I would like to live in Brighton and Hove

[0hIdoliketobebesidetheseaside]

Visited last weekend and I really think it’s the place for us. But I’m not sure we can afford it, is there anywhere like it?
Things we loved

beautiful shops in the lanes, seaside, so much to do, arts, live music etc. People seem friendlier than in a lot of places. South Downs for walks

But we have only £250000 and thinking of having a baby soon

any solutions or alternatives?

I know a couple who live in Brighton and love it but they are rich so can afford a massive house in a lovely area, eat out a lot and go to all the festival events. They also travel a lot so don't actually live there for at least half the year. There wouldn't be much point in scraping by to get a small flat on the outskirts if you want a garden and to be able to afford a nice life. I find it grungy and very crowded in the summer. I'm not a shopper though so when I see them we go out to the Downs and go for a walk which is lovely. For me it's like London - lovely to visit but I'm very happy to leave.

We have friends in Portslade and Worthing and fringes of Brighton and like all those areas personally.

I grew up in Yorkshire and wouldn’t live there again if you paid me. It’s all personal though.

I lived in Brighton for years and like other posters, never found it unsafe or rough. Would walk home after a night out etc without a second thought.

One thing I appreciate having moved away (to the south west) is access to countryside.
Brighton is pretty bleak when it comes to getting out of the city to nature. The south downs just aren't that interesting and that's pretty much all there is!

I don't know what the jobs market is like there at the moment and in different fields but be careful of that... Your nearest big city is London and that is one hell of an expensive commute on top of your London house prices!

My daughter is a police officer in Brighton. Crime levels are very high including violent crime and sexual assault. The drug problem fuels a large percentage of the crime and the homelessness is definitely a big issue. I would not choose to bring a family up in the city.

I have lived in Hove, but that was 20 years ago and it felt safe. However, parking even then, was horrendous, so you will need somewhere with its own parking.

Ok I get this but why are people willing to pay so much to live there if it’s so rough? I don’t get it.

Because it's not rough, it's a lovely place to live! Yes, there are some small areas of Brighton where you might not want to walk on your own at 2am but that applies to ALL places in the UK.

If Brighton really was a shithole then noone would be paying almost London prices to live here 😆

Worthing is much ‘younger’ than it used to be. I grew up nearby and it was called ‘God’s Waiting Room’. But now a lot of those people have left the waiting room and their homes have been been bought by younger people who can’t afford to live in Brighton or London.

I moved to Worthing 20 years ago and absolutely love it. Plenty of young people and families here. The town centre is a bit depressing- Poundland and vape shops and empty units- but that’s the same in a lot of towns. We’re a short distance from Brighton and Chichester for those who want decent shops. Our beaches are nicer than Brighton’s 🙂

What a load of old rubbish or are you trying to keep the Londoners out?

Brighton is amazing. The shops, bars, restaurants, pavilion, beach and schools are really good. As an Brightonian I can assure you it is much nicer than in the 70s or 80s. Yeah it is not some plastic place.

look at shoreham, have friends there and they love it ----

Portslade is bleak imo. I would recommend looking east of the pier. Brighton is an amazing place to live

No, I don’t mind where Londoners live. I don’t think what I said is rubbish. It is my experience.

Si @Basquervill when was Brighton lovely?

also I love pebbles and think sand is vulgar,

Brighton has never been a wholesome place so I'm unsure why people judge it to be lacking on that. Historically, it has always had some criminality associated with the the place or with people that aren't conformist and are perhaps on the edges of society. Graham Greene's novel Brighton Rock although fiction does portray the criminal landscape of the place with gangs like the Sabini gang ran protection rackets. It changed quite a bit late 90s early 00s when there were more DFLs buying up period properties as the culture of the place shifted and became gentrified in many pockets around the city. It is a bit like London in that respect village like areas around the city usually centred around schools so in North Brighton, Hove, seven dials etc. However, it has got one of the lowest number of births per 100000 now in the UK so many schools are closing as it is unaffordable for families and there are many more you g people in their 20s house sharing.

I live just outside Brighton and work very centrally. It’s very expensive & the High Street is dead. Of course it’s quirky and being by the sea is lovely in the summer but I’m sure there are better places.

yeah that ikea, sooooo dead !

How can sand be 'vulgar', how can nature be vulgar.

I would argue that the best of Brighton is not really seen by visitors as it's about the vibe rather than raw beauty.

I lived in the area decades ago and I loved it and still love to visit it. I think I'd have been happy to stay there. I had to move for work and exh at the time. But I'm going back this summer and can't wait.

The nearby villages are lovely. It is very expensive though and there is definitely a seedy edge to it. But all areas have their problems.

Just do your homework.

Oh apologies Isabella, I didn't read your context, for the point your were making, I think we are saying the same thing.

Agree with this. Grew up there and moved away but visit occasionally. There are seedier sides, always were tbh, including tented homeless groups along the seafront and around the Old Steine and addiction asb issues. But if you don’t mind the less attractive side of urban life and can live further out it is fine.

Born in Brighton, have lived in central Brighton, Hove, Hassocks, Shoreham, Worthing and Kemp Town so have a pretty good perspective I think. OP, realistically I think you'll find it hard to find anywhere big enough for a small family that also includes outside space in any of those places other than some parts of Worthing.

Worthing however has really changed in the last 10 years - the town centre has definitely declined (like pretty much every other town centre in the UK) but it is currently getting a facelift. There's a lot of investment going on at the moment. But other shopping streets (like Warwick Street) are thriving, with lots of indie shops and cafes. There are two great cinemas, one right on the seafront, two theatres that actually have stuff on (including live music) that you'd actually want to see. Lots of arty stuff too. If you go slightly further west to Goring and Ferring there are fabulous open green spaces right on the beach. The beachfront just east of Worthing pier has been done up in the past few years and has some nice cafes and ice cream shops. There are a few really nice restaurants and bars, including Perch on the Pier which has fantastic views.

If you head north from Worthing you'll be in the South Downs National Park pretty quickly - ok, it's not on a par with the Peak District or the Lakes, but it's still lovely, there are loads of great walks and villages like Findon, Storrington, West Chiltington for great Sunday pub roasts etc. Bigger historic nearby towns that are 'lookers' include Horsham, Chichester, Arundel and Petworth, all of which are super expensive to live in but lovely to visit. It's honestly a great part of the country to live in. The main downside is the traffic.

I wouldn't want to live anywhere that attracted the type of people who thought 'old' was a pejorative. Especially if they piously burnished their pro-trans credentials at the same time.

Southsea is nowhere near Brighton or Worthing! (It's near Portsmouth).
Maybe you meant Southwick? -but it's not got a Brighton vibe at all, though you can get a train or bus into Brighton.

My husband’s cousin lives just north of Brighton. In the summer, they never go into the centre of Brighton because it is so busy with tourists.

Family friends live sort of on the outskirts of Brighton, they rarely go into the city centre.

Southsea is a good shout £250k would get you a brilliant house. The seafront has just been re-vamped, it’s fabulous.

Many things to consider. You get amazing family friendly places, mainly in Hove. You then get area I would scared to walk at night, like whitehawk. The difference in price between the two for the same property is massive.

Also I believe Brighton still operates on the basis you are not allocated schools based on your street or something like that.

Close to Brighton are many places that are also very expensive but have a very different feel to Brighton. If you love Brighton for its trendy busy feel, you won't get this in Worthing or Saltdean. You'll get it even less further away.

For £250k you won't get much at all if you want a garden anywhere in East or West Sussex unless you look at the more dodgy areas.

I too would love to live in Brighton. If I lived in Brighton I’d never moan again. It’s fantastic