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Original poster

Where would you relocate (England)?

27 replies

IKnowAPlace · 20/12/2023 23:02

I've been thinking about relocating on and off for a few years now and have thought about it almost daily for the last six months so it's time to do some research.

Current set up is - live in Glasgow (single, mid 30s), mostly work from home with monthly travel to three cities in England, have a small dog, currently don't drive/have a car. Current mortgage ends summer 2025 so that's the timeframe I'm thinking of. No family here (from NI), nice network of friends though. I work in Financial Services.

If I stay with my current employer, I'd need to be within easy commuting distance of:

  • Bristol
  • Leeds
  • Manchester
  • London (not really considering this as an option due to £££)

Ideally I'd like a home with a private secure garden for the dog, decent transport links/amenities within walking distance and some social options (pubs, book clubs etc.)

I could also work towards a new role/relocation.

I've discussed this with friends and everyone has very different opinions so thought opening it up to the amazing hive mind of mumsnet might help!

OP posts:
Original poster
IKnowAPlace · 20/12/2023 23:03

Should add - I'd be willing to spend £300-350k on a property

OP posts:
HairdryerMary · 20/12/2023 23:07

Bristol is great. Do you like food and live music? £350k would get you a nice two bed in a good area or a three bed in a less nice area like where I am. Downsides are drugs, weed is everywhere, litter and trains to London aren't great.

HairdryerMary · 20/12/2023 23:08

Also our buses are crap but you can cycle on the cycle track easily to town. Take that into account when choosing a property.

ACynicalDad · 20/12/2023 23:10

I was waiting for my mortgage to end, and it was pointed out to me that the £1k early repayment charge I was trying to avoid was going to be dwarfed by the amount house prices were rising, and your current one is probably portable anyway. Just worth thinking it through if that's your only reason.

Cowsontheloose · 20/12/2023 23:10

Barnsley. Great for Leeds and Manchester although not Bristol. 300k will get you a 4 bed detached.
Love it here

Easipeelerie · 20/12/2023 23:11

I’d stay in Glasgow. It seems so much more interesting to me than English cities.

Namechangedworriedmama · 20/12/2023 23:12

I loved Scotland more than English personally. Glasgow especially. So id personally stay if I were you.

SlB09 · 20/12/2023 23:13

Newcastle if fab! Great housing prices, easy rail access to main cities, airport aswell if you fly for work (or home, lots of flights to NI and lots of NI people move here), great food and drinks scene, only 2 and abit hours from glasgow.

There's obviously a reason your getting itchy feet!

MrsMoastyToasty · 20/12/2023 23:14

Prices in parts of Bristol are second only to London and Bath so it really depends on what you want in terms of space and area.

HairdryerMary · 20/12/2023 23:16

@MrsMoastyToasty a lot of Bath is cheaper than Bristol now. It's Manchester that rivals London now

Original poster
IKnowAPlace · 20/12/2023 23:18

@Easipeelerie I do love Glasgow but I've lived here for 15 years now and want to explore the idea of somewhere new. Edinburgh might be the end result if I change job!

OP posts:
Original poster
IKnowAPlace · 20/12/2023 23:21

@ACynicalDad I hear you - I think I'm using that as a rough deadline because I was planning on moving then anyway. Gives me a year to visit potential new areas too!

OP posts:
DramaticBananas · 20/12/2023 23:51

Birmingham. It is central for good transport links to all the places you mentioned. You could get an affordable home in a good area with your budget. It has a lively center and is close to some beautiful countryside.

Original poster
IKnowAPlace · 20/12/2023 23:59

@DramaticBananas we do also have an office in Birmingham, actually...

OP posts:
Moveoverdarlin · 21/12/2023 00:03

I would vote for Bristol. I disagree when a previous poster said trains to London weren’t great. There’s two major stations (Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads) and trains to London go every half hour, takes about 1 hr 20 mins in to Paddington.

Isanyonereallyanonymous · 21/12/2023 00:07

I was going to say Birmingham (or surrounding areas) too - accessible for all the office locations given, vibrant city and property within budget.
Although personally I do love Manchester but Manchester to Bristol might be a nightmare commute - I’m assuming at the moment you fly to most of them?

Original poster
IKnowAPlace · 21/12/2023 00:12

@Isanyonereallyanonymous I currently fly to Bristol (only need to go here a few times a year ATM - that airport is a disaster!) and get the train to Leeds or London.

OP posts:
Original poster
IKnowAPlace · 21/12/2023 00:13

@Moveoverdarlin my colleagues from there have mainly just said the trains are really expensive rather than bad but maybe there are lots of delays or cancellations.

OP posts:
TwinklingLightsEverywhere · 21/12/2023 00:13

I realise you live in a big city and everyone is mentioning cities, is that where you want to be?

Plenty of nice towns or even villages around manchester/Cheshire with decent trains to your commuting cities and you'll get more for your money instead of competing with those who want to be able to walk to work or home from big clubs.

DramaticBananas · 21/12/2023 00:13

That's handy to have an office there already. I'd have a look at Bournville and Edgbaston for starters. Lots of great properties within budget and a good community feel in those areas.

MiddleagedBeachbum · 21/12/2023 00:16

Carlise - fab city, but only 45 mins to Lakes, good train links and very cheap still!

Original poster
IKnowAPlace · 21/12/2023 00:46

@TwinklingLightsEverywhere I'd be up for looking at commuter towns as long as they aren't just housing estates with a train station. I currently live in a very residential city area so great transport links but it's essentially houses and a supermarket. Nice areas are walkable in around 45-60 minutes but I rarely bother now!

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TheBeesKnee · 21/12/2023 00:59

I personally really liked Bristol. It's small though.

Leeds and Birmingham are undergoing a bit of a building boom at the moment and I think I'd rather gouge my eyes out than live on a perpetual building site.

piscofrisco · 21/12/2023 04:04

Sheffield. (Or surrounding areas of Derbyshire)

Beezknees · 21/12/2023 06:09

I'd look at Derbyshire/Nottingham. Biased because I live here, but property prices are reasonable compared to a lot of the country and it's central. There are direct trains to London, Manchester and Leeds and they're all less than 2 hours away.