Hercules now looking at Ivybridge and schools in Devon

[hercules1]

SO come on, they look good on the league tables- how are they and how are the houses and ivybridge to live.

Bump

ivybridge is lovely! schools are all good.

WOuld love to join you! - On the Housing list at the moment.

Ivybridge is a massive commuter-town.
Variety of housing from little old stone cottages, to LOADS of white painted estate houses, to modern developments.
Town centre with shops, Dr etc.

....not clear on the multi-cultural nature of Ivybridge...

Thanks. We are going for a reccie this weekend. IT's quite close to plymouth so I am hoping multi cultural wont be so bad. Tbh we are getting desparate. We are looking at 300k here for houses under 200k there...

Ivybridge not very multicultural, but a good place for families.

bump

Bump -honestly. I can hardly be expected to make life changing decisions without the expertise and experience of mumsnetters!

I live here and it's fab
CAT me if you like.

herc1, I thought you had decided to stay put? I thought your bro had convinced you Devon was not right for you?? I love your undecideness.

Can't offer any advice on Ivybridge though, but good luck in your search!!

Thanks gooseegg. Kind offer but I wont because if I do move down I'll lose my anonymity but thanks!

Oh I am the most indeciveness person I know!

My brother put me off plymouth a bit and the cost of houses in some places but Ivybridge seems very tempting.

If we move dh can give up work and be a sahp for a year or so and then retrain. Our quality of life will be so much better whereas if we stay then we'll be slogging our guts to pay a huge mortgage and be buggered after our fixed deal ends.

Ivybridge is a great place for families but not really multicultural (well not what I've seen of it, ds3 has a rather good childminder there )

What are your must-haves? If it's a decent sized house for 200K then I'd say steer clear of South Hams and possibly Exeter (not sure how far outside you'd have to go) if it's a multi-cultural society then you really need to look in Plymouth or Exeter. If proximity to special schools is important then I'd keep away from West Devon (Tavistock) and possibly Exeter itself (although depends on your experience as there is the school for the deaf and the school for the blind in Exeter- whcih includes a PMLD unit), although I know there are some outside

Just had verified that if we want to move on just my wage we need to look for 200k and under so Ivybridge seems to be a possibility. THe grammar in plymouth have a waiting list so it really has to be Ivybridge for us because of the secondary school there.

THere seems to be a good few special school in plymouth and if it's just me working I dont mind the travelling.

I think that once we visit Ivybridge we'll get a feel for the place and if all is well then I'm happy to stick there despite not being very multicultural as PLymouth.

How are you going to commute? Or will you look for a new job? If you are relying on a new job, find it before you move, as I believe there are less jobs down there?

i have to get a job first before we move otherwise cant port the mortgage but we can wait as there seems to be a good few special schools. I will drive to work.

If down in Plymouth this weekend go to city centre - Flavour Fest is on ( lots of ymmu food/produce)

For 200k you can pick from LOTS of 3-4 bed places, in vareity of areas, some with gardens, some with yards, some immaculate, some needing work.

Thursday is property pages day in local paper...

Well done on reaching a decision. We have looked into moving to devon so many times I have lost count

In the end I think we are just not brave to do it. Dh has a decent job here, wages are average but overtime is whopping, and we don't think he will be able to earn the same down there. It is still very very tempting, and I wish you every luck in the world!

We visited Ivybridge with a view to living down there and it is nice - lots of older terraced houses, some modern houses as well. River running through the town. Easy to access motorway, near both moors, cities and beaches.

Ivybridge school is good, and on a thread I started about living in Devon, I was given great advice in comparing Ivybridge, Totnes and Kingsbridge Secondary schools. All good academically but each had their own strengths. I think Kingsbridge was good for sciences, Totnes for arts and Ivybridge for sports.(It has lots of new sports facilities open to the community, I think).

On our walk round impression and from talking to MIL, we found it a bit less touristy and 'picture perfect' than, say Kingsbridge or Totnes. The lower house prices reflect this.

ymmu = yummy

Do reconsider emailing goosegg especially if you want to know about the local secondary school

(hope you don't mind me saying that, goosegg)

Thanks!

Sorry just read new messages. TOtnes seems too expensive and Ivybridge seems to hit everything really - house prices and schools.

Next issue is we know we wont earn as much down there and ideally it woulk dbe just me working to begin with (better earning potential than dh) so that dh could settle kids in to schools/nurseries etc. But with just one wage then we can only go for 200k or under. If we both have jobs to go down with then we are only limited by what we want to go up to - probably 225 so dh can give up work once we move.

I have looked in the archive at past threads of yours TIgermoth about schools. IT would be weird if we moved to TOtnes as ds would go to same school I did as a teenager. But totnes as I say seems to pricey.

Ivybridge isn't just a commuter town and it certainly isn't massive.
The schools are all very good. Between them my children have attended three of the primary schools and have all loved the community college.
When you come check out the plans for the new library currently being built and the leisure centre with indoor and outdoor pools.
From here you can walk straight onto the moor with nothing but empty moor between us and Princetown 17miles away. When it rains you can smell the peaty moorland smell in the town. The woods are beautiful and safe and the shops have everything you need with a Tesco extra a 5min car ride away.
The South Hams beaches are beautiful and only 30mins away.
Transport links are excellent.
I totally understand the anonymous thing.
Just ask me on here if there's anything else you might think of.
goose.

When I said "massive commuter-town"...I was meaning massive as in popular, so "town very popular with those who commute as it has easy main road access etc" not "carbuncle on arse of society"...sorry if seemed to be insulting your home, goose!

No offence Tigana [neighbourly nod]

Thanks goosegg! Got a few houses to see now and spoke to the school who said they have to have places for people moving in during the year.