Norfolk two years ago, the best move we ever made. So we have been in your position of weighing up pros and cons of each area, it strange isn’t it, we had three areas in mind but one that we favoured when we visited we knew it wasn’t for us as all, and went with our second option. Good luck with your move OP.

@Roselilly36 thank you. Some areas I’ve visited previously but before I intended to move there and many years ago. Flying visits. Will be going to look soon but it’s such a vast area; this thread has helped me narrow my search greatly.

Thanks OP it has been a really interesting thread. I assumed it was your older DC who was the non driver, if it's your Dad I think Eastbourne would suit you down to the ground. Lovely parks too.

@Goldencup to complicate things, he isn’t the only non driver. Your presumption has made everything you and others advised, very useful and relevant. Parks will be fab for our dogs , the cat can manage anywhere as the easiest member of the family. 😬 Thank god there is one easy member.
Best wishes Goldencup. Thank you

Eastbourne always gets a bad press on here, but I think from people who don't live here! It has changed a lot in recent years.
There are plenty of places to walk dogs!
As a rule look at BN20 and BN21 areas. That covers Old Town, Meads, Ratton and Willingdon.

Hastings also know for a lot of transient types and also the locals got antsy at the language students who just hung around town getting bored. Not causing any trouble but the oldies I think got a bit worried because these were "Not white foreigners". Always complaints in the local press. May have changed now.

I’d agree with all those that said Shoreham, I live near there and always think it would be a great place to live. Lots of independent cafes, shops, a beautiful beach, river and your close to the South Downs. It has quite an arty feel to it. Definitely have a closer look, you then have Lancing or Shoreham college if you want independent. It’s also close to Brighton which is great for teens.

What about the outskirts of Brighton? The centre can be pretty busy and full on, but property in Portslade, Hove, Southwick and other peripheral areas etc can all be found at more reasonable prices and are all within a short distance of the city centre.

Brighton itself is great but a bit hectic, full on - and expensive. But great for teens.

Definitely look at Bedes school for this. It is close to Hailsham but they bus children in from a large area including Eastbourne.

Forget parks, buy somewhere close to the Downs to walk your dogs. There are some fabulous dog walking places around Eastbourne - Downs, beaches (in winter) and forests. It doesn't get much better than this!

Something like this: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/132518195#/?channel=RES_BUY

@GaPlanter thank you, will certainly look in that area.
@nachotemple I think maybe Brighton may not be for us but we will explore the outskirts. Thank you
@Deathraystare Hasting is definitely out although I am sure, like everywhere, there are both good and bad bits.
@Wildandwonderful Bedes is top of the list! Good dog walks are a must. Only peace I get.
Love the house, the woodland is fabulous. Thank you very much

If i had a budget of £800k, there's no way, id settle for that. Tiny garden, tricky parking .

Agree, not sure why people are suggesting 500k houses for 800k budget. OP, I was probably harsh about Eastbourne, I'm sure there are many fun things there but I do stand by the fact that you will see many over 70's literally every time you leave the house 😉 I still believe Tunbridge Wells fits your criteria best but a lot of Kent and East Sussex are nice. Hope you find the best fit for you and your family x

@Harringtonperle 😂 that made me laugh; over 70’s everywhere I look! I appreciate what you mean. Love TW but it’s so expensive but I guess it’s desirable, so to be expected. If the driving aspect wasn’t a consideration, I would go TW but further out. Within a mile of the centre is £££.

Some pictures of shoreham beach this evening... literally covered in wildflowers- red valerian and beach mallow

@missfliss stunning 🤩

Gorgeous photos. So close to me but I don’t go to Shoreham beach often enough. Must visit again soon! I’m out the other side of Worthing and we do have our own lovely beach here but no flowers on our beach.

@waterlego more dominant at the fort end of the beach - really lovely. The season for them will end soon and the boardwalk on the shingle means much easier to enjoy. The Fort car park is free after 6 pm

Worthing, without doubt is worth considering, if I had your budget I would already be there!

It really isn't sleepy, I think that's quite an outdated view of the place. It's very clean, and pretty safe. It has lots of independent restaurants, Crudo on the seafront is amazing for Mexican street food and cocktails, Perch on the Pier is beautiful and well worth a look. Coast Cafe on the front is great, it has a rooftop bar and even in bad weather its lovely to watch the sea with a hot chocolate. We went in January and it was still busy, lots of locals enjoying the seafront and cafes.

There's also SUP groups and lessons, sailing, lots of pools...

A new record store just opened too, Audio Active is opening a new creative space with music production suites for young people. There is talk of restoring the Lido on the seafront which would be amazing.

Its only 20 minutes from Brighton, which is where you would head for a night out. There are tired bits of course, but the community seem to really look after the place.

Honestly is great, not perfect, certainly not "twee" but I would love to live there.