Thinking of moving near south coast - opinions needed please!!

[EmmaF83]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a bit of advice, I'm currently living in a quiet village near Ely Cambridgeshire after relocating from Lancaster in Lancashire 8months ago - but I hate it, its too quiet for me and hate the fact that everything seems a long drive away. We moved due to my husband getting a job near Newmarket in which he has progressed well in so its making moving a bit tricky but can't stay around here. I am currently a stay at home mum due to not being able to get anywhere to work (transport is a nightmare round here and hubby takes car to work so I can't use it) my little girl is almost 16months and i'm sick of not being able to go anywhere and being in with her all day (go to the odd group once a week but thats all there is!) Have also tried going to the netmums meetups but they are in Ely and as I don't have Car access its a pain to get there and tbh i can't really afford the extra transport costs for the 1.5 catch up! We knew the area from visiting regularly (husbands aunty lives here) but its just too quiet - even Ely so thinking of where to go, the problem is everywhere is soo expensive.

So we went home to Lancaster last weekend as I was getting really homesick (no family there - just husbands family, who tbh didn't help out that much before we moved). I was thinking of moving back there - think its just the familiarity to be honest more than anything but we moved to try and better ourselves and my LO future and although property is a bit cheaper there the wages are a lot lower than hubby on now and not many jobs at all - so thought about possible moving to outskirts of Manchester as could get home easily more often plus its nearer the coast than here (which I miss strangely!) but keep thinking of moving somehwere nearer the south coast (would love to be able to go to the coast etc more often and think it would be fab for LO to grow up near)

However this is all in hindsight as never actaully been there - but Southampton stands out as funnily enough it doesn't take much longer to get back up north than where we currently are - think because of the direct motorway links!

Oh and husband currently works 12 hour days 7 days on and 7 off (unless he does overtime) so he did say if we moved up north he could work a week and spend a week with us - until he could find something else (works in food distrubtion warehouse, now as a supervisor)

I know some may move back up north but the areas i'm looking at bordering cheshire I have a feeling may not be much more cheaper than certain areas down south.

So what I'm looking for is advice on areas around Southampton (west dorset/hampshire) or anywhere that has good amenities/safe/town centre with shops/cafes etc that I can walk to and not feel isolated as I do now (I'm used to big town/small city living and being anble to walk everywhere!!) also good schools/job opportunites and access to the coast - doesn't have to be on the coast - don't mind living inland, just be nice to be able to access it say within an hour!

Is there anywhere within this region that fits most of those requirements and doesn't cost a fortune?? Or am I being unrealistic and should head up north - just fancy nearer the south coast for a better quality of life for us and LO!
Oh and we are renting (can't afford to buy so no worries about that for a while!) and currently paying £650 pmth for a 3 bed but to move anywhere with more life around here we would be looking at £700-£750 at least for a 3 bed and we simply cannot afford this - I'm wanting to get a part time job so if I could do this and its resonable paid then obviously we could afford a bit more but sick of husband struggling and I'm stuck here - so need to move just don't know where lol.

I would really appreciate as many opinions etc as possible and especially from anyone who has done something similar.

Thank you :-)

My db has just moved (last september) from Bury St Edmunds to Hedge End in Southampton. They had originally wanted the New Forest side of the Solent but the prices were prohibitive. They love it. Hedge End has excellent transport links.

They go down to the beach at Hillhead or Leap every weekend rain or shine. Its practically on their doorstep. Calshot on the other side of the Solent is an outdoor activity place with tons of sailing stuff going on. They can fly to tons of places in Europe from Soton airport 5 mins away and they are 2 mins off the M27 near to a huge M&S. The New Forest is 20 minutes by car and the M3 takes them to Winchester in 15 mins away where they join the main A34 road to go anywhere up North.

DNs have just started nursery school and are due to go a fab local primary next year which feeds into an excellent secondary.

Initially SIL was very nervous about leaving friends and family and not knowing anyone but there are so many young families around them that they have met in the park or at the playgroups that she now a huge set of people around her and although only 3 yrs old, the boys' social life is one big party. Loads of off road cycling paths around where they are too, so the boys can go out safely when they are old enough to ride without stabilisers.

