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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

129 replies

hibbledobble · 18/07/2020 22:14

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

OP posts:
ConcreteUnderpants · 19/07/2020 17:44

Bear in mind, a lot of Lincolnshire is in flood zones!

Tavannach · 19/07/2020 20:50

So I went on a fantasy house hunt.
This might not be what you mean by rural but it's a lot of house for the money. Needs work.

Beachcomber74 · 19/07/2020 21:18

3 bed Property In Canterbury, Kent £188
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-81298633.html
Not super rural but other Rural villages in Close proximity & super easy to get to London.

ferntwist · 19/07/2020 21:55

Some parts of County Durham

ferntwist · 19/07/2020 21:56

Durham is less than 3 hours from Kings Cross by train although you’ll have to go well outside Durham city itself.

MitziK · 19/07/2020 22:03

@ferntwist

Durham is less than 3 hours from Kings Cross by train although you’ll have to go well outside Durham city itself.
Or you can drive it and get a free eye test in the process.
rosiethehen · 19/07/2020 22:20

All these are just outside Durham. Rail links are good and easy access to the A1(M) or join the M1 a bit further south.

rosiethehen · 19/07/2020 22:26

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-94640732.html

This one's not a character property, but it's very large and situated just outside Durham City.

namesnamesnamesnames · 19/07/2020 22:29

Suffolk can be quite expensive compared to other areas, but there are some homes to be had under £200,000. Mostly in less desirable areas or ones that need work. The less desirable areas can be nice though, and despite posters up thread, rural does not mean no further education and low opportunities. It depends where you go. Many rural areas are very affluent and have excellent sixth forms and colleges.

EasternDailyStress · 19/07/2020 22:31

West Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border is very affordable. Like here

PurBal · 19/07/2020 22:34

Agree with PP what do you mean by rural? What do you mean about the garden? DH and I both grew up in fairly rural locations. My nearest neighbours were farmers a good 5 minute walk and 10 miles to nearest shop. DH was village based so completely different experience. Both grew up with around 8 acres, but for me that meant only 1 acre of garden, DH it was all garden. We're not from wealthy families by the way, just kind of turned out that way. Our parents were in teaching and NHS.

IDidntChoseThePondLife · 19/07/2020 22:59

Plenty of character here OP and guaranteed sea views!

sansou · 19/07/2020 23:02

How about a potential grand design on a budget?
here

sansou · 19/07/2020 23:03

Here

Alsohuman · 19/07/2020 23:20

That could be amazing. It would cost more than £100k to sort out though. And you’d have to live in a bloody caravan while the work was being done.

Glitteryone · 20/07/2020 00:16

This could be easily done in Northern Ireland.

You can fly from Belfast to London in 45 mins 😉

ivykaty44 · 20/07/2020 08:39

You could go to France for a rural home, it’s not far to get the train

CaptainVanesHair · 20/07/2020 09:07

We just sold a large 3 bed in Suffolk (Suffolk Coastal) for 189k. It was in a town - but a town completely bordered by countryside, woodland and coast.

You can’t be too choosy with towns/villages if you do this - the ‘nice’ ones can be double this and we’ve basically moved like for like two towns over for a much higher mortgage.

But where we were was near the coast (as in right on doorstep), takes around 2 hours to get to London either on train or driving. In a way, I think it was better - we were near Aldeburgh and Snape and Southwold but didn’t have to deal with the huge influx of people over the summer months.

GinDaddyRedux · 20/07/2020 09:18

@hibbledobble

Lots of great suggestions, thank you. Rural yearning is because after too long living in London I think it would be nice for the children. I'm excited that it is doable.
OP hasn't come back at all to this thread or added anything since this pithy post...makes you wonder if this isn't just a traffic driving exercise for Rightmove Grin
ssd · 20/07/2020 09:21

It's good the op has came back Grin

eausolovely · 20/07/2020 09:22

When you say 3-4 hours of London do you mean in the car or the train...

I live near Newcastle and I actually think you would struggle to get a 3 bed character property up here and we are known for cheap houses. But on the train it's only 3.5 hours. You probably mean car though so I wouldn't have a clue.