People who moved out of London/ SE during 2020/21

[escapethecountry]

AIBU to think that there are quite a lot of people who are now regretting their decision to move out of London/ SE in the last couple of years? There seem to have been lots of office workers who were able to WFH who took the decision to move away, either to enjoy a larger house/ better quality of life or because they thought WFH would be permanent. I know a couple of families who moved away and are now considering moving back already. Have others moved/ know others who have moved and are now considering going back?

I was considering moving to London, with a budget circa £700k. But the more I look at the realities of the sort of family house/area I could buy for that, I just don’t think it’s worth it. London’s definitely a fun and vibrant place to live - but I could just as easily/happily visit it several times a year staying in posh hotels in the centre, and have loads for travelling elsewhere…lI think now I’d rather live somewhere beautiful and in a nice house somewhere else than in an ok bit of London in an ok house. If I had a budget of say £1.2 million + for somewhere and something really nice perhaps I’d reconsider. But for me you need at least that to counteract the bad bits of living in London.

@supermoonrising

I was considering moving to London, with a budget circa £700k. But the more I look at the realities of the sort of family house/area I could buy for that, I just don’t think it’s worth it. London’s definitely a fun and vibrant place to live - but I could just as easily/happily visit it several times a year staying in posh hotels in the centre, and have loads for travelling elsewhere…lI think now I’d rather live somewhere beautiful and in a nice house somewhere else than in an ok bit of London in an ok house. If I had a budget of say £1.2 million + for somewhere and something really nice perhaps I’d reconsider. But for me you need at least that to counteract the bad bits of living in London.

With all due respect you are clueless about london- south east London, zone 4, 20mins into central, 20mins into gorgeous kent countryside- 700k would buy you a fabulous house!

supermoonrising do you have experience of daily life in the area you are thinking of?

Everyone is going to have a different opinion. Mum lives in a lovely area, not London IMHO, not a London borough but with a Tube station.

She has a friend who comes by and says "I don't know how you live here" which I find rude.

I'm moving to be near mum and I'm pleased because of the area, the lower population etc.

I always think it bizarre that on MN people think it's fair game to be rude about London, yet if the same was said about any other area of the country, people would be up in arms

True to an extent, but Londoners are quick to leap to its defence with all its free cultural opportunities and saying/implying that everywhere else is boring, provincial and lacking in almost everything if not actually grim - and of course freezing cold. (So at least Londoners must save on heating).

To those criticising London and saying how dangerous it is ...

I recently read a couple of surveys saying that London actually has one of the lowest crime rates in the country (obviously per head)!

There are some unsafe areas, but that can be the same with a lot of places.

However, it's a beautiful city.

And personally I think Londoners are incredibly friendly and great fun!

@OnlyFoolsnMothers a fabulous house for 700k in z4? I'm quite surprised tbh although in my area prices have stagnated since Brexit really

We moved out of the SE and don't regret it, BUT we were trying to do it before the bloody pandemic started, and I worked from home anyway. Had to move locations a few times as we kept being priced out of chosen areas in the rush.

I don't hate the SE but my village was becoming a London suburb - we had all the inconveniences of heavy traffic and rush, but none of the benefits of diversity, good places to eat, things to do.

Other friends have moved further out, but still in touch with London, or from London to our old bit of the SE. One is back in the office 4 days a week (events) but wanted to be, one is now permanently working from home (solicitor). Fairly typical. No regrets so far.

Some of the more ''international set'' I know joke they would not dream of moving outside M25 because there prejudice, little England and Brexiteers etc. reside, lurking away! In fact some people have never been and would never go outside M25 although otherwise well travelled! Perhaps they did go once, long ago, but never again!

We considered it but didn’t. I know a lot who did and are absolutely loving it and to be honest we will definitely think about moving out of SW london as soon as kids finish school. My WFH has all but stopped though. Best decision we made was a home office in the garden - separates work from home and has reduced my stress tenfold.

@1forward2back that's interesting. DH would like a garden office but we don't really have the space hence why we are looking at outer zones for that separate space.

We're bucking the trend. We lived in Marylebone in our 20s, currently in Herts but on the met line and only 25 minutes on the overland to Marylebone station.

We're looking at moving back to Marylebone in the next few years. I like the energy and buzz of London, plus the public transport and just wandering around.

I would bloody love to live in Marylebone.

We moved, last summer, from zone 6 (so barely London according to some!) to the Kent coast. No regrets at all. Detached house, garden, 10 mins walk from the beach, lovely community and loads to do.