Check out google earth street view for the area around the station to see what it looks like.

south coast from Lancashire!!

welcome to the land of The Sun! Goodbye eternal rains!!

I love it. i love the nice weather, the long summers, the fresh sea air...the cosmopolitan atmosphere (haha, ok, in Brighton..and some of the satellite towns...)

Southampton/Portsmouth are cheaper than most of the south central coast ..

some grotty student areas, but also some really pleasant areas with Victorian terraces and nice seasidey gardens...

there is also really beautiful countryside around Southampton depending on your budget!

I was going to suggest Romsey, but you won't get a 2 bed there for £650, let alone a 3 bed. A quick look at Hedge End on Rightmove says you won't get anything there either. I doubt you will get anything here for that budget in the kind of area you describe. Sorry.

Have you looked anywhere in the north? You could rent a mansion in Bolton!

Thank you for all the replies :-)

..eatyourveg - thats great to hear and fab they have managed to settle in so well! and nice to know they moved from not too far from where I currently am.

..EdgarAllenPimms - lol at the welcome to sunshine - thats part of the reason we would prefer to stay down south as daft as it seems, when the weather back home is nice it's lovely just a shame its not that often - but i have tried to ask myself if the weather really is that important but i think to be able to enjoy the outdoors more does count and would like to be able to let LO grow up having that kind of lifestyle rather than being inside alot at to be honest even at 15 months she is already such an outdoors LO lol :-)

..vj32 - thank you for your honest comment, I am starting to think it maynot be as affordable as we would like or we could get back home in Lancashire, but compared to East Cambridgeshire where we are now, i'm can't see a huge difference in some areas - as thats the probloem with round here the rents are getting ridiculous, to move into Ely we would be lucky to get a decent 2 bed for the same price we are paying now and for a 3 bed we are looking at at least £700-£750 which when i'm not that sure on the area and as preyty as it is -(it's too quiet for me and tbh doesn't have that many amenities) is the reason I'm looking at moving either towards the south coast way if possible or back up north - but as we want a better quality of life for us and LO and better job opportunites etc the south seems a more sensible option at the moment, but if it can't be done i will have to re think i suppose as cannot stay here for much longer lol :-)

plenty of property to buy under £125k in southampton. not sure about areas (caveat)

cheaper than chips.

stiff to save £12.5 k deposit to make 10%..but mortgage could be under £750 or not far off. (depending on credit etc!) ..save £18k to make that under £650 pcm.

it really really does rain less.

Thank you again EdgarAllenPimms

Unfortunatly we are not going to be able to buy for quite some time (just dont have spare funds to save for a deposit at the moment) but hopefully one day lol

in regards to it raining less - sounds like your talking from experience, have you lived lancashire way yourself?

You do know that it would be far cheaper for you to buy a car and widen your local horizons don't you? Better than being so far away from your DH, no?

i grew up there (standish and ormskirk) . i used to ask for things like umbrellas and gloves as presents.

if you really love rain - and i remember long, drawn out sheeting rain in winter and summer alike from those years - the South isn't for you.

a mildly cold winter and people really complain. more than a week of rain is unusual enough for serious complaint. the four weeks of rain earlier this month was unheard of!

..homebythesea, I can see where your coming from but getting another car without me working etc really isn't possible and tbh we really are unsure of this area and it isn't what we expected so hence why i want us to move weather towards the south coast or back up north if we have too before my LO gets much older and before I have to consider scholls etc, I just want to get settled somewhere we can be happy which we are not now - we moved for a better life any more family time but just not getting it at all and even on DH days off we dont go anywhere really as everywhere is quite a drive away therefore costing more money, hence wanting to move to an area that has more to offer locally!
In regards being away from DH - even if we moved back up north he probably have to keep his job down here as he wouldn't get anywhere near the wage he is on now (the reason me moved amongst other things) so he would travel every other week - but if we moved nearer the south coast he would maybe have to do the same for a short time but stands a far better chance of getting a job that way than back home.

..EdgarAllenPimms - I thought you may of know the lancashire area somehow lol

I don't mind less rain, it was one of the reasons we wanted to move south so we could actually enjoy summer etc more than back home (well as much as you can in the UK that is lol) and enjoy being able to go out for the day, go out for walks etc and often couldn't as much back home (although I am starting to wounder if we may have to go back that way - but really dont want to!)

