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

Regarding the Norfolk coast, I am always struck on weather maps how much warmer Norfolk is in the summer compared to the Welsh coastline on the other side! Appreciate Norfolk isn’t the South coast, though.

Under 400k:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68555394.html

We have a different culture, a different sensibility, and a different language. There is a tipping point when it becomes colonialism, destroying the culture and history of an area, and due to economic imbalance, driving Welsh people out of their own villages. I really have started to feel like a foreigner here in my own country. It is dismal. That is before you start to factor in the massive rise in holiday lets, which over time totally destroy an area.

Ithinkiveseenthisfilmbefore - gosh - imagine not thinking of this and being stuffed. It's really dangerous to be too romantic when moving.

Leigh on Sea or nearby is lovely; it might be expensive, not sure. Many tiny beaches on estuaries have watersports clubs: you don't need to be next to vast expansive ocean. Birchington on Sea (Minnis Bay) is great, and nearish to motorway. I guess there is ever the need to be practical and consider what would happen if head office did suddenly restructure and pull staff back from remote working.

I know I sound angry , but months of incredibly expensive cars full of incredibly entitled people, who do things like walk their dogs off lead near sheep, and drive at speed through the lanes killing wildlife, does not improve one’s mood.

@fucknuckle do you mind (by dm) sharing where you are? No worries if not, but it sounds like it would fit the bill. I'll check the other places you mentioned, I didn't realise it was only an hour into London which would be handy for family (and now DH's maybe occasional commuting in the far flung future (!))

@SirVixofVixHall I don't blame you, sounds rough

Good tip @ithinkiveseenthisfilmbefore

To the poster who asked what I mean by quiet, I guess I mean we are in a city at the moment and don't need bars and clubs and shopping centres etc, happier for a quieter pace of life where we don't have access to all of those things as we don't need them

Hastings Old Town is great. We are there at the moment, staying with family, and whilst all holiday accommodation is full this week there is plenty of space and the beach was deserted.

The beach is stony to start with but sand once you get to the water.

Lots of quirky shops and everybody is really friendly. Db hasn’t lived here all that long but has made some great friends and it is a real community.

If you don't want sand (or much of it) then doable. I live South coast between Brighton and Bournemouth. 5 mins walk off beach but it's not a tourist village. You can get a 4 bed house on a fairly new build estate 10/15 min s walk from beach for £350,000 ish. 5 mins walk from country park too. Houses are not exactly character dwellings but location wise it's lovely.

Where are DHs relatives? Yours?

DH's are in Essex, mine are more scattered around but some in Essex, some in London, some in Cornwall, few scattered around further around the south randomly but none in places we particularly want to live, but ideally don't want to go too far from a few of them.

@itsstillgood that actually sounds quite perfect, I'll try to work out where you are so I can browse some houses. Does it take you long to get to London?

posted too soon - Hastings Old Town sounds lovely from that description, I'll have a browse there too. The list is getting bigger and I've definitely lost the argument. Turns out IABVVVVU.

Lee on Solent. Someone has mentioned it so may as well. About 5 miles to Fareham where it's 1hr 40 ish to Waterloo.

oh thank you :) appreciate it.
This thread is very helpful.

I don't even mind that I've lost the argument.

I think I win the argument on the commuting to London front though. Commutable plus 4 bed plus seaside plus 400k or under....unlikely!

Norfolk! You can definitely find a house there for that price. This year has been more busy there than normal but not the rammed scenes you see on Bournemouth. Lovely place to live and bring up kids x

Bexhill-on-sea would be a possibility!

We were in higcliffe when bournemouth was rammed. Highclliffe was fine. Plenty space .

Jersey, Ireland, Northern France. First two you can still do with Brexit.
Why not look further afield if you can work remotely?

Hastings does have it's drawbacks!

The house I posted in Thorpe Bay is commutable to London, a long one for daily but perfectly doable and not expensive either. Plus you already have family in Essex!
Schools are v good if your DC are academic (grammar).

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-79843235.html

Eastbourne, £400k will get you a nice 4 bed in a good area, and the beaches never get rammed as there are so many spots to choose from. They are pebble beaches like Brighton though.

I agree with a PP though, when you live by the sea and can enjoy it any time you make the most of it on OK weather days, you don't go to the beach on the 35 degree sunshine days. You also don't end up making it a full day activity, you spend a couple of hours on the water then go home for lunch. The locals are all out paddle boarding before breakfast and home before the crowds with picnic blankets pitch up for the day.

Again, Exmouth, colleton grammar or King's school, train to London is 2.5 hours, straight, easy journey from Exeter which itself. Is only 15 minute drive or train,. Sandy beaches and a great location for exploring Devon Cornwall etc, an hour to Bristol.

400k would go a long way too

To be honest you could even look at torquay grammar, then anywhere along that part of the coast, albeit you might need to be pickier