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?

Hi. I’m in Cambridge. It’s a small beacon of light surrounded by a sea of conservative (and probably Reform). East Anglia is a beautiful but politically divided and fiery place. I get it, the fenland towns are on their knees, but, as so often happens, those worst affected blame the wrong people and believe the lies of the hate mongering politicians.
There is hope though, as Cambridge expands (the massive housing boom and the rise of awful new build wasteland like estates aside) places near Cambridge are changing from decades of staunch conservatism. Places like Ely (lovely) have thrown off their Tory leaders!
I’m not a political party person, they all have huge issues. So I’m very much a floating voter and will vote Green or something if my vote won’t change who’s in power but might gain a following, but Lib Dem (or similar) if they stand a chance of pushing out the right. But it is nice to be surrounded by a mix of thinking. Quiet centre conservatives or labour people, those fighting for a better climate future and fairness for immigrants, and those that value the arts and thinking and beauty and nature over this money, money, money, culture.
That said, we are thinking of moving as our child is taking over and we need a bit more space. We won’t be able to stay here as prices are ridiculous!

Steyning is cute, not too far away and a little cheaper. None of the rough, night vibes either.

We have been looking to move to Hove and although we can find flats within our price range the service charges for most are extortionate.We will keep looking v

I went to university in Brighton and lived there for many years. It's expensive because SE England is expensive and it is a commuter town for London.
It's always been scruffy, or at least it was in the 1980s. It has large gay population and a large vegetation/vegan population.
It also has pockets of deprivation and people who may have lived in Brighton for many generations who are not benefitting from the affleuence in parts of the city.

I loved living there, I wish I lived closer as I have connections there. However it gets very congested in summer with traffic and tourists.
Could you stay fpr a week in an Airbnb and get a feel for it?

The problem with Brighton is that it contains both the best and worst types of people. On the one hand, you have the gay, arty, hippie community - cool, friendly, and civilized. But you also have another sort. I mean the violent drop outs who move there to live a life of drug abusive and benefit fraud.

People like that don’t understand that living an alternative lifestyle doesn’t mean doing whatever you want. You still have to be polite and quiet and consider other people’s feelings.

Also I loved the North Laine and Infonity Foods and still miss it. We moved away 20 years ago for work and I'm not sure I'd move back now.

Look further afield like peacehaven or eastbourne - hassocks even, or burgess hill (much cheaper) I have friends who live in hurst and love it but is ex - we used to be in kemptown but moved now. You wont get much for 250k - you'll have to move further out. The denes are nice too.

Totally agree with this. When we were looking in Brighton it was very tempting to keep pushing further out to get more house for our money but as you say outside the centre it's not really Brighton. To be fair places like Sydney are very similar. They just don't have the "collection of villages" structure of London

And Bristol is equally if not more expensive I believe.

@Cosimarocks thankyou! Very interesting.

May I recommend Littlehampton, just a little further past Worthing and far cheaper than Brighton without all the hustle and bustle