Hello
We're long term expats (I'll give you three guesses where based on the username), looking to retire in about 10 years. Realistically, we'd want to have a base somewhere in the UK (spending more and more time there as we get older) but aren't tied to any particular location. I'm really struggling on how to make the decision of where. There is no clear 'home' in the UK for either me or DH - there are places that we spent considerable amounts of time as children, and places we visit regularly because parents are based there, but nowhere that we'd have an established network of friends/family in place (family are disbursed around the UK/world).
Assuming not London/South East because looking to keep house prices and cost of living low(er), does anyone have any suggestions of areas to start thinking about? Or even good sources for information rather than me going into Rightmove flights of fancy?
Criteria are:
(1) 3 bed (but ideally three double, two bath) house for under GBP500k, ideally more like GBP400 (assuming prices will increase over the next few years). Some form of garden, off street parking, but doesn't have to be detached. I like older houses (but might not actually want this if I'm thinking of old age an maintenance!). Some form of view. I'd love to be rural but given the other criteria anticipating that's probably not going to happen.
(2) Good transport links including public transport easy access to a decent sized town/city that has options for restaurants, theatre, cinema etc.
(3) Access to (NHS) healthcare i.e. not an hour from the nearest decent hospital.
(4) A community that is likely to be welcoming to outsiders and ideally multicultural/otherwise open minded.
I grew up in the Yorkshire golden triangle, and actually that would be ideal but not sure how I feel about going back to my childhood 'home' area. Plus possibly too little Britain?