To ask where is the best place to buy a cheap rural house?

[hibbledobble]

Looking for somewhere within 3-4 hours of London, 3+ bedrooms, character house, ideally with a decent size garden, under £200k. Is this doable?

Yes (YABU, that is. No idea about the house)

That's impossible anywhere near London

Have a look at Lincolnshire. Am always amazed at house prices there.

@Leaannb

That's impossible anywhere near London

Within 3-4 hours of London is hardly near London.

Maybe Suffolk:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71552094.html

Vale of Glamorgan.

4 hours away from London isn't near London by any stretch of the imagination?!

Yes, definite doable. What other requirements do you have? The fens (Lincs/Cambs) has cheap large properties and is rural but there are obviously downsides. Lack of jobs, poor transport links, low educational attainment. Personally I would rather live in an urban area in a smaller house.

Wales but nowhere near a mainline train station

It's possible in Leicestershire. Semi rural and close to m1 and train links is doable.

Is this for you to live in, or as a holiday home? If it's the former then there's plenty of ideas above. If it's the second think long and hard about why you want it and does your need take priority over those born and bred in the area.

Isn't half the country within 3 to 4 hour's of London?

Lincolnshire.

@tttigress

Isn't half the country within 3 to 4 hour's of London?

Quite, Edinburgh is just 4 your 40 mins.

Wales or Lincolnshire are the best bets. Depends whether you want hills or flat!

Louth, lincs area? But budget tight and transport difficult.

For example (over budget)

www.onthemarket.com/details/8416042/

Lot’s of nice places within an hour drive to Leeds station and Leeds is 2.5 hours on a train to London. I suspect that you want something closer though.
I’m not sure that you’re going to get it.
I think that you need a narrower list.
If you’re wanting to be close enough to visit for the weekend that’s different to having to commute twice a week.

Powys.
Very rural Northumberland (Newcastle-Kings Cross=3 hours)
Lincolnshire is bonkers cheap compared to London, as is Derbyshire.

Yeah Lincolnshire. Grantham and Newark both on mainline. Lincoln too now. About an hour by train into KGX

Ayrshire. Regular flights from Glasgow, maybe Prestwick, loads of rural, very cheap properties.

Shropshire. Very rural, affordable houses and just over 3 hours to London (depending on where in the county of course)

Inverness. Less than 4 hours on the plane 😉

Boston, Lincs

I live on Teeside and according to google maps could be at Buckingham Palace in 4hrs 2mins if I set off now, and you could definitely get a property like that round here.

It’s going to depend on why you want to be in striking distance of London.

Somerset is 2.5 hrs from London house prices are reasonable