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Original poster

Why do you live where you live?

172 replies

LetsRockityRock · 05/09/2024 07:22

l often wonder how people end up where they live (flat, house, country manor, city centre, rural, next to a motorway, abroad, tourist hot spot, beautiful village, run down town).

I live in a small town outside of a big city. I am from the city, met my DH who is from this small town. House prices were lower here so we got more for our money, and now I prefer small town life to city life. I couldn’t move as have DH family on the doorstep and my family not far away. My town is growing though so I pine for less traffic and more rural views.

OP posts:
SallyWD · 05/09/2024 08:30

I'm a southerner living in Leeds because DH got an amazing job offer here. I knew nothing about Leeds, imagined it was grim up north.
I absolutely love it and never want to leave!
We live in a lovely suburb in the north, close to parks, the Dales etc.

MavisPennies · 05/09/2024 08:34

Uni
A different uni
Thought it would be fun to move to London
Husbands job
Wanted to be back in UK & couldn't quite imagine living anywhere other than London
Near the place we were staying when we were looking for a flat after travelling

LoobyDoop2 · 05/09/2024 08:35

This city- because I came here for university, liked it, and built a life here. I feel rooted.

This area- because it’s the nicest one, it’s green and attractive, there’s plenty to do, it feels safe, and it’s easy to get around.

This house- because it has a decent sized garden, it’s sheltered from big roads so quiet and safe for our cat, and it’s big enough for us but still within our budget.

doyoulikemyyams · 05/09/2024 08:35

I had been on the road, living in lots of different countries for almost 10 years. I came here (not UK) for a 3-week rest after a job on a cattle ranch in the US, got chatting to a woman on the beach and she invited me to a gig that night. I met more lovely people there, and we all got on so well I decided to stick around a little longer.

She's now my best friend in the world and I've been here almost 8 years.

Startingagainandagain · 05/09/2024 08:36

I live in a small, pretty SE seaside town.

I was born in another small seaside town and then lived in London for 25 years.

I wanted to go back to live by the sea for a quieter, healthier life. Lots of countryside nearby as well. Everyone is much friendlier and more relaxed than in London.

Can still get to centre of London by train (1.30 hours).

Imisscoffee2021 · 05/09/2024 08:36

Where is this? Sounds spot on!

JohnCravensNewsround · 05/09/2024 08:38

East sussex v small town
Picked for
Beautiful place
Community
Pubs/restaurant
Good comp school and primary
Few miles from coast
Train station to the big smoke

Ringpeace · 05/09/2024 08:40

Rural Cumbria.

Had a lot of equity built up in our property in London, where we'd lived for many years. Cashed in while we were still young enough to make the most of it. We wanted a slower pace of life.

Red squirrels in the garden, a view of the lake district fells from the front windows. Total silence (apart from owls) at night. Both work from home in our own offices. Kids at a superb local secondary. World-class walking straight out of the front door (or short bus ride).

Still can't quite believe it.

Ardrahan · 05/09/2024 08:40

doyoulikemyyams · 05/09/2024 08:35

I had been on the road, living in lots of different countries for almost 10 years. I came here (not UK) for a 3-week rest after a job on a cattle ranch in the US, got chatting to a woman on the beach and she invited me to a gig that night. I met more lovely people there, and we all got on so well I decided to stick around a little longer.

She's now my best friend in the world and I've been here almost 8 years.

What job did you do on the ranch? I ask because I came across an old copy of My Friend Flicka the other day, and have been immersed in the world of Wyoming ranching…

Antiopa12 · 05/09/2024 08:42

I live in the same London borough I was born in. Grew up in a tenement, then a council flat before leaving for Uni. Came back for work and bought house close to the Grammar school I attended.

Starlight197 · 05/09/2024 08:45

Large Village/small town in the home counties. Outstanding schools, thriving high street, countryside and forest down the road and can get into London in 40 mins.

ViciousCurrentBun · 05/09/2024 08:47

DH is from very near London and I’m from the rural South coast. We both moved to study, him to Cambridge and me to Birmingham. We met as ended up working at the same University. We relocated much further North for permanent jobs. We ended up living in a ex mining/mill area between the two Universities we got jobs in and have lived here for 26 years. I retired and he is about to take severance and early retirement. We will move one more time in a couple of years. Probably about 30 minutes from where we live. By doing so the housing is a little cheaper and much better we want to move to buy somewhere with an acre or two.

Loads of my family live overseas and my sisters remain where we grew up. I was the ambitious one. It’s very pretty where I grew up but was crap for career development. People have moved there now because they can WFH due to covid. Quite a bit of hatred for Londoners locally buying up property. It was always a place for second homes which was bad enough.

doyoulikemyyams · 05/09/2024 08:47

Ah @Ardrahan I used to love that book as a kid!

I teach natural horsemanship and the place I worked ran NH holidays, so I was doing a mix of assisting on clinics and day to day wrangling. Hard work but lots of fun!

Autumnorganising · 05/09/2024 08:51

Both DH and I are from oop north. We moved down south for work (Dh) and university (me). Love where we live and I don’t think we will ever move again. The small town we live in has decent facilities and is only a short rail journey to the local city. The countryside and sea are within a 10 minute drive.