My dad lives near Chichester and it seems a lovely area. I don't know the rental prices though

Bournemouth has lots of areas. Nicer than Southampton. However in general south is a lot more expensive than north. We've had various moves and options. Currently husband works away and the commute is both exhausting and very costly. If you can be near friends or family do. Not being able to socialise as husband always away is very lonely.

It sounds to me like you are looking to live nowhere near work, I wouldn't recommend that. It is not conducive to a good home life.

Definately. We have to due to our house being hard to sell and husband being told girlma was 'only' one or two nights away from home. In reality its usually Mon-Fri and we would do anything we could to get out of this. It's almost like he visits the family. I really struggle with him not being around for bedtimes and mornings with the kids and it also doesn't feel like we have a shared life.

May not be the case for you but there's no bloody way I'd be in this position voluntarily. There is less rain!

If your DH's job is in Newmarket and Ely is too quiet for you, you should try renting in Cambridge or Bury St Edmunds where the commute is still relatively short - going to the south coast is rather drastic if not unrealistic especially on a restricted budget - sorry! The petrol costs of a weekend commute and having to maintain 2 households (presumably DH needs to rent a room in Newmarket) I would hazard a guess would make this unaffordable - apologise for putting a dampener on things.

Thanks everyone again and thank you for the honest replies.

In regards to being near family etc - we only have a few on DH's side (non on mine unfortunatley) so I'm used to having no support and tbh before we moved I had to cope with DH working all hours of the day and night as a self employed taxi driver whilst I coped on my own with a newborn - which was harse as I never got a break - his mum etc never offered to take her for a few hours or anything which why moving away from them wasn't as big an issue as it should of been. I have a couple of mummy friends back home but no more than what I have met since being here or if I was to move else where as unfortunatly never had that great circle of support friends!

In regards bournemouth I have been thinking about there as it looks nice but again more expensive as expected than southampton.

I am realsitic in that I know property down south is more expensive than up north - as I have already mentioned which is one reason we have though about moving up north but as wages are lower etc if balances out tbh.

In regards hubby commuting - the plan is to try and find a job that way and then move - I have said I'm planning on finding some part-time work as I need to (just can't do it here with wages, logisitcs of where I am and cost of travelling and childcare unfortunatly)
He does have an aunty living in Ely who he stayed with for a few weeks before we moved down here when he started his job, so he would probably be able to do the same initally if he couldn't find a job southampton/bournemouth way straight away. We worked out the mileage between Ely and southampton and Ely and Lancaster (home) and southampton is a good 100 miles less and as he works 7 on 7 off he would do it everyother week and spend a week with us.

There is so litle jobs back home and we want to give our LO a better future and moving back up near home just doesn't offer that many prospects unfortunatly which is why DH went for the job here.

In regards looking at Bury St.Edmunds we initally though it, but tbh It's still a bit in the middle of nowhere if that makes sense and the property/rental prices are going up just like Ely and are surprisingly expensive - as it Cambridge thats just a complete nono unfortunatly. You can't get a 2 /3bed house for those prices around Cambridge unfortunatly - its a very over priced city to live.

As we are renting we wouldn't have to pay 2 rents in we moved and he stayed with his aunty for whilst he worked if he couldn't find something straight away so thats not a problem.

I'm just soo confused as want to move so bad and just not sure what is best to do - up north maybe cheaper rent (although looking at nice areas of south manchester going into cheshire is expensive too!) but wages are a lot lower a fewer jobs (more choice south manc area hence looking there - nothing in Lancaster at all as we keep getting informed!) so looking south makes sense in the fact it offers more if we could do it.

If anyone can suggest nice towns etc within Bournemouth/southampton area say within 30-45 mins of the coast that maybe a bit more affordable but offers good amenities that would be fab as thats what i'm trying to look at etc whilst scouring rental prices on Rightmove etc

Sorry for the long post!

Yay, come join us on the South Coast!

