AIBU to think DH's dream home location doesn't exist?

[Putmynewshoeson]

DH has long wanted to live by the sea/water. He grew up near the sea and is desperate for DS to have the same activities available to him (paddle boarding, surfing, beach walks etc)

We were all set to do it this year but seeing the crowds packed into beaches has really put me off. Don't get me wrong, I know tourist spots are obviously busy but the behaviour of people just seems to have gone into overdrive.

DH is convinced we can find somewhere on the coast around the south/south east that won't be rammed like Brighton or Bournemouth in summer and where we can find a four bedroom for around 400k.

I think he's living in a Dreamworld. We aren't tied to anywhere for work as we both work remotely and will continue to be working remotely. obviously want a good school for DS when he's old enough but don't mind somewhere quiet with not much going on in terms of shops, pubs - just one or two of each for convenience would be fine.

I just can't see there being a coastline which doesn't have loads of visitors as soon as the weather is nice, where we can actually afford.

We've had a look on Rightmove but because we can pretty much go anywhere, it's a broad spectrum to search and I think we need to narrow it down a bit.

DH is just desperate to move I think (another issue is I don't think our house will sell, it needs a lot of work but he wants to try and take advantage of the stamp duty holiday)

Am I being a grump? Or realistic?! I feel like if it existed we would have been able to find some houses by now

Portsmouth

Ramsgate. Main beach can be thronged but other sandy beaches less so. Lovely harbour. Reasonable prices for Kent. Grammar schools. Easy for shopping trips to France and easy to get to London. I'd happily live there.

Look in Thanet for sure. Minster in Ramsgate, Birchington on Sea, etc.

Lee-on-Solent/Stubbington/Fareham where I grew up. Beach isnt particularly touristy (no idea why) and very much a local area.

Great schools, good travel links and midway between Bournemouth and Brighton

Love it would move back if could

I live in a coastal town in Kent and reckon you would have a fair few options around here. It would of course depend on whether you want to live ON the seafront or just in a seaside town, but there are definitely options. Folkestone, Deal, Sandwich, Broadstairs are all lovely options (although Broadstairs/Thanet beaches have definitely been overcrowded during the heatwaves). Deal has topped lists of seaside towns to live in, and the beach (pebble) stretches for miles so even when it's been busy, it's nothing like the scenes you see elsewhere. Hope that gives you some direction for narrowing down your search.

We used to live in East Preston (West Sussex) which was always nice and the beach wasn't too busy there - it's near littlehampton - Rightmove
Shows some 4 beds around the area in that price range

Lymnington on sea in Hampshire? There’s a nice 4 bed there right now.

Lymington

Pembrokeshire - DH would often surf at Freshwater West.

Pevensey Bay is a lovely place, round here we call it Heavensey Bay. Close enough to Brighton, on the outskirts of Eastbourne.

Lymington is a lovely place but doesnt really have a beach, although Milford on Sea is not far away and does have beaches I believe.

BeBesideTheSea Yes we live in Bournemouth (about 3 miles from the Coast ) and many beaches further along were a lot quieter.Thing is wherever you live near the sea you will have busy periods in Summer.We locals tend to avoid hot days or go in the evenings .September and April /May are better .Also love crystal clear days wrapped up early morning with the dog ,so good for our MH and general wellbeing .

Also, something to consider with remote living, only a shop and a pub etc, is that your child/ren won't be small forever, and however outdoorsy their lifestyle, they will want to meet up
with friends, go to town etc before you know it. This is hard to comprehend when they are little, but my 3 DC all wanted to meet up with friends etc before leaving primary school. So, say by 10 or 11. We are permanent tqxis to our kids, often 6 trips a day and now that they are teens it can be pick up at 9pm. When you have been working all day/ have things to do/ just want to relax this is hard . Not to mention the cost of all these journeys if you are a way out. There's often no public transport out in the sticks either. My 3 very much resent where we live even though we will take them 90% of the time- they still can't go and hang out for an hour on impulse or choose to spend half an hour after school with their friends as once the school transport buses have gone, there are no other options. If they want dropping off in the holidays and we are working, they have to be dropped off before 9am and none of their friends will be out till lunchtime or later.

@KitKatastrophe

Lymington is a lovely place but doesnt really have a beach, although Milford on Sea is not far away and does have beaches I believe.

Yes, I realise this. Nothing in the OP’s price range for Milford though. Very expensive place.

I was going to suggest Kent beaches as well, but maybe live just outside the main seaside towns.

Deal

Broadstairs

margate

Northumberland is stunning but it is noticeably colder there.

When you live by the sea (as I do) you don't go to beaches when they are full. I live near St.Ives and even without the pandemic, rarely go there in August. When you get to know a location you learn about the places local people go that are not full of tourists (yes even in Cornwall). For ten months of the year, even the most popular beaches are virtually deserted. If you can afford it (and that could be a problem because people are leaving the cities in droves right now) I would do it. You DCs will thank you, at least until they are teenagers and even then they might.

Look at Eastbourne, Seaford and Rye areas.

Plenty in Devon for that price

We live in Worthing. Cheaper than Brighton - good schools, lots of beach activities, commutable to London.

And beach never all that busy - no tourists here cos they all go to Brighton!

Having grown up on the coast, it's busy six weeks a year, but when you live there, you can pop down early, or late to avoid crowds. Lots of the coast line that is insane this year may not be so much next year (optimism) or the year after.

It’s a great idea to chose a few places and have a weekend away there, as previously suggested.

£430k , not pretty & needs TLC but spacious and walking distance from the beach where there is plenty of watersports going on.

In Thorpe Bay, near Southend, Essex that is.

Just been to Devon and Cornwall and the beaches weren't rammed. Brighton and Bournemouth are both large towns so will be.
Witterings ? Haven't checked house prices, as pp said Lymington is nice.