To move up north for a big but cheap house!

[dancingmonkey]

Just that really. I l live in Hertfordshire- south east and very expensive part of Uk. Budget is around £270,000 and around here that will get me a small 2 bed/ poss 3 bed. But have looked at properties in York which I know is lovely and the will get me a 4/5 bed with massive garden, playroom, utility etc!

Has anyone on here moved far from friends and family to get more value for money on a house? did you regret? I have a 2 year old so obviously it would be hard to not see grandparents and friends but other that that not sure what I would miss! I also work from home so wouldn't need to worry about that.

Also why do you want a 5 bed? You have one DC. That Norfolk house has 5 bedrooms crammed in but small garden, one reception room, is a semi, nothing special. For family of your size I’d be keener for a house with lots of family space and three large bedrooms, four if you plan more DC. Lots of small homes add a loft conversion to gain one or even two bedrooms, garden and living space are harder to come by.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71676645.html

I was looking at this hose the other day and thinking -If that was in London it'd probably be 10 times more expensive.
But, the area is one I'd be 10 time less likely to want to live in - and it's actually not that far from where I do live now!

I'm surprised there haven't been any recommendations for the OP to (1) do some research, rather than randomly plugging numbers into Right Move, and to (2) check locations on a map!

the will get me a 4/5 bed with massive garden, playroom, utility etc!

Just looking within 1/2 mile of my house - two newly renovated 4/5 bed detached houses, with small gardens but they do have a study/playroom space have just on the market 1/4 mile from me - in the North for £1.1 million and another for 925k. A 15-20 year old 3 bed townhouse is around £350k+ and a 4/5 bed house of the same age is around £600k+ based on ones which have just sold in the last month.

Housing market in our city is very buoyant right now with houses selling very quickly.

To get a 4/5bed house for that budget you'd be on the edge of our city and/or in a less desirable area.

'Up North' isn't all cheap housing stock.

Not sure where you're getting a 5 bed house in York for beer £300k... they're cheap but not that cheap. Sounds like you'd be in the sticks or in a bad area

the north is an acquired taste is this meant to be a joke?If it's not, I would get out more.

Has anyone on here moved far from friends and family to get more value for money on a house?

We've moved for work and where we can afford to live - large part of that being house prices.

In our wondering we have at times ended up close to family - and for various reasons support wasn't on offer and we have been fine traveling back and forth to see them before this pandemic. So hasn't been a huge factor for us.

I'd factor schools and their catchmenets in and think bit more about what you need for work and then do a lot more research on possible areas and the amenities there. I've known many other make such moves and been happy and few who regretted it - so it's not a mad idea and I'd suggested a lot more research and few visits to see with your own eyes the areas.

A friend moved for exactly this reason. They are now about a three hour drive away. It has worked out very well for them, and they have made new friends, and come back to visit fairly regularly.

We are considering moving to the SE for similar reasons. We are, however, quite transient people. We both left at home for university, then moved for work and now live in a location that make commuting to all don easy. As a result, we are already an hour and half from one side of the family, and nearly three hours from the other. We have made friend here, so would make friends elsewhere.

This is a very personal decision, and only you know whether proximity to family etc is more important than the size of property, or vice verse.

you don't need to go far north to get more for your money

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-81770806.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71538501.html new build

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-94496789.html
new build semi

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-90508859.html

all within one hour and 20 from London

@MurielPritchett

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71676645.html

I was looking at this hose the other day and thinking -If that was in London it'd probably be 10 times more expensive.
But, the area is one I'd be 10 time less likely to want to live in - and it's actually not that far from where I do live now!

Wow that house is stunning, so much potential! But yes location is what let's it down, but then again that why it's so cheap! Always a compromise

Skerne is NOT near York, it is a tiny village, with non existent bus service in to nearby Driffield. Skerne has no shop, no school and I'm not sure if the 1 room village pub is still open. Driffield is a bit grim. I used to live quite close to this village and visited people there.Do be very careful with areas and look closely on maps etc

For the PP that suggested Dunnett Head how about this!

£290k got us a lovely 5 bed detached, large garden, home in a small East Yorkshire market town not all that far from Driffield with outstanding local schools. Pre-lockdown we commuted into York for work and previously lived in the city but couldn't get anywhere near as much house for our money in a nice area, so it was a trade off between commute and house size to accommodate our growing family. It's paid off currently as we're both working from home full time anyway!

but do seriously consider that fact that the weather is significantly colder and wetter

What a load of tosh! I do wish people would fact check.
Hereford annual rainfall 734mm, av temp 49.3F
Driffield annual rainfall 719mm, av temp 49.2F

@ivykaty44

you don't need to go far north to get more for your money

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-81770806.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71538501.html new build

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-94496789.html
new build semi

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-90508859.html

all within one hour and 20 from London

The one in rugby is lovely, thanks for those

I couldn’t live that far away from friends and family and essentially my entire support network.

I also echo other posters that for your budget in York it’s not going to be an amazing 5 bed in a nice area. In my town (also up north) a 5 bed with what you’ve described may go for that in a not great area but in a nice area with good schools you’d be looking at 450k+. There’s 2 miles max between the 2 areas so do your research first would be my advice.

I don't think the weather is as much a north/south thing as an east/west thing? Certainly in terms of rainfall anyway.

You don't need to go as far north as York to get a nice area where you can get more for your money. You could be much, much closer to family and friends.

We live in rural Leicestershire, very pretty area with National Trust homes and many other pretty villages & spa towns. We are within 30 mins of both Market Harborough & Leamington Spa (Nice towns) and under an hour on the train to central London. We paid just under 500k for an enormous grade II listed 5 bed in the centre of a lovely village. You can get 3 beds in the local villages for under 300k.

And before any of you Southerners come in with your ridiculous 'acquired taste' bollox, my DH is from a very middle class family, born in London, raised in Kent and he loves it here. He would never move back down south.

Oops mea culpa
Hertford av temp 50.4F

Without being rude, if you can buy a 3 bed for £270k in Herts, it must be a not nice bit of the county.

So, moving to the North must be tempting. But it's friends, family, the distance to London, schools and jobs that would keep me in Herts.

We are in an eye wateringly expensive bit of Hertfordshire, but the schools are fantastic and the area is really very nice. Plus 20 mins to central London on the train.

One word, Urmston.

here are some more words......there are no houses in York such as you describe ,for that kind of money.

I live "up north", desperate for a new pair of clogs but will have to wait a bit longer, just bought a 3 bed wreck for £330,000.

I'm from Herts and now live on Merseyside. I love it up here but even if I didn't I'd feel trapped because we'd have to pay more for a much smaller house.