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.

Not up north as such (but it was for me 😂). I moved from the south east coast to the Midlands. My daughter was also 2 at the time and we moved away from family and friends. 20 years on we're still here and yes, house prices are much less and we are now mortgage free. But I do sometimes look on Zoopla and wish I'd kept the house I bought down south in the early 90s as an investment 😂

(I didn't move for the house prices though)

Where can you get a 3 bed house in Hertfordshire for £270,000??? I’m genuinely curious. That buys a 2 bedroom flat in most towns I’ve looked at in Hertfordshire 🤦🏼‍♀️

We have just started visiting 'up North'. Mainly York, Whitby etc after years of visiting South. I would move in a flash from Midlands if I could take my grown up kids with me. Absolutely the most friendliest parts (and gorgeous) of the UK I have ever visited. I would do it if you don't mind the traveling to visit family. Plus they can always pop to stay for weekends etc. All thats stopping us is finances and needing to be close to older children and gs. Xx

I’m northern living down south...the south can also be an acquired taste in my opinion. Surely everyone just likes what they like and there’s no need to be condescending and rude about it 🤷🏽‍♀️

Surely you’ve been just as rude as the pp? Is it okay because it’s ‘The South’ you’re being rude about?

@Leflic, this is similar to ours but probably worth 250k more than ours due to being so done and closer to the sea. We’re not far though. We moved 6yrs ago. Just had a look and yes, prices have gone up here more than up there but I guess that was just the coming out of recession boom. I just think that the OPneeds to be careful because, yes, she’ll find a cheaper area but the nice areas tend to be pricey across the country. The difference is that the not so nice areas are cheaper unlike much of the South. We have no intention of moving either way.

Come up north. Its a revelation. People speak to each other 😬 yorks still quite posh. You will love it. The further up you go the more friendly. Then theres scotland 😊

Bloody hell, people talk in the south too, you know? I fucking cant wait to get back there.

Unfortunately, when I moved from the south to the North, for my husband's work house prices were going up in the North & down in the south. We lost money on the house in the south & only managed to get a slightly better house in the north. I found people thought I was posh & I found them very cleaky. Those who had been away to university had come back home. I did not feel welcomed. I am surprised you can find a house in York for £270000.

There are some lovely towns and villages in the midlands. East Staffordshire and Derbyshire, Peak District etc have gorgeous, sprawling countryside and some excellent suburban schools. Houses there are much cheaper than York (which is gorgeous though), you could get what you are looking for for 280 here if you’re happy not to be detached and, if you choose the midlands, you are 1.5/2 hours by car or train rather than 4. I have lots of relatives in the south and I can drive there very quickly.

York is hardly the North to me but it is lovely crack on! Why would it be unreasonable ? You only have one life do what makes you happy

Where I live it’s cliquey, backwards, insular and not all that friendly, very racist too. Get me back to London, I can’t wait.

I moved ‘up north’ from London and love it! People are much friendlier, the commute is easier and shorter, living costs are lower, cost of childcare much lower, etc. With a young child you’ll quickly make new local friends through play groups, Nursery and/or school. I don’t have any family close by, but have an amazing network of mums I can rely on.

People say up north... I live in the north east and up north to me is anywhere just past york to borders of scotland. North easteners have warmth but personally i find york and further Down awfully baron. If you say morning at the bus stop in london people ignore you. Wow. North east you chat about everything to anyone.

The house, which OP mentioned, is 45 minutes drive from York. No way you could buy 4/5 bedroom house in York with big garden playroom and utility, or even just 4/5 bedroom with big garden, for 270.000.
Agree that you need to do what makes you happy but no one can guarantee that moving up North will make you happy.

I’ve lived in several places in the U.K. (and U.S.) and I can honestly say that, same as life in general, anywhere is what you make it. It’s just geography. Yes some places have better access to the arts & entertainment, others are better placed for an outdoors lifestyle etc. etc. If you put the effort into making friends and living out everything on offer, you will be happy. Family is important to many people. Family can visit. Several friends have had ‘remote’ family relocate with them. I re-located to be nearer to family when I had DS and have never regretted that. There is a pace of life right for you. Will a big house make you happy? No. What you do with your life and the relationships you have are what matters. If you’re a sociable sort that likes throwing house parties, you’ll settle right in to life up North!

Are you basing your budget on your SE salary? You might find your earning power isn’t as high up north - there does tend to be a south east weighting to salaries.

York is great but you can’t buy a nice 4 bed house for 270k. Sorry.

Hertfordshire to York is far less than 400 miles! I used to drive Buckinghamshire to Edinburgh and that’s about 400 miles!

We moved up north away from family with 3 kids and love it. No regrets.

Norfolk is lovely too.

If you could stretch you budget. This would give you loads of room to have family stay over and space to work from home. Easy train to Cambridge and good roads to get back to the south.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-92295272.html

Be very careful, you will not get a property up North in a decent area for £270k and to be honest we wouldn’t really want you Southerners up here, we like to live up North to be among genuine friendly people, it would be my idea of hell to live down South!!!

York’s lovely it’s quite posh! I agree with other posters it’s not a cheap are to buy in though. You maybe need to stay for a couple of days to get familiar with the surroundings.

@MummaGiles

Are you basing your budget on your SE salary? You might find your earning power isn’t as high up north - there does tend to be a south east weighting to salaries.

Good point

@Purplekaz08

Be very careful, you will not get a property up North in a decent area for £270k and to be honest we wouldn’t really want you Southerners up here, we like to live up North to be among genuine friendly people, it would be my idea of hell to live down South!!!

Rubbish Look at Dronfield (for excellent transport links) Pocklington and Market Weighton (to be close to York) In “The North” we could do with more adventurous, open and warm people... as this PP has demonstrated.

@Purplekaz08

Be very careful, you will not get a property up North in a decent area for £270k and to be honest we wouldn’t really want you Southerners up here, we like to live up North to be among genuine friendly people, it would be my idea of hell to live down South!!!

You’re a great advert for the ‘Friendly’ North.