I want a nice semi-rural house with gravel and a gate. Where to look?

[CoraMackenzie]

Posted this in Chat but think it's too fast paced for real advice. Hoping to get some good ideas here.

Ok, sold our house in crazy bling land last year (Cheshire) and have been renting down south since then. DH is all over the place with work and often out of the country for a week or two at a time. So, tbh, it doesn't really matter where we are as long as he can get to an international airport within and hour and a half.

I want a house with a big garden, maybe semi-rural with a good school. I want trees and a gravel path with a 5bar gate. Must have 4beds as have 3kids. (I know I want a lot )There must be lots of beautiful parts of the country we haven't even considered before so I'm open to all suggestions.

Max budget 700k, though I'd love to spend less obviously. If you lot can't help, I'm going to have to contact Phil&Kirsty!

I think we've talked Treb, but am the other end of the county from you. There are photos on my profile though..

Leics would be good I guess because when he is in the country he is sometimes in London, sometimes in Manchester and occas in Edinburgh.

Lincoln and villages in Lincolnshire are great and you would get loads for your money. My husband travels most of the year so like you it doesn't really matter where we are based. He travels all over the world including America. Flys out of humberside airport mostly, East Midlands or Manchester. Found a great website called netmovers which shows all the houses for sale.

Yes, but what do you really want? Gravel and gates are all very well, but what are you looking for in terms of lifestyle?

For example, do you want to be somewhere where you can go to a theatre or to concerts once in a while? Do you want an FE college running evening classes where you can meet people? Do you want scope to go back to work yourself? Do you want grammar schools, private schools, or comprehensives? When you say semi-rural, do you want to be 5 miles from a town, or 30 miles? Do you want glorious rugged scenery? Do you want to be by the sea? Do you want National Trust houses nearby for family days out?

The Indie website has an amazing feature called Private Viewing - I just came to \link{http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/property/private-viewing-our-tour-of-the-pick-of-the-property-market-1683875.html?action=Gallery&ino=88\this lovely one in Northants, it says an hour from London} The gate isn't 5-barred but you could put one in!

There are over 200 houses featured, mostly in the £500K-£1m range, & quite a lot tick most of your boxes - though they may not all still be for sale of course.

London prices make me go & fall off my chair compared with what you can get for the same money elsewhere!

\link{http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/property/private-viewing-our-tour-of-the-pick-of-the-property-market-1683875.html?action=Gallery&ino=91\ROFL at Lickey House in Twatling Road} (no good for you, I just love the names - imagine having to give that address out over the phone!)

Hurstpierpoint, W Sussex? Poynings or Fulking? All v close to Brighton.

here and right near stansted!

If you fancy a move back North?

Is gravel and a gate code for something?

Gravel sucks, especially when wet or full of snow. Your car ruts in it you have to keep shovelling it around.

It gets in the house, too.

We also had a gate - lovely period property.

It kept getting fucking stuck.

expat you are so funny Agree on gravel though we have it atm and I am getting rid!!!!!!!!

But you don't buy a house because of the gravel and the gate do you?