So boring for non-(ex)Londoners, but...
-We would like a bigger house (4 beds), bigger garden, more green space.
- bit worried about state secondary schools in area and private not choice/option.
- bit worried about kids having their teenage years in London.
-think it's better to make a move while kids still primary age and younger.
- not sure I see myself being in London forever.
Realistically, we need to be commutable to London which makes "where?" a real issue.
Apologies about this next bit - genuinely don't mean to cause offence: but DH suspects that the commutable areas are very Daily Telegraph/Daily Mail! If you look at the political map of the country, it is a sea of blue surrounding London -apart from Brighton and Oxford! But surely there must be places where you'd have a good smattering of leftie/liberal neighbours!! (Where??) Of course we know it takes all sorts, but would hate to be the "only leftie in the village"!! Anyone else in this boat?
So we're struggling with: how do you decide if it's the right thing to move out of London? Is it better to move to a cheaper (but less nice) area of London to get the bigger house/bigger garden ? (but that means starting again in new area anyway and still worrying about schools/general London lifestyle)?
Where could we move to out of London with budget of £550-600k max (suggestions very gratefully received)? Probably another town/city or large village near big town/city would suit us better than completely rural.
We had thought of Brighton, but now wonder if it's a younger family place that you want to move out of in your 40s (like us)?
I know we'll have to compromise on something! I would love to hear other people's experiences - did you decide to stay - why? Did you leave and regret it - why? Where did you go? Was the move out of London "the best thing you ever did"?