in turmoil over moving in plymouth

[sungirltan]

our budget for a family home is about £300k. i have been scouring rightmove for propoerties which tick all the boxes in the one good school area in the city (v sought after school plus lots of dd's friends will go there). the houses are ok (and period which i love) but rarely have any decent outside space BUT they are v close to a big shopping street which has 2 co ops and a greengrocers/butcher quite a few independent shops which i think would save alot on fuel etc and there are two nice parks close by AND i'd be moving closer to two good friends with kids the same age as dd who arn't planning to move any time soon.

BUT....i keep looking at houses in plymstock which is a seaside town over a bridge from plymouth which have really decent gardens for the same money plus a much less urban location. plymstock afaik has reasonable schools. we have friends with older children there.

on the one hand i am terrified about letting down dd school wise but on the other hand i want her to have a garden and not live in the middle of a city.

any thoughts?

I'm in Plymouth too. Where are you talking about in the city? I've been trying to figure out which area is the 'one good school area in the city'. There are lots of really good primaries and a few very good secondary schools too (I am a secondary school teacher so I hope I know what I'm talking about).

I grew up in Plymstock (Hooe to be exact) and really enjoyed living there as a child. Being so close to the sea and so many green spaces was great but it never felt isolated because Plymouth has always been so easy to get into.

How old are your children? I'm assuming primary age?

hi juliebat - my first choice school is hyde park so looking at moving to mannamead/peverell/mutley area and my 2 is compton - actually looking at a house in hartley tomorrow with this school in mind.

i would consider plymstock though - not found any nice houses but most have gardens and i like the area. theres a lovely cottage in hooe on the market i've seen.

i am so torn though. on the one i think being close to mutley plain would be really handy but then i walked up there recently i realised how polluted and dirty it is. then i think the broadway in plymstock is a bit drab as well. sigh. i have just talked dh out of a beautiful house in stoke because stoke dammerel fialed its offsted twice (afaik) and its close to devonport and a bit rough.

my daughter is 16 months but our partment is under offer and we're trying to move this year to where she will go to school.

Is Mutley Plain not still overun by students? I was one of thoese students many years ago, and I wouldn't live anywhere near it now!

it is yes turkey - i just thought it would be good for local food shopping because there is a greengrocer and butcher and two co ops there.

Hiya,

I'm in Plymouth too, I live near Devonport Girls High and am wondering about the whole 'moving to get a garden' thing too.

I know you get more for your money in Plymstock, but personally I don't think you can beat the Hyde Park area and I think the lack of a garden is offset by the proximity to the the park. Its a really fine balance though. I think you have to imagine you've just bought a house in both places, imagine standing in it and see if you feel 'yay' or 'hmmm', and that's your decision made.

mouseybrown - argh its so difficult but i like your idea! i like period town houses and 30's semis and dh hates both! he initially wanted a house hat needs no work - yeh as if we're going to find that! lots of modern but pokey houses in plymstock so far. i just want a really decent kitchen diner since i reckon that and the living room is where you spend all your time :-)