AIBU to think leaving London for a new city is preferable to the suburbs?

[jumpyfrog]

I'm a born & raised Londoner (SW), husband the same (SE). We currently live in SW London & in the catchment of an outstanding school. As my mum is 10 mins walk & inlaws 10 min drive we also have a great support network & have 1 day of childcare plus babysitting provided by them.

However looking to the next few yrs we really would like a bigger property & perhaps try for DC3. 90% of our friends have moved out to either zone 5 (Sutton, Bromley, S.Croydon) or to surrounding counties (Kent, Surrey, Sussex & Essex) & this seems to be the natural step.

AIBU to hate the idea of moving to the suburbs/countryside & thinking moving to another city would be better for me?
I've always lived within 10 mins walk of the high street & the tube & cant stand the idea of driving everywhere. Obviously jobs are an issue but I run a small online business & my husband would still get a decent salary in areas such as Bristol.

Has anyone moved from London to a new city? was it a good decision? where did you go?

@jumpyfrog - sorry I didn't see your question till now.

I have a real soft spot for Broadstairs - its such a lovely beach and some nearby beaches like bontany bay and joss bay are my favourite.

Margate has really improved itself recently with the turner centre but the improved bit is really small.

but there really isn't much going on there - I think it you like city living, this is a place to visit for a day or two.

Appreciate your reply grass

Some parts of Margate have become very Shoreditchy with lots of London artsy types moving down there. Lots of artisan craftsman there, shabby chic is popular, reupholstery, vintage furniture restoration etc.

Just so you know I have artist friends who were pushed out of Brighton because of house prices and have congregated in Margate.

This is usually a reliable indication of forthcoming gentrification so Margate is a great call.

Enjoying this thread....and seeing that most people seem happy wherever they moved to....those who went to citities enjoy their lives, those who went to suburbs do, so do those who went to the Home Counties......it's really possible to build a life you enjoy wherever you go.

Of course, everyone has a bit of a gut feel too and doesn't go to somewhere they know they will hate - that would be daft.

Op, it sounds like with your budget you have lots of choice and don't actually have to move if you don't want to. There are always sacrifices and compromises to be made - you can definitely get a bigger house and still be in London - that would keep you close to your family and in the city you love. You don't need to go the suburbs or another city. Look closer to home and just be willing to be a bit flexible about areas and look at places you might not have considered before.

I grew up in Brighton. It is a nice place but I was glad to leave it when I was an adult. I agree with the PP who mentioned it being cliquy - I remember the pressure to be "alternative". I briefly dated a guy who was shocked, shocked that I didn't have any tattoos (this was in the days before so many young people had tattoos).

There is also a bit of a schools problem. The only secondary schools I can think of that are fairly central are Brighton and Hove School for Girls (private) and Cardinal Newman (Catholic). If you get offered a school that isn't the closest, there may be quite a journey (I remember friends having to get a bus into the centre of Brighton and then a second bus from the centre to the school). Quite a few people end up going private because of this - often people who aren't all that well off (and they find the fees a burden).

I agree with chocolate even though I love where I am now. With an 850, 000 budget you could move to a nicer area of proper London. We had the choice of paying a huge proportion of our income to struggle by on the outskirts of London or moving somewhere nice in another city and being mortgage free.

I'm not originally from the South East, but DH and I lived in SE london for years, then moved to Kent for space, we didn't have the pull to stay of family though.

I would say moving within London that takes you away from family and increases work commutes seems a pointless decision, you might as well have that time on a fast train in from Kent/Essex and have more space.

My first port of call would be to look at where your friends have moved out to, if they have picked town locations where you can walk to the station (with relatively fast commutes), school and shops etc, then I would think it would be worth starting from a situation of knowing someone.

It's also worth pointing out, London does have a very different culture to most other parts of the country, you probably can't recreate the "London lifestyle" in a cheaper city, you'd have a very different lifestyle anyway. (And different doesn't mean worse, just different, don't presume you can have the choice of "another city so continue my current lifestyle or outside M25 and have the suburbain lifestyle", it would be a new way of life either way).

Are your jobs flexible to relocate?

Cambridge - best of worlds worlds! Especially little villages within 3 miles of city which r cheaper! Cambridge still commutable and easy reach of the big L.O.N.D.O.N too

Really appreciate all the comments & advice. We are actually going to try & visit Broadstairs on the weekend just to get a vibe.

CruCru My younger sister lives in Hackney & thinks she's too cool for school & sooo individual but when I trek over to her everyone looks the same.

Invisiblekitten Yes that's what I fear re moving within London but it might be easier when the kids are a little older. Re jobs I have a small online business so very flexible. DH would either commute or get same role for less in another city. E.g 50-60k in Bristol.