London exodus??

[Newdonewhugh]

Has anyone else noticed that their Town has a lot of people moving from London?
Are local Town and village FB pages literally have 2/3/4 people a day joining and posting with the likes of “I’m moving to ..... from London next week, can anyone help me with X,Y,Z”
My Sister and others said they’ve noticed it too.
We live in South Coast.
I just wonder what this New World will look like. What will happen to London?

In Scotland house prices are completely over inflated as a result of this exodus. There are currently dozens of houses for sale in our village (near the Cairngorms) and they are being sold incredibly fast.

Our friends put their home on the market. It sold to a couple from London who didn’t even view the house, or even step foot inside it. It’s absolutely crazy.

It’s interesting if people are more than usual

I guess they feel wfh might be more permanent

Seriously? I’ve lived in London all my life and 10 miles is nothing. Some of us Londoners even have cars, you know!

Millions of us don't drive, and even those who do are often shocked by the distances you have to travel to A&E when in rural locations. More to the point, if you really have an emergency then you're probably not in a fit state to be driving.

I've had several times in the past where I was seriously ill or in pain, to the extent that I wouldn't have been in a fit state to drive even if I had a car, but at the same time not incapacitated enough to call an ambulance. Practically every time I've been to A&E or an Urgent Care Centre, I've travelled there by tube or bus.

Can only go by our local area in London but based on a 4 bed Victorian semi with decent garden, after 2 years of very low activity attributed to Brexit and then lockdown, uncertainty, there is definitely a lot more property suddenly on the market. Could be all sorts of reasons though, not least pent-up demand for moving up the ladder, and the bounce lower down the chain from the stamp duty concession ending. Lots of people in London wanting gardens. And pent up demand to move out also whether to raise young families or retire, as has always been the case. But big building projects at planning permissions are on the increase here as well. Thing is, a net fall in population, plus a bigger drop in commuting numbers due to more flexible working, will make London more pleasant and attractive to live in again, not least due to the hospitals and amenities, and arguably the huge driving disincentives rolling out everywhere. (Agree it is a real shocker to move to a rural area with woeful public transport links and where a car remains an absolute necessity unless those are dramatically improved). In short, I dont think the increase in market activity is a sign of a continuing mass migration.

If they are selling then obviously there are plenty of buyers moving within or to London. I was there on Friday and even with the shops shut it was busy with lots of people out and about (and lots of traffic too)! I'm moving back next summer - can't wait.

Also, while some young people are undeniably in dire straits from covid unemployment, many of those luckily still in work have saved far more than normal through lack of spending opportunity and have saved enough for deposits, again boosting demand and upward chains.

I love sunshade? I live in an area

@thecatsabsentcojones

Yep, in rural Kent and there seems to be a new child each week at my kids school. I think it’s lockdown related, being locked down in a city must be pretty claustrophobic.

It depends on the city really.

London/Greater London for example has an abundance of beautiful parks.

I live in the Shires and we are seeing a lot of people from London and commuter towns who have either retired early or switched to rural living with lots of land or barn complexes from which to make or augment a living.
We have a small development in the village, with houses both detached and semis, with small gardens, which have also sold very quickly, so it isn't all well heeled Londoners.

I am trying to sell a flat in Reading, and have recently dropped the asking price, but no dice yet. The agents said that due to lockdown divorces and defaulted mortgages the flats/buy to let market would be active, too. I wonder if we should just let it...

Yes, it's been happening here for a while, as a load of new estates have been added to our town. It's kind of dull round here but it's cheap for the south east, so I can see the appeal. The NIMBYs are losing their shit whenever someone posts on FB that they're moving from London. So many passive aggressive comments 'Oh I hope you won't be bored.' 'How lovely to see our little town growing but let's hope that's it for now haha'.

I don't think people are making this move in a rash way though. I'm self-employed so work with a few different businesses, and many of them are making permanent plans to WFH, with employees required to do 2/3 face to face meetings a month. I suppose the main issue would be that if you lost your job/wanted to progress, it might be tougher. But if it becomes the norm then I guess employers will get used to zoom interviews.

I'm sure London can cope with any mass exodus much more easily than the regions will with having to absorb the influx.

During the Olympic Games in 2012, the organizers wanted to do a study about what impact an estimated 350,000 visitors would have on London's transport network. The answer was - bugger all. Compared to the 2 million per day already showing up, it wouldn't make much difference, especially in August.

Even if London lost 500,000 people, it would impact the rest of the country hugely, but London would hardly change. The infrastructure just isn't there outside of London, and that's worrying.

And yes, I agree - renters especially are looking to move out of London in droves. Those who own their houses in London though seem less inclined to go (in my limited experience).

I haven’t. But if I had London money I wouldn’t buy in my town. I don’t know if the surrounding villages are getting more London buyers.

We are in the south west. A long way from London, but do have a direct train.

It reminds me of the Yuppies in the 1980s, selling up in London and buying big posh houses all over the country, but it didn't last long before they made their way back.

@Choccylips

It reminds me of the Yuppies in the 1980s, selling up in London and buying big posh houses all over the country, but it didn't last long before they made their way back.

Also buying ridiculous places in London such as converted warehouses, at enormous prices which then plummeted.

I don't know if I am missing something, but surely if people are moving out of London, other people are buying their houses/flats? They can't all be rich enough for second homes?

We have new housing estates on the outskirts of the town I live in and some of the prices are ridiculous. No way would I spend close to a million on a Lego house with a postage stamp garden. But Londoners will, I suppose. Someone is, anyway.

I am in London and there are very few properties for sale in my area. But it is a family area with mainly 4-5 bedroom houses. It's probably more noticeable in flat sales. Some of them are crash pads that people don't need any more.

My neighbour had to conduct a Zoom viewing of her house with a man living in Hong Kong. We're in Greater Manchester.

It’s about time it all evened out a bit.

We’re doing this, had the survey on our cotswolds property today. I’m from there originally but didn’t think I’d be able to move back for years due to career. We’re keeping a small flat in London for when we have to go for work but hope it will be once a fortnight or so, the new place will definitely be our main home. I’m so excited!

I haven’t noticed many moving here (London) but a lot of building work going on

"Personally, I find it quite exciting, no idea why."

You wouldn't be so excited if you were being priced out of your local area by people from London buying the houses.

@puffinkoala Maybe a lot of them were renting in London as they couldn’t afford to buy, but can do elsewhere in the country. Or if you downsized from a 3-4 bed family home and kept a 1 bed in London for work purposes you could definitely still afford an equivalent 3-4 bed home elsewhere in the UK.

Bloody hell, this thread inspired me to look at local asking prices (10 miles from the Sussex coast) and they seem to have shot up 10-20% since the end of lockdown in June.

You wouldn't be so excited if you were being priced out of your local area by people from London buying the houses.

Well I live here, and own a house so I will have to pay more for my next house won’t I! ... still excited.

South Cotswolds. 3/4 bed houses selling in weeks, even those that had been on the market for years. Most not even going through estate agents. Prices are well out of the reach of local people.