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?

It used to be but now a lot of the businesses from Brighton have moved into Worthing, bringing some of the energy with them. Many couples choose to move to Worthing to have a family as housing is cheaper and the schools are considered better. Pre-kids, we had a plan to move back to Brighton but I'm glad we didn't. We still love visiting Brighton for the day though and teen DD loves shopping there.

It's not just for old people 🙄

Have a look at Eastbourne. Like Worthing it’s been tainted with an old person town vibe, but is great for young families. 30 mins on the train to Brighton and you’d get a good property for £250k

You could (maybe) get a small 2 bed flat, or otherwise there are some nice shared ownership flats about.

It's a bit awkward with primary schools at the moment...because no one with kids can afford to live here, some of the less popular primary schools are closing because they are undersubscribed, and then the popular primary schools are more oversubscribed than usual.

I do think it's a great place to bring up kids though.

Brighton and Hove is so much more than just Brighton town centre! Hove is just next door and is much more residential with great places to eat and drink etc. a lovely seafront, a couple of beautiful parks and a very friendly vibe in general. It's expensive though.
Look at Portslade maybe, which is an easy ride into Brighton. Seaford is lovely too, but further along the coast going East.

You're answering your own question, you're asking why it's so expensive if it's rough then listing the reasons you want live there. Other people want to live there for the same or similar reasons. Anywhere vaguely commutable to London is more expensive. Your budget isn't going to get what you want in Brighton.

This is my experience too , a close family member lives there , there is a totally different vibe at night compared to daytime .
I find it a little intimidating i don't actually like the place much at all, there are much nicer places to live .

Not nearly as many as before Brexit

People never seem to understand that it's not only wealthy DFLs who want to move to desirable areas. Brighton is a hub for transient/homeless communities and rife with drug use. It doesn't make it a bad place to live IMO, I only left because I couldn't afford it, but it's attractive to all kinds of people including less 'desirable' characters

Worthing's not that bad, "old people" is more Eastbourne and Bexhill!

As Brighton has got more and more expensive in terms of property, some of the surrounding places have got a bit more "Brightonised". Several people have told me recently that Shoreham is getting a really cool vibe about it, that might be worth checking out.

Brighton also has a lot of homelessness, significant areas of deprivation, and both drug-related deaths and the crime rate are relatively high. You'd need to pick your area carefully imo.

I moved to Sussex 30-odd years ago, and it has got progressively more seedy since then.

I would swap IKEA any day for a John Lewis or a Uniqlo lovely as IKEA is. And the High Street has boarded up shops everywhere.

I only know of 2 John Lewis stores in the whole of Sussex (Horsham and Chichester). There used to be one just over the border in Tunbridge Wells, but that closed a few years ago (which really surprised me, I'd have thought if any town could sustain a John Lewis, it would be Tunbridge Wells).

Try Folkestone. It's really lovely down by the harbour arm (loads of food stalls, market stalls, a cinema screen that shows free films/sports events), plus some great shops and a huge vintage emporium. Lots of restaurants. Excellent schools. Crazy golf and a new sauna on the beach

I have lived in Brighton for 16 years, moved here when pregnant with DC1. Your impression that Brighton is a friendly, positive, vibrant place is spot on! Yes, there is a seedy, tacky hen-do element but that is one small aspect of Brighton, most of us locals live in residential areas not on the seafront! We are in the North of the city, I walk my dog in the South Downs almost every day. Yes the beach gets crowded on a hot day but you can always find a quieter spot a little east or west of the centre, or meet friends for an early morning or after work swim. The schools are good, my teens love living here and, and I’ve never come across the achingly hip or snobby stereotype, all the people I know through school, work, community are laid back and yes, Brighton does attract left wing and progressive types, which I think is brilliant personally

Watching "Night Coppers" on c4 .Eye opening ,Police certainly have their work cut out! Obv quieter in daytime ,but I think somewhere a little further out and cheaper may be better

Don't go to the beach for a spring tide sunset then, if you find sand vulgar! 🌅

Maybe too far away for you but have you been to Falmouth in Cornwall? I have spent quite a bit of time there and really like it. It's similar to Brighton in some ways but smaller off course. Properties are cheaper, beach is nicer and it has that artistic feel. Equally crowded during the summer though.

Okay thank you

very helpful thank you

Um I don’t think I was pious. Someone said that I shouldn’t go there if I have an issue with trans people and I said that I don’t. Truthfully I’d rather be somewhere where people are accepted for whoever they are and I am assuming somewhere like Brighton has less racism than I’m used to as well, but I don’t want to start a debate

Sadly 250 isn’t going to get you far if you want a family home. Worthing is great but might be out of budget still. Brighton is fun but expensive with a considerable rich/poor divide which shows.

Great!

Folkestone? I hardly know it and I’ve only seen the centre but certainly the centre seems lovely. No idea about cost or houses there but I’m guessing they are cheaper than Brighton.

Brighton and Hove is a lovely place to live and bring up children. It’s is however very expensive these days. Living on the outskirts is where you’ll have to move to so it’s deciding where’s best for you. Don’t go further than Peacehaven or Lancing

I would go to Hastings in your shoes