Moving to Bath in 2021

[Westly]

Hi everyone,
We’re planning on moving to Bath (or Bristol if we can’t find anywhere around Bath) in 2021. We were planning on spending this year exploring the area but covid shut that idea down, so I’m hoping to garner ideas from kind local people please as it’s so hard doing it all on googlemaps!

We have three kids (5, 3 and a newborn) and so we’d love a detached house within a 15 minute drive of Bath in any direction. We’re looking for a rural village or town feel with young families and good schools. My husband would like to be able to walk to a pub! Any suggestions would be gratefully received. Thanking you xx

What's your budget? Do you need to commute somewhere?

Hi Scarlet,
Yes I’ll be commuting into London a couple of times a week hence wanting to not be too far from the train station. Our budget is flexible as we have a house to sell but we also have a London flat if we really need to sell that too (against advice to sell it but I would if I totally fell in live somewhere). For a four bed detached house I’m guessing we’re not going to get any change from £1m! Yikes!

Keynsham might fit your bill. Its slightly more than 15 minutes out of Bath though. Its midway between Bristol and Bath and has a station with direct trains to Bristol, Bath and onwards to Paddington.
Tell your DH it has plenty of pubs.

You want Saltford not Keynsham for 1m!
But Oldfield Park or Keynsham for their Stations.

Or Newton St Loe, Corston are beautiful villages.

Are you planning to pay for schools?

Widcombe or Lyncombe will put you in catchment for loads of outstanding schools and close to the train station. You can't be too far out if you want a 15 minute drive to the station - just walk. The compromise is that you will have a terrace (or semi house), but on multiple floors. On the plus side you have loads of great countryside and shops at your doorstep.

It's grim commuting to London more than once a week if you want to be there for ordinary office hours. You need to add on the eccentricities of the circle/district bakerloo or central line.

Agreed Widcombe or Lyncombe would probably fit your requirements as they are right on the doorstep/in the middle of beautiful countryside but 10-15 min walk to train station (up/down hills though!). The state schools are excellent both at primary and secondary and there are great pubs everywhere. It is a very well trodden path from London-Bath. Many of us commute regularly into London and whilst not ideal it is very do-able. If you move to Bear Flat you will get more for your money as Widcombe is fairly spenny but you can almost certainly find a house for 1 million in the local area and no need for private school fees!

Unless you really have to buy ASAP, I recommend airbnbing/short term rental for a few weeks to check you like the area.

If covid restrictions continue there are going to be quite a few of the larger airbnbs (traditionally get used by hen parties/family reunions) that are going to shift to shortlets/be put up for sale if they haven't done so already.

The advantage of finding somewhere near Bath is that you stand a chance of having Norlanders help out with childcare/babysitting.