How to best choose a new place to live

[Oldtimemusichall]

Hi all. I'm shortly going to be part- relocating back to the UK; initially this will be a base, as I also have a small house in Spain, but the UK place might become my main living place in future. With stamp duty and so on, I'd like to get it right first time, although finances mean that realistically I may well move again in a few years time. It'd be just for me initially although I'd like q guest bedroom.

I previously lived in South Shields, Outer London/Surrey/Kent borders and in Oxford. I am acquainted with a few areas of London, although in general I found London stressful and mostly out of my budget. I won't be returning to South Shields (was there for work only, although it was a nice place, I want somewhere I have a connection to)

My criteria are:
-a place that has good transport links, especially to visit/receive guests. Most of my existing UK friends are in and around London, 1 near Bristol, Hampshire, some abroad. I can see 2 of the London friends relocate abroad too in the next few years, they are talking about it
-a location that would allow me to meet new people and join clubs etc. My interests are mainly cultural- talks, classical and rock music events, walks, history etc.
-I usually feel better in places that have, in the words of a writer I recently read "something of the eternal about them"
-good hospitals- health ok now, but for the future
-good academic schools in case I look at a part time teaching job

At the moment Headington just outside Oxford and Surrey/Kent/London borders are top of my list. It seems to me Oxford and London house prices generally track each other so I'd hope that plumping for one wouldn't exclude a future move to the other if I wanted to.

Would be interested in your thoughts

West Sussex. South Downs for walks, coast for the beach and sea, plenty of events of all types, museums, especially the Novium in Chichester and Amberley. Arundel for the castle, quaint streets, tea shops, Chichester Festival Theatre, Minerva Theatre, the Mayflower in Southampton, Portsmouth Dockyard and Gunwharf Quays, plus Spinnaker Tower.

Trains from Chichester, Barnham, to London, Southampton, Brighton and all stops in between. Train to Gatwick if you need it. West Sussex has more sun than other counties and there are lots of villages if you want to be out of the towns to live, but with decent transport links to Chi.

Should add that there’s St Richard’s NHS Trust in Chi, Brighton hospital, Portsmouth and Southampton University Trust.

Plenty of schools in the area, both state and independent, including the Prebendal School in Chi- the cathedral school.

Thanks that's helpful, Even when the place mentioned isn't the one you choose, looking and thinking about it can be good. Chichester and W Sussex seems nice but perhaps for me, I'm better off in the Oxford M40-M25-Caterham corridor, mainly due to knowing people there.

It isn't ever possible to fully know the future and make your decision based on that. Part of me would prefer to relocate abroad, but southern Europe is certainly too hot in summer and I'd like to retain NHS access. Wherever I'd go I'd be looking to meet new people as well as retain existing friends, so sometimes I think I'm better off biting the bullet and buying somewhere reasonable for now, then seeing where any future work projects/personal life take me.

I already know the Caterham and surrounding area. I found the countryside and London access extremely good, but didn't quite ft in locally. Could have been coincidence but I found it quite a conservative area, with people mainly interested in outward appearances and social status earned through a perception of wealth (did you hear about Jemima's daughter- she's earning INSERT FIGURE DESIGNED TO IMPRESS over on INSERT LOCATION DESIGNED TO IMPRESS). Then again, if most of your friends are scattered, does it matter where you live as long as you're mobile?