AIBU to not know where the hell in the south of England we should live for the next couple of years?

[crazycatlady]

OK, so we have recently sold our London house (couldn't afford to keep it) and are currently staying with family in Woking. Ultimately we will end up in Cornwall but we don't think we are 100% ready to make the move immediately so want to rent somewhere in the meantime. We thought we would rent in Woking to be close to family but we absolutely hate it here (both grew up here).

I spend hours on Rightmove scouting out rental properties in random parts of the country. I feel lost and cross about the whole bloody thing right now tbh. Staying with family can only be a short term thing (for obvious reasons).

This is more of a WWYD I guess. I need help with the options. So WWYD?

• rent in Woking and just suck it up until we're all ready to move to Cornwall in 2-3 years?
• go to Cornwall anyway and rent there as a 'trial' run? (I am worried about being far away from London as DS is currently being tested for genetic disorders)
• rent somewhere nicer in Surrey, e.g. Reigate, Tadworth
• rent somewhere inbetween, e.g. near Exeter
• something else we haven't thought of

My work is sporadic and locationless (run my own consultancy) and DH is officicially a home worker but travels a lot. Mostly one nighters. If we moved away from Surrey he would be away Tues am to Thurs pm every week.

We have an almost 3 year old and an 8 month old. I want to be settled somewhere well before we need to think about school applications.

HELP!

Portishead, clevedon, bath, north/north east Somerset are nice and only couple hours from London

West Berkshire but close to Reading Borough. Plenty of jobs - many IT based, good transport communication and good schools in West Berkshire (some of them get pupils to Oxbridge and Red Brick). Not too far from Woking, is it? lenty of good standard accommodation to rent.

Ooh Somerset... what's public transport like? DH often uses train to get to London and up north. Bath good I guess...

Don't know West Berks at all other than pretty countryside. Is Newbury in West Berks?

Would you settle in a completely new area even if you knew it was only for 2-3 years?

Whereabouts in cornwall will you be? I would probably head down to cose to where you will ultimately be, to settle into the area, meet people, mother and baby groups etc so you have a network of friends and a good idea of schools etc before your DC are of school age. Trains to london from devon are normally 4.5 hours (depending on where you are) so although not great, certainly don't take forever....

We're in the Dorset coast. Mainline train to London in approx 1.5 hrs, lovely area.

Newbury is West Berks and is lovely. I used to live in Reading and thought Newbury and the surrounding areas were beautiful. Reading itself not so nice though.
My DP and I move every year - 2 years to completely new areas and love it. We have such a wide circle of friends now and it never gets boring. With the ages of your children there wouldn't be too much disruption to their lives either as they wouldn't need to move schools.
Go and have an adventure!

Yes, Newbury is the chief town in West Berks - that's where the Council Offices are.

The eastern part of West Berks is so near Reading where the IT work is although there is more a bit further west. The point is that Reading is a transport / communication centrepoint for railways, buses, coaches,you name it. A fast or slow train to anywhere and a bus non stop to Heathrow, National Express to anywhere as well.

Have a look at Ilminster. it looks like a fab place to live - we have gfriends who have relocated there and are so so happy

Ninky not many places I'd leave my forest for but the Dorset coast is one of them. Be a love and pick us up a jar of salt caramel from the Mill Tea Room next time you're in Lyme Regis, would you? Ta.

We'll be north Cornwall coast crispface, nr Wadebridge. Not exactly a metropolis but lovely area.

I'm worried about being lonely down there if we move now as DH will need to be away tues-thurs and my mum and her partner can't move down until she has sold her properties, found a job and no longer have my 93yr old grandma to consider.

Hence looking for a stopgap. Trickier than I thought. Being property-free gives us great freedom but I'm not sure what to do with it!

We'll need to do school apps this time next year won't we?

New Forest area, west Hampshire/Dorset coastline would be my recommendations. Beautiful, lots going on, not isolated at all, great schools and activities for little ones, sailing/riding/cycling and easy links to London.

I currently live in Exeter and I love it. The smaller towns around here like Dawlish, Exmouth and Exminster are all lovely too, especially if you're fond of the sea. Or the area around Exmoor if you're more rural.

If you want to be closer to London for the time being (and I'm not just saying this because I'm from there and missing it slightly), I'd suggest Sussex. Easy transport links to London but far out enough that it's not in the dreaded commuter belt and has its own character. West Sussex is gorgeous, deep, rural and not a motorway in sight. East Sussex (where I'm from) has amazing coastline and the area in and around Brighton is really diverse and creative. House prices are also cheapish by comparison to Surrey. Did I mention its beautiful and the food's amazing and it's got bags of history? (Breathe, Canny, Breathe...)

The trains are good on Somerset, Taunton has a major station that most trains in the area stop in. There are also excellent coach services to London.

Its a nice town as well and near enough to Bristol and Exeter for days out. Ok shopping and countryside close by.

If your aim is Cornwall then I would do it now but rent until you are sure you have the right location. You will soon have to think of schooling for your 3 year old so now would be a good time. If you need to travel to appointments in London for your son you could always stay and with family in Woking.
Why up-route your family twice moving somewhere that you don't intend to stay?

a nice village around Winchester? Winchester a bit poncey, but only an hour from London (commutable) and not bad really. Schools in Hampshire are good. New Forest nearby.

Or around Salisbury? (1.5 from London)

....seems I have a thing for cathedral cities, not sure why...

Sooo not what you're looking for but we're t'up north (York area) and it is fab. You can rent a 4 bed house for less than you would pay for a 1/2 bed apartment in London and it's less than a 2 hour train ride to London. Fab schools too. I will stop talking now as this is so off topic and you are looking in the south but, really, the north is just as good!

We may pop into Lyme Regis at the weekend Vivi, I'll think of you! We're a bit further East, still very lovely.

Ninky, Bridport?

I love West Dorset. I won't mention it though because I don't want it to become too popular.

And Purbeck.

We did consider West Dorset for a while. Lovely area. But DH needs intercity train links, for the time being at least.

Sussex I absolutely love. Is it cheaper than Surrey, really?

York is fab. Put it south of the M4 and I'd be there like a shot.

Winchester is a good call for trains etc.

Anywhere on the Weymouth line into Waterloo

We relocated to Taunton from London 4 years ago and love it. Unspoilt countyside right on the doorstep, cheapish property, right on M5 so 2 hrs to Cornwall or Birmingham by car, 1hr 50 fast train into London, 30 mins to Bristol and 50 mins to Exeter for decent shops. Only downside is crap internet (I work from home) but things are looking up as we are getting superfast in March - yay!

I'd move to Cornwall as a trial run if it were me. I'm a little biased though because I love it there