To think Yeovil can't be that bad?

[MissCherryCakeyBun]

We are looking at buying a house in Yeovil and when we try and research on the internet it seems people would rather pull their own nails out than live there....it can't be that bad can it? Looking at crime rate maps only tells part of the story and obviously we wouldn't buy in high crime areas.
OH having lived in Enfield ( not the wealthy part) for a good few years and I lived for 20 years in a high crime area in social housing ( 5 murders/ suspicious deaths) in 20 years within a mile of my house we are used to the more challenging side of life.

It's very hard to move nearly 4hrs drive away without knowing the area, we can't afford to rent in the area first either. Are we being unreasonable to just go with the flow and move ignoring the people who says it's awful and it's the worst place to live in the West Country ?

Phone a proper broker like London and Country, and talk through your options. There is no reason you couldn't get a small mortgage just because of your ages

I grew up near Yeovil, and it was pretty grim. And back then, it even had a dry ski slope!

If you have to be on the train line, I'd look at Templecombe and Sherborne as much better options (first is a village, second is a small town)

I know a good mortgage broker - cooper associates in Taunton. They are very good.

Trowbridge or melksham?

Mightymucks love it

OP, to your original question - yes it is. Surrounding villages though lovely. Not Y itself.

MightyMucks

Sherborne is much nicer.
Yeovil isn’t so bad, I think what it is though is that the surrounding areas are so much nicer that by comparison it looks shitty.

You won’t get jack for 150 in Sherborne!

Oh I missed the £150 bit.

That’s won’t get you far.

I live in Yeovil & I have to say it wasn't our 1st choice but with a very limited budget & DC1 on the way we needed somewhere to live. There are much nicer places to live around the Yeovil area, but if you're tied to a budget it's not a totally bad place. There are areas of Yeovil that are less desirable than others but having said that, find me any large town where that doesn't apply?!

Oh you can get this. Lenthay Road, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6AB
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64040251.html

Why Yeovil??
Forest of Dean has quite a few 2 bed places for less than £150k, not a bad drive to London and a nice place to live in terms of countryside.
Not a huge amount of good jobs (need to commute to Bristol or Gloucester really) but if you already have jobs that isn’t an issue.

OP, I don't come from Kensington- far from it, but when I say I'd rather emigrate if need be than live in Yeovil, I'm being serious.

How big does the house need to be? If you only need 2-beds & 1 reception room there’s this one in Bruton. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53710920.html
Bruton’s a very pretty place and a railway line to Bath and from there you can get to London.

How about Wellington? Lots of cheap places there, lots of new houses around North Petherton which isn't too bad as well.

Somerset is a lovely place to live, great access to Devon and Cornwall, great weather, close to Bristol and Exeter, beautiful country side and beaches, Yeovil is a bit rough though 😉

Nothing wrong with Yeovil. Taunton probably has better rail links to the rest of the country

Welwyn Garden City?

Trains from Yeovil would normally mean 1 or 2 changes. Have you considered other locations along the M4 corridor with direct trains to Paddington?

Shadwell in London?

London and County arranged a 15 year mortgage for us so the mortgage was finished when dh turned 60. They had no issues with it, and it wasn't small either!

Trains from Yeovil would normally mean 1 or 2 changes

Surely it depends if you go from Yeovil Junction or Pen Mill

Chippenham has direct trains to London Paddington in 1 hour 15 mins. And the M4 link.

Yeovil Junction goes direct to Waterloo.

I have visited Yeovil on occasions and it seems ok. Good luck with the move

Chard isn't the greatest place in the world, but it's cheap and cheerful and I'd rather live in Chard than Yeovil personally