Unfortunately, our kids ( and our friend’s kids) have all moved away from the area as there isn’t any affordable housing around here. Expensive retirement villages are popping up all over the place, but there’s nothing for a first time buyer.

yeesh · 05/09/2024 08:55

I live in a terraced house in a seaside town next to the city I grew up in. We sold our house in the city and bought here so we would have a very small mortgage. We love being close to the beaches and live next to a country park which was fab when our son was small. My family are about 10 minutes away, his live all over the place.

dayslikethese1 · 05/09/2024 08:56

I moved to the nearest city to my university town once I graduated to try and find work. Once I'd qualified in my chosen field and gotten experience I moved to a different city for my first "proper job" along with DP (persuaded him it was a good idea) and we like it here. After renting for yrs we finally managed to buy a house with a small garden in a cheaper part of the city and we're also near countryside. We're on a main bus route (don't drive) and have everything we need here.

Chocolateismylovelife · 05/09/2024 08:58

I grew up in London zone 2 in housing association flat- I would have loved do have stayed more central but prices of property pushed me out to zone 6.
Now- I would love to be more rural but am staying for the sake of my children to have more options/opportunities.

motheroreily · 05/09/2024 09:04

I was working in London and met my ex husband.
We moved here because it was affordable and 40 mins to London on the train.
We divorced. I stayed here so my child could still see their dad regularly.
It's ok here but won't stay forever.

username59582 · 05/09/2024 09:06

I live here in the same town I grew up. It's where both our parents still live but the biggest reason we stayed is house prices.

It's definitely not a 'nice' place but it does feel like home as I grew up here. It is also near a major city and airport which is also great.

We did view places even 30/45 minutes away and could not justify the increase/feel like it felt worth it. Our mortgage means I could afford to go part time/afford childcare etc. So I see it as worthwhile. I am not sure if we would have ever got on the ladder if we had moved to another area. It definitely would have compromised our lifestyle in a different way.

Original poster
LetsRockityRock · 05/09/2024 09:08

bornleafy · 05/09/2024 07:35

I moved here because I love the place. It was a conscious decision, I planned my life, job, everything around it when I was in my 20's (I found a job in the area so that I could be here).

Made a lot of sacrifices to get here really but I knew it was where I wanted to be.

I met my DH here and now we live together.

It's a much better quality of life than where I grew up, the people I meet are more interesting, and there is more going on.

I struggle to relate to people who just stay in the town they grew up in and don't go and explore places that might suit them better. (Most of my family are like that and live within 5 miles of where they were born).

This is so interesting. Is it London?
I never in a million years expected to live so close to where I grew up. Then children came along and proximity to family became everything!

OP posts:
DrRiverSong · 05/09/2024 09:09

SallyWD · 05/09/2024 08:30

I'm a southerner living in Leeds because DH got an amazing job offer here. I knew nothing about Leeds, imagined it was grim up north.
I absolutely love it and never want to leave!
We live in a lovely suburb in the north, close to parks, the Dales etc.

Ooo. I’m from north Leeds originally. There are some lovely spots up there!

Original poster
LetsRockityRock · 05/09/2024 09:13

Ringpeace · 05/09/2024 08:40

Rural Cumbria.

Had a lot of equity built up in our property in London, where we'd lived for many years. Cashed in while we were still young enough to make the most of it. We wanted a slower pace of life.

Red squirrels in the garden, a view of the lake district fells from the front windows. Total silence (apart from owls) at night. Both work from home in our own offices. Kids at a superb local secondary. World-class walking straight out of the front door (or short bus ride).

Still can't quite believe it.

This sounds so lovely. Do you think families need to be very close, and able to rely on one another for company, to live rurally? More so than living in a city I mean

OP posts:
SanMarzano · 05/09/2024 09:14

I live in my particular town because my DH works here and it’s got good commuting links to my work. It’s also within 45 minutes of both of our parents.

We live in the particular neighbourhood and house partly because it’s close to the train station for me but mostly because it was what we could afford at the time. We’re hoping to upgrade next year, either to a nicer neighbourhood in the same town or to one of the nicer towns nearby. I’d never move to the town I grew up in though, it’s nice on paper and actually cheaper than here but I don’t like it at all as a place as an adult.

Starlight1979 · 05/09/2024 09:18

I moved from the suburbs of a big city to a rural village to be with my ex who had a house here (around 15 years ago).

I felt like a fish out of water when I first arrived! I'd gone from living close to the city centre, going out all the time, having everything on my doorstep and general busy-ness and noise, to the only sound at night being the owls in the trees in the garden and the church bells across the road in the morning!

I split from my ex years ago and he moved away but I'm still here with (now) DP. We both love it 😊We have a little social / neighbour circle, we don't do much (because there isn't much to do!) but I love just waking up on a Saturday morning, throwing our wellies on and taking the dogs out across the fields and down to the river. Or walking down to the local pub for "Fish Fridays" (fish and chips and a glass of wine / pint!) or a Sunday roast.

I still sometimes think it feels like being on a mini break in the countryside! We have campsites, shepherds huts etc in and around our village and I love that other people come on holiday here😊

TeenLifeMum · 05/09/2024 09:19

Grew up in the south east but knew we couldn’t afford London prices so moved west. Still within reach of London for a day trip so I can get my city fix, but also near Exeter and Bath (half way between). House prices affordable. I’d love to move slightly over to Dorset once dc are out of schools but we’re so close and the Dorset coast is our go to for beaches.
Essentially, I need a mix of city, country walks with the dog, beach and river for kayaking. Where I live offers all of this. Safe town, dc can walk to friends houses/use buses in the town (outside of town is less well supported by public transport).
lovely parks and theatre, but council going bankrupt so that’s all at risk.