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.

don't know the area but that's the usual giant house on a tiny plot. And it looks to be a worn-out newbuild from a few years back, look at the state of the bathroom.

oil heating not a problem - generally cheaper than gas to run and only the totally useless run out, just check occasionally.

septic tank also no problem unless shared or not to current standards.

so yes you can do a lot better outside the bottom right hand corner of the UK, but research carefully. And renting out yours to rent another - don't even think about it.

It is said to keep namby pamby Southerners away.

A friend comes from Driffield.

Two major issues you would have to contend with:
a. Poor schools - the secondary school would be particularly poor.
b. Reduced pay - there is a huge difference in builders' pay between North and South.

Hi have you considered South Wales?

'Also..it takes a long time to get up north...the slow way...'

Ian Dury - Plaistow Patricia

@Destroyedpeople

All of you people scoffing that Driffield is 'nowhere near' York..... for a Hertfordshire resident used to working in London or even saying that they live in London because it's too much bother to explain exactly where eg Borehamwood is.... It's really not a huge deal. Or distance.

You are kidding, right?

There’s no rail line directly to York. You’d have to go via hull. (And drive to Driffield) journey time varies, but it’s about 2 hours.

There is a bus an hour, from Driffield and again, it takes the best part of 2 Hours to get there (and you’ll need to drive to Driffield) and it will be cancelled at the first hint of bad weather.

Skerne -York by car is doable as a commute, many do it. But by god it’s slow. Around an hour, but you WILL get stuck behind a tractor, hgv or the exact same person who drives slowly. Every. Damn.day. It’s not a great road to overtake on. And then you need to park in York (hint: don’t)

£270000 won't get you a 4/5 bed with outside space in most descent areas around Newcastle (my 4 bed near the coast was 70k more)

No I am not kidding. I don't know I have never been up north I am too scared of the locall people...

The north/south price differences really aren't that huge anymore.

Er - yes they are.

Depends on the area.

Our friends live near Sheffield. Beautiful quiet countryside village within thresholds of great schools but the house prices start at 170K for a 2 bed terrace. 300K will buy you a doer upper and everyone will be trying to get it.

Barnsley will get you a massive house but the town isn't exactly sought after.

@UrsulaPandress 'it's grim up north' originates from when parts of the north were heavily involved in the mining industry. The mines were grim. Which they would have been wherever they were

@Earthworms - I think DestroyedPeople simply has no idea what transport infrastructure is like outside of greater London and surrounding commuter towns.

£270000 won’t get you a 4/5 bed house in York - well, not in an area you’d want to live in.

I moved from the South East to County Durham. I have a lovely house on the edge of the pennines, the views are beautiful. I have friends, and I love my life here. I have regular visitors, my (adult) children face time daily and visit often. Wouldn't go back if you paid me.

the north is an acquired taste
Yes and I suggest you acquire some taste.
The north is not a place. There's a big difference between Alderley Edge/Cheadle/Wilmslow (prices similar to Hertfordshire) and say Sheffield.
The anti northern stuff on here gets on my nerves.
We are looking at gorgeous big houses for £350,000 and we have no mortgage. This is Cheshire one of the richest counties in England.
Do it op.

You should move to Scotland! Great house prices. I got a 3 bed / 2 bathroom in 2017 for £92k. With high ceilings, original fire places, garden etc.
I wouldn't live long enough to pay off the mortgage for the house prices down south

*I wouldn't OP.

I visited Up North once and I still have flashbacks.

Open sewers, people keep headlice and ferrets as pets. Furniture is scarce, reading skills poor. Most people tend to marry close family members and eat roadkill.

Don't go. It is pretty gruesome in Up North- an awful place*

Aw, it’s not all bad. Our lives were enriched twentyfold when we got electricity last year. It cuts out at 7pm but we then just get the candies out. The council gave us all bathtubs too which is a great place to store coal.

The schools are good round here. DS has his own slate and everything, and there is one teacher for every 150 kids 😃

I actually didn’t marry a family member and have a great marriage. He only takes his belt to me once a week, I’m a lucky woman.

Have read the full thread as some of the comments are hilarious/unbelievable!

Anyway, to answer your question. What is more important to you - family & friends or a big house? As PPs have said, you lose touch when you move away. Fact. The first few years might be fine as it's a novelty for people to come and stay with you for a weekend and for you to go to theirs but it isn't sustainable. Life gets in the way. Your children will get older and have weekend activities so you can't travel as regularly to visit and the same happens to your friends, they have their own commitments.

Based on you OP and follow up posts, I think you should stay put. If the people in your life are important to you and the only main reason to move is a "bigger house" then I think you're mad.

Where on earth are you getting a 4-5 bed property for £270k in York? 3 beds in the nicer areas of the city are that price!

I'm surprised you can get that much in York. I moved from London to the north 6 years ago for family reasons. I grew up in the south east but moved to a posh area of the city I moved to up north. I have a 4 bed semi for about 550k! I could get the same if not better down south so it depends ds where you live. I could get a semi same size for about 150-200 in a less desirable area here though but I wouldn't want to live there!

Bit of a curve ball,
But someone on here reminded me how lovely Norfolk is, and just found this beauty

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

Now to research area!

oil heating not a problem - generally cheaper than gas to run and only the totally useless run out, just check occasionally

My last nugget of outdated local knowledge... not sure how it is now, but there was a Limited Choice of suppliers. You got a delivery when they were good and ready to bring it. Many people did run out in the bad winters a few years ago.

And yes to whoever said the secondary school was bad. It’s awful. And your nearest alternatives (and by near, i mean 15 miles away) are either full or no better.

Have the updates on here extended to editing posts yet? 😩

I did it
But I was moving back to my home town and family.
But house is twice the size for half the price
I now have a 4000sq ft house

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/fullscreen/image-gallery.html?propertyId=78251443&photoIndex=0