To ask where I could move to to get on the property ladder??

[PleasantPheasant]

I need to move if I ever want to afford more than just a room in a shared house. I am single, so one income and earn less that 23,000 GBP gross. I desperately want to be able to afford a place of my own, eventually 2-3 bed. At the moment in my town I can only afford an 8 sq m room in a shared house, so you see why I need to move.
I'm quite able and willing to move, I've moved around all over the place during my 20s but I'd like to settle wherever I go next and I don't really have ties anywhere in this country so nowhere jumps out at me.
So - inspire me?! I'm looking for somewhere cheap to live, but not in a city or industrial place. I would love to live near the sea or lakes, out in the country but not too far from a small town - 30-40 mins say.
I only need a small place, bungalow, mobile home, cabin, but need to be able to afford the land it stands on, or a small cottage/bungalow/tiny house.
I'm looking to rent somewhere again for now - on my salary I can't afford to pay much over 600/month if I ever want to save. I would consider anywhere in the UK, currently looking at Wales and Scotland as they seem cheaper? AIB totally naive to think I will ever be able to move out of this grotty room??

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?searchType=SALE&locationIdentifier=REGION%5E61338&insId=2&radius=0.0&minPrice=&maxPrice=50000&minBedrooms=2&maxBedrooms=3&displayPropertyType=&maxDaysSinceAdded=&_includeSSTC=on&sortByPriceDescending=&primaryDisplayPropertyType=&secondaryDisplayPropertyType=&oldDisplayPropertyType=&oldPrimaryDisplayPropertyType=&newHome=&auction=false

9 pages of 2-3bed properties in my area, all £50k and under. Even more if you'd settle for a one bed. And although we're not a jobs hotspot, work can be found.

I bought my first flat in London in my 20's. It needs total cosmetic refurbishment, but it was functional until I earned more. I was on lower wages then so had my brother go guarantor on a mortgage deed. I had a 10% deposit. I took in a lodger for a couple of years (it is tax free until the rent-a-room scheme) and lived on baked beans. I eventually did the place up, put in a new kitchen, bathroom and painted, carpeted...huge life skills learned and make a life-changing profit upon sale. It allowed me to buy a house outside London without a mortgage eventually (did up a few houses along the way making less profit to put capital together). Freehold properties are a good investment and estate agents will tell you about probate sales, wrecks etc as they keep list of people like builders who are looking for cheap development land. Leasehold is ok as well provided there is a long lease left. Just be careful of your obligations to contribute to the property (roof etc). Mobile homes are ok too, but again the lease can be relatively short (which has implications for re-sale, mortgages are hard to find and the landlord can impose high lease-fees if it is in a nice area, those sorts of developments are prone to sewer and flooding risk where I live now as put up on farming land with dodgy drainage). You could also think about 'tenants in common' purchase with a friend, where you both buy a share of a property. But be careful, because it could be tricky if you fall out...you have to be able to live together. The legal costs of forcing a tenants in common sale where the other party doesn't want to are eye-watering.

Wales

I live in a small village in the Valleys, but am only 20 minutes from three small towns and 40 minutes from Cardiff. I bought my 3/4 bed semidetached Edwardian house (4th bedroom is my office as its tiny) last April for £69,950. Little terraced houses cheaper again - especially if you get a fixer-upper.

North Shropshire is cheap look at Whitchurch and Wem but for value for money you won't beat County Durham

Take a look at Doncaster in Yorkshire. Lots of houses very reasonably priced and some areas are more countryside/river than others. It's also pretty close to York or Leeds if you need a city for your job.

Have you considered the Wirral? It ticks pretty much all of your boxes. Cheap, near the sea and some lovely beaches/scenery, but also really close (and decent transport links) to Liverpool and Chester.

We have family in Birkenhead and plan to move to that area within the next couple of years.

Work prospects I agree will effect the answer but personally I would be heading south west again, I miss cornwall but Devon is slightly better for work, aim to live somewhere within commutable distance to Plymouth as that's where it'll be easier to find work.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-57564877.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-57673498.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-44335416.html

OP as a result I have been browsing properties, and in spite of the original decoration, I now want to buy this.

www.propertypigeon.co.uk/property-search/crook/dl15-1795726937

I second the Welsh valleys - decent for commuting, lots of three bed houses for £50-60k.

Surely this has got to depend on work?

Staffordshire?
Its got countryside (National Forest and Cannock Chase), its got good rail links to Manchester, Birmingham, London, Liverpool etc
Its centrally located in the middle of the country so everywhere is accessible. Its got 'some' excellent schools, but its fair share of dreadful schools too.
Its cheap to live there.
This is in Uttoxeter which is a lovely market town. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-46424469.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-63857096.html

or maybe Rugeley?
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-57670321.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-63903533.html

Rural Penkridge?
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-57579583.html

This is a really lovely little village, Little Haywood,
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-57367882.html

Durham or Northumberland would be a great place to look - Durham would have a wider range of cheaper properties and it's not as sparely populated - it's ideally located in that you're close to the coast, not too far from countryside, Durham city centre is lovely and Newcastle is only 15 mins away, the public transport is brilliant so you'd find it easy to get around if you didn't drive. You can easily pick up 3 bed houses for £80-90k if you're willing to put a bit of work in to them.

brasty That definitely has potential, but my god the current decor is eye-watering!

I find it hard to believe the OP can earn anything like her current salary in some of the locations suggested which makes them untenable, whatever their price, surely?

People have put a lot of effort into posting here. I hope the OP hasn't skipped off to Timbuktu already.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41645670.html

Nottingham or Lincoln?

Harwich. Right by the sea. Charming architecture but very, very cheap. It's a very unloved town but it'll be on the up in the next five years as everywhere else in communities distance to London prices itself out of the market. Train line into London so commutable. Near to Colchester too. Good luck!

If the OP is on an NHS band or similar set up she could be paid her £23k salary all over the place. It is possible to earn above minimum wage outside the South East

Edgeley or brinninton in Stockport.

just over the water from Liverpool

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42168096.html

I live in Nottingham and it's very cheap in most parts. I rent for £425 a month, flats to buy around £80-90k for a nice 2 bed. We're about as far from the sea as you can get but lots of countryside if you venture out the city and not far from the peak district.

I live in the north west, my income is £25k. I have a 2 bed Victorian terrace with 2 receptions and a utility and it was £98k. I live 40 mins from Manchester, 20 mins from Lytham st Anne's beach.

I'd recommend having a good look at East Yorkshire as it is a) cheap if you look in the right parts and b) a nice place to live. You can easily earn an income of 25K or more around here, it just depends what type of work you're talking about.

Wow thanks for all the responses and ideas. I was quite keen on moving towards the South West but will seriously consider Wales as a good alternative. Durham, West Yorkshire etc great ideas too.
Yes it would be nice to earn a bit more, I am working on it. My wage is very low for the area I'm in but the same kind of work brings a similar salary all over the country and this is the sort of job that is in demand just about everywhere.