Moving to Paignton Devon - advice please!

[TheBluePanda]

Hi everyone,
My mum, dad and I are moving to Devon and were looking at Paignton as we love being by the sea. My parents will soon be retiring. Any advice on what the area is like and job options. I know you can get a train or drive to Exeter. Are there any areas you would recommend in Paignton? Our budget is around £450k. We're moving from London and have been told the south coast is lovely and bit more accessible. What is it like in the summer when all the tourists come and what's it like in the winter?
Thanks

Why Paignton, of all places? It's... not really one of the nicer bits of Devon. Significant deprivation, low life expectancy, economy very reliant on tourism. See this thread for a previous discussion: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4258711-Moving-to-Paignton-opinions

For your budget, you can afford other places on the south coast. Work-wise, you're asking about job options - what kind of work are you after?

Thanks for your reply! Where along the South Coast would you recommend? We looked at a few properties with an amazing sea view that we really liked and it's not too far from London and Cornwall which we like to visit. Would you say its similar to a typical seaside town? Maybe a job at a local hospital.

Teignmouth, Shaldon, Dawlish are much nicer, though probably more expensive. I love that area.

Look at Brixham

It sounds like you’ve never been to the area. I really think you should go and spend a few weeks there before you relocate.

Paignton is your classic deprived seaside town. The sort of place you would drive through quickly.

It's a bit of a shithole, although the beach is nice at Broadsands - but the houses there will be expensive I imagine. That's the only bit I'd live in. The rest is not nice. What about Totnes? Brixham? Even Torquay is nicer than Paignton.

i agree with pp re Paignton, there are much nicer areas. Have you considered Exmouth (east Devon, not south): train station, huge beach, start of the Jurassic coast, good bus service to Exeter. Sidmouth is lovely too, but no train station.

I agree with everyone else about Paignton. Lived and worked there when I was 18-19 and although walking home along the seafront was nice (I worked on the pier), it was scutty back then, never mind how it would be now. I don't think Torquay is any better personally (we went there a lot and family still live there) and Brixham is a very slow, small town with a nice harbour but not much else (lived there too, lol).

Teignmouth, Dawlish Warren and that area are nicer but the problem with living in 'seaside towns' is the work is usually seasonal and the competition for 'proper jobs' is insane as a result.

Agree with other posters Paignton is very deprived. If you come a bit further south Kingsbridge is lovely with a local cottage hospital. Or even further south the outskirts of Plymouth ( not central Plymouth). More to do and more opportunity.

Alternatively outskirts of Exeter although that's further away from the sea.

@TheBluePanda what are you looking for in that budget? Perhaps we could offer some alternatives affordable areas.

Unfortunately I echo every negative thing said about Paignton so far.

Definitely not Paignton. Although I used to love it as a child - 40 years ago! Maybe Kingsbridge, there are lovely beaches nearby although manic in the summer. I would go a bit inland to be honest, and just drive to the beach when you want to go. You definitely need to go down and spend some time down there in the summer and out of season.

Another vote here for Teignmouth/ Dawlish- far nicer, and in price range for property. Exmouth is ok too- and all handy for working in Exeter.

Agree with pp you need to experience the summer here. Sometimes on a Saturday in the school holidays I drive to the end of my village, see the traffic is backed up for miles and just go home again!

Also need experience a cold, wet day as it can feel very different without the sun.