I did actually change jobs too, so have avoided the commute issue, but would have been quite happy taking the high-speed back into London for my required 2 days per week - which would in fact have been a simpler commute than the one I had been doing from zone 6, and only 30 mins longer.

I agree entirely with @FrankieBoyleSezLoveOneAnother and wonder at the motivation of those who are so desperate to see everyone back on the endless bloody hamster wheel.

I love London when I go back, but I love the sea and sky more!

But yeah, if I could afford to live in Marylebone I probably would

@Getoff

I live in the south west and can be into central London in not a lot longer than it takes to get in from twickenham.

What I think of as the south-west I think of as being six hours away, I'm wondering where you live and how you travel. (Helicopter?)

What would you call bristol if not the south west? It is both south and west! And takes 1hr15 to get into Paddington. Exeter 2hr15.

I’m not hearing about employers insisting on employees coming in more than 1 or 2 days per week either. If it’s a candidates’ market as I’m hearing, employers would be wise to allow the hybrid model with emphasis on wfh I think. Assuming it’s viable of course!

I agree - employers are trying to offer applicants what they want at the moment, because in many sectors they're struggling to recruit, and offering home working doesn't (ostensibly) cost them anything.. It will be interesting to see what happens when unemployment rises and employers have the upper hand.

It’s an interesting one. Where we are (suburban north London) the people relocating are having a bit of a polarising effect, because it seems to be mainly lower middle income families who were struggling in London but can increasingly WFH and have left for cheaper areas - lots of movement out to places like Essex, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire etc. Lots of European families returning home after Brexit as well.

The more affluent families like us have mostly stayed put - I don’t personally know anyone who has moved - as have those at the opposite end of the scale who can’t afford to move, are in social housing etc.

I think this will have a significant effect on local schools and other services going forward - we’ve just applied for a school place for DD and by all accounts all our previously oversubscribed local primaries are now severely undersubscribed and fighting over the relatively few remaining kids, as school funding is allocated per pupil. Having only fairly recently been forced to expand due to lots of inward migration, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the less sought after local schools were now reduced in size or even closed. Schools in our neighbouring county of Hertfordshire, meanwhile, are apparently busting at the seams.

We’re staying for the moment as I grew up here and do love many things about living in London, but we’re keeping a an open mind and a close eye on the situation, and will move if our area goes significantly downhill in terms of funding, quality of life or opportunities for DD.

@tara66

Some of the more ''international set'' I know joke they would not dream of moving outside M25 because there prejudice, little England and Brexiteers etc. reside, lurking away! In fact some people have never been and would never go outside M25 although otherwise well travelled! Perhaps they did go once, long ago, but never again!

This is us and we're British

@UnnecessaryFennel

But yeah, if I could afford to live in Marylebone I probably would

I should add that all of the lounges we've looked at are smaller than our current bedroom. It will require a big adjustment. And a lot of minimalistic decluttering.

I think this will have a significant effect on local schools and other services going forward

It already is plus the falling birth rate. I also read more ftb then ever before left London to buy. I think it's a shame, cities need new blood & energy.

@weansu Yes I agree. Our local community primary is already really struggling - only filled 40 Reception places out of an intake of 60 last year and looks to be even worse numbers this year. Big part of the reason we didn’t apply there - I can see it closing completely at some point.

Temps really interesting re schools.

I viewed a lovely 2 bed house with a garden in my hometown, and decided to buy a tiny one bed flat in London instead. I don’t regret staying in London at all - I love it here. I grew up in a small but pretty midlands town and have lived in a few other places in the UK and personally my experience has been that outside of London, especially in small towns, people are more narrow minded, eager to fit in and live dull lives according to societal expectations, there’s less to do, less cultural diversity, less people who enjoy having deep chats and debates about life and question the status quo. I enjoy being around diverse people living life as they want. No amount of space or greenery would make up for the fact that my entire life is in London - all my friends are here and aren’t showing any signs of leaving so if I’d moved I’d be sat in my lovely spacious house with a garden, bored shitless with no friends. I personally feel I have a wonderful quality of life and find people in my local area very friendly. And yes, you could buy a 4 bed semi with a big garden in my area in london for 700k!

@Getoff

I live in the south west and can be into central London in not a lot longer than it takes to get in from twickenham.

What I think of as the south-west I think of as being six hours away, I'm wondering where you live and how you travel. (Helicopter?)

Exeter is around two hours from Paddington.

You'd have to be at Land's End to be six hours away.