Anyone moved to London in their 50s and loved it?

[malificent7]

I sm bored of the country but I am not on a high wage ( nhs bandv6). Dh a similar wage. . Would it be mad to move to London?
Visiting recently mafe me long for the big smoke.

I know someone who moved from the Lake District to London after they retired in their early 60s!

Still loving it 10 years later

Rent out your place and rent for a year to see if it works, but worth giving it a go

As a general point I think moving into an urban centre is a good idea for the last chapters of life - much easier for transport, making friends, getting out

I am in London in my 50s and while I love seeing family in the country and friends in smaller cities I can't see me moving.

Those are two extremes though, there are plenty of nice flats in leafy areas with shares of gardens from zone 3 outwards - lots of SE London is leafy and reasonably affordable if you're happy with a false

We are less than an hour out of London on a fast train. I've enjoyed visiting much more since getting my senior railcard.

My bro moved out of London in his 50s after living there since uni. He didn't regret it, but I've always felt that I wouldn't have done that

I'm older than you, live in what I imagine most people would call a sketchy part of London and love it. But you need to be realistic about prices - you won't get a one bedroom flat anywhere for less than £250,000 and anywhere 'nice' you can add a £100k minimum to that. But if your budget allows, go for it!

Definitely would. Our parents were Londoners who moved out so we have always gone back to see family. One DD now lives there and the other commutes there for work. Ideally we’d be somewhere in a leafy outskirt so we could get in easily but also have the benefits of green spaces and countryside. But that costs £££

I can definitely see the appeal of moving to a city, not necessarily London, when you get older. I'm 60 next month and once dd3 leaves home (she's 17) I'm thinking of upping sticks and moving somewhere livelier with better public transport.

50 was old when we used to afford to retire at that age... these days people in the 70s are planning their retirement lives in a totally different country, let alone moving to London. If you want to move, move. Why regret it?

As a Londoner, I moved back, in my 50's, to a London suburb, after some years in a Sussex village (oh, God.,,😳😳😳😳).

I love being back. 👍🍾🥂

Only if you live in the london banana:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-banana-house-prices-b1245819.html

My aunt, 70's just bought a little flat over looking the thames. It's such a safe area, really clean... she loves it. pops over to the Tate, takes the water taxis... talks to people all the time. If she lived in a cottage int he country she would just get old and die lonely

I’m in London too but we are mulling a move more centrally and this sounds amazing ! Just the kind of vibrant life we would want at 54

I'm in the banana!

But there are plenty of nice places outside the banana - London is Big!

Can't think of anything worse, personally. I'm late 40s and every time I am in London I can't wait to leave and get home to Scotland! Whereas in my 20s I loved visiting. But would never have wanted to live there even then.

@HundredMilesAnHour that really is living the dream. I don’t think I would do it as we are happy where we are but what a great life you have built.

Thank you @PermanentTemporary and @doubleshotcappuccino too. I appreciate that I’m very lucky. A lot of people (almost everyone!) thought I was bonkers when I bought my flat because the area was pretty rough (by MN standards very rough!) but I wanted to be as central as I could on my limited budget and this was just about affordable. I was actually renting in a ‘naice’ area in North London at the time but had split up with my partner and was desperate to find a place of my own. I work in banking so being between the City and Canary Wharf was an ideal location and logically I thought the area had to improve because there will be other people and businesses who think the same as me. And boy has it improved!!!

I must admit that sometimes I take it for granted so it’s good to see it through other people’s eyes and get a reminder of how lucky I am.

I’m now about to casually stroll through Spitalfields to my office near Liverpool St and feel slightly guilty that some people spend longer waiting for their train than it takes me to walk to work.😝

I think the residents of very MN-approved 'naice' places like Dulwich, Ealing, Greenwich, Blackheath etc might take issue with the banana concept, but then it is just a stupid idea designed to generate publicity for the rather attention-seeking man who invented it...

I am in my 50s, recently moved back to London (to a non-banana location!) and am extremely happy with my decision, so I would say to the OP, go for it, it's a great place to be when you are an empty-nester!

I'm borderline banana! But don't understand how Cockfosters is in and Stoke Newington out? Who cares... I'm similar age and situation to you - my children were encouraging me to downsize to be here.

That banana is inaccurate.

I’d love to do it but housing costs are too high.

I looked at the banana and thought “Oh that will piss off the residents of Dulwich 😁”

I have a retired uncle who lives in Bloomsbury and has a great time Being retired on a good pension in central London, what’s not to like? Easy transport around and out of London, top hospitals, great entertainment. I’m in.

I moved back in my mid-50s, and have not regretted a moment. I now live in South London, and if you had told me that when I lived in East London 40 yrs ago I would have laughed in your face.

The positives for me are free transport from 60, excellent public transport. I can be in Covent Garden in 25 mins, good local parks, great coffee, lots to do with new people…

Access to museums and galleries, Farmers’ Markets, spotting Jersey Tiger Moths in the garden and a cheaper hairdresser at the top of the road. For me it works.

I’m thinking of making this move. Aside from the banana suggestion really interested to know where anyone would recommed living (already had thoughts of Dulwich, Blackheath). Work would be near St Paul’s if I transferred my existing role

I've lived in London and would love to move back in my retirement. What holds me back is that I'd only be able to afford a flat but I feel like the service charges would be like having a permanent mortgage. I don't know how people afford the service charges in retirement unless really well off.