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.

I wouldn't. Would not go up north. You'd never be able to move back
@Mummyshark2019, we did that no problem. We were in Herts, moved to Cheshire and now we’re in Sussex. As I mentioned, we got more for our money down here than we did in Cheshire. It’s also a much calmer, slower pace of life down here. You’d be forgiven for thinking there’s amphetamine in the water up there. I found it very fast paced and money driven. Plus I never felt groomed enough. Down here nobody cares if I do the school run in my wellies and fleece.

YES!!!! I would and I have done big moves like this a fair few times now.

For those of you posting “don’t move up North, because you won’t be able to afford to move back.”
If you can afford to live and buy a house in York, especially within 4 miles of the city centre, you can afford to live anywhere in the country. We choose to live in York because it is so lovely here! My children speak beautifully and we are ‘middle class’. They are not at all bullied for this because it is the norm here.

@nicegirl73 How exciting!! I wish I was brave enough to move like that. If I didn’t have DC I’d be off in a flash. Did you have DC when you did the big moves?

@BorisPlums, we’ve done it quite a few times. Kids just go with the flow. I wouldn’t do it now as my boys are both in senior school heading towards exams but DD is still in primary and it’s easy then. We always looked on it as an adventure and I’m easily bored of houses. Having said that, I’m near the coast now and I don’t think I’d want to leave.

@Neednewwellies 😍 you have no idea how comforting it is to read that. Mine are primary (infants) so you’ve just given me a boost of excitement

Home is where you make it.
Do your homework about the place.
If it's good go for it.
Massive number of London (specifically) accents round here the last few years (a few grandparents moving towards children) some vica versa.
I worry about politics (we just voted blue for the first time last time....lots of grandads rolling in their graves).
I'm from (rural Durham) so right up north...your budget for York seems low (unless you are looking at way outer part).

@Borisplums, do it! It’s very exciting! Involve the kids. If you’re not sure whether it’s along term move then just rent and rent out your house. We did this when we went to Edinburgh as I didn’t want the complications of the market up there (offers over). We chose nice gentle schools each time and now, I can see it’s made them more adaptable and resilient. I wouldn’t do it to them now as teens though as friendship and stability is hugely important to them. Good luck with it!

@Borisplums recently did a big move, not as big as up north, kids are 14.12 and 9. Last big move was when youngest was a baby and they just went with the flow like someone else said.
I think most kids are resilient.

We did this. Not for the house prices, but for work, but house prices is a definite advantage. There are some stunning parts to this country that are both cheaper and offer far more than Bedfordshire (imo, I do have personal experience of Bedfordshire though)! I'd go in a heartbeat! 3 hours travel to family is not that huge a deal if you aren't the type of people who currently live in eachother pockets. It's an easily doable distance for the weekend etc.

I was also going to mention the horrendous traffic - in West Yorks, especially the M62, also to and from Manchester, at least before lockdown. It was starting earlier and earlier in the morning and often still bad at 9.30, when I would see it from a bridge driving to work after school run. The M1 going north to Leeds is bad, as are most of the A roads.

I do like it though, having grown up in the south and DH here in West Yorks, we like the countryside and hills not too far away, although we have been thinking about moving further east, east of Wakefield towards Selby or North Lincs, where there are 4 bed detached houses for £250K or less, or up to £300K for bigger ones, as opposed to £300K for a 3 bed detached here, or £350K plus for a 4 bed. Prices have gone up a lot, and we still live in a 3-bed semi and would like to trade up without paying £350K.

Need to keep it commutable (the roads are much quieter going east, with the notable exception of the A64 York-Leeds - traffic so bad it would put me off moving there if I had no choice but to commute to West Yorks by car.

Agree salaries are similar to the south, and this in the cities like Leeds and Sheffield and within commuting distance has helped to drive up house prices, the differences between cities and suburbs in the north and south are being ironed out over time.

As pp have said, we've also done many trips to the south, 5 hours in the car, which was easier when the kids were younger, now due to various changes since then, I tend to get the train to London and we meet up. After MIL got ill and then passed away, 12 years ago, we no longer had grandparent help or interaction locally with the DC.

It's true that parents who used to be keen to visit us started to slow down as they get older and reduce and then stop travelling so we have to do it - either with DC or on my own without them!

I live near york. We paid £239k for a a 4 bed detached.
I doubt you would get a 4/5 bed house in York itself with your budget, maybe n ex council house in a less sort after area.
You will get something much better if you look at the market towns/villages around York.

Just found this in York for your budget, just over 800sqft, on the main loop road (so constant traffic passing night and day) no off road parking, garden or garage. Is this your idea of a ‘big, cheap house up North’?!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-80145130.html

Just to clarify... Driffield ISN’T in York? I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned it yet

I don’t know if anyone’s mentioned you’re unlikely to get a posh house in York for 270k either 😂

Here you go 4 bedrooms

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-94508489.html

£290 k

Hi,
We've lived in 18 different houses since we were married (OK, 48 years ago!), from Weymouth to Newcastle-on-Tyne. The Newcastle house we couldn't have afforded down south. It was huge and beautiful, 6 bedrooms, garden, garage, moulded ceilings etc., good location, but I found it difficult to make friends although we lived there 3 years while my DH was at Uni. It felt as though if you hadn't been to school with someone they were friendly, but it didn't really get beyond acquaintance.

We have (three weeks ago) moved from Northampton into our 'forever house' in a village in Herefordshire. It's not enormous three bedrooms, but a large garden. The countryside is amazingly beautiful. Neighbours have already come round with 'welcome' presents of plants and yummy honey! People in the street smile or stop (at a social distance) and pass the time of day.The village shops are friendly and recognise me already. I think we'll be happy here.

I think what I'm trying to say is that it's the surroundings and the friendliness of the neighbours that makes the difference. That can be anywhere. Of course physical space is important, but what makes a good place to live are the people.

chomalungma Avoid this at all costs! Awful schools, and in one of the worst areas in York. Like a lot of posts on here, if it looks too good to be true it usually is. It is definitely a case of doing your homework. A couple of miles away is Askham Bryan which is a lovely village and which feeds to outstanding primary (St Mary’s) and secondary schools (Manor) It’s still an awful house needing a lot of work (and quite small) for just under 300k too.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-94508489.html

@claireb707

Good for you dear.

My children speak beautifully and we are ‘middle class’

Well good for you.

Sorry randomer, you’re right. That didn’t read well at all! I just meant that you aren’t vilified here in York for doing ok in life.

Petunia Court, Wymondham
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-61894155.html

Middle of a big, soulless estate I think, could be anythere in the country.

Blimey @ MummyJ12, villified for doing well sounds horrible tbh.