I moved to Southampton but not from far away. Lived in Hants all my life. The difficulty is how different the county is in terms of quality, cost etc. You can't generalise it all. Lots of Southampton is very affordable but you might not want to live there depending on your preference. Areas outside of the city centre and not too studenty you could look at: Shirley, Bitterne, Sholing. There might be some places in your price range and each have a school as well.

Otherwise I would suggest some of the surrounding areas mentioned above; Romsey, Hedge End, Eastleigh. Eastleigh might be a good one for you actually! Right next to Southampton, plenty of public transport, good schools and still a short drive from the forest or a beach!

We've moved around a lot and looked both at Manchester and Bournemouth areas yes the "posh" bits of manchester/cheshire way (we looked at Sale) were expensive, but they still bought more for your money than the "posh" bits of Bournemouth. The cheaper parts of bournemouth would be cheaper than the posh bits of Manchester but its not comparing like-with-like if that makes sense.

Having your husband home one week on one week off would be lovely down south on the weeks he's off. Much of the bournemouth/poole/christchurch areas are less than 15minutes drive from the beach. The good schools though are, like most areas, in the more expensive rental areas so you will probably get a smaller place. When he is off there is lots to do, lots of countryside etc and a great place for kids BUT I don't know that its that much better than somewhere known to you.

Actually looking at above post I suspect Eastleigh would be cheaper than Bournemouth and has a very good 6th form college. You can drive to Winchester, Southampton or New forest, just a bit longer to get to a beach.

Do you know which areas he is likely to get work in? Its a big thing to move before he has even found work. Would it be better to find work first and then move where the work is?

i don't think Rightmove is that great a place to find lets - cheaper ones get advertised by friday-ad or newsagent windows, local agents etc......

i know for my own area it is possible to rent a 3-bed house for 650 - not a great house to be fair - i still can't find one on rightmove!

Would go for it sooner rather than later - as your little one has nt started school and you have plenty of time to go back up north in the future - does your husband want to change jobs now - what about moving to the suffolk coast.

Hi there, I'm from West Sussex- near Littlehampton so not quite Southhampton area but near(ish) and yes, it is nice down there and I loved growing up by the sea. It is most definatly a lot warmer then the north! If I were you I'd get a map and have a look along the coast and just keep checking rightmove with these different places. You could also look more inland. Visit too - get a feel for the place and maybe ask on the mumsnet local site for the area. On the coast from Bognor regis to Hove there are some lovely places. I don't know much about Southampton but I do believe you can find something in your price range - you just need a dated property has they rent for less and keep looking - you might be lucky.
I'm actually moving to Linton next month, south cambs, with my three kiddies and DH. We have lived in London, Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle and Bishops Stortford. I am from Sussex and DH from Sheffield - I can tell you that we find south cambs amazing - more space, amazing schools and we are paying three hundred less in rent then where we are in B/S at the moment. We have lived in busy city/towns all our lives and it's too much now - learnet to appriciate the space of a village and not living on top of other prople but like you said, it's not great if you are looking for a diffirent kind of life. It's a hard world for private renter's right now :( My dream is to buy our own house one day soon! you could be ok to stay in Cambs... if you find the right place. YOu are right, Ely is so out the way and if you have no car I can imagine it's a nightmare. But what about somewhere with better transport links into cambs? Sawston in s.cambs is supposed to be nice - I went there recently and found it good and it's the cheepest (along with Linton) of the south cambs villages.
Wishing you lots of luck x

I think your right in regards Rightmove EAP - its good to use to get a rough idea but will have a look at friday ads along with other websites too, so thank you for the suggestion :-)

I would love to move sooner rather than later and not sure how much longer I can cope being where we are as it's really getting me down - doesn't help that I don't have any money and therefore can't afford to take DD anywhere especially as without having the Car it doesn't give me many options!

Thank you septembersunshine as well as good luck with your move and new area too. I appreciate your suggestion in regards South Cambs but again its expensive and I really don't want to live in a Village, I've always said its not for me and now I've tried it (didn't have much option when we first moved for DHs work) it has confirmed my thoughts - as much as its perfect and lovely for many people, it's simply not me and it's really really getting me down - hence why I just want to find somewhere with a lot more going on and to do and without having to rely on transport all the time to do anything. So thank you for the suggestion of those places but they really aren't for me (we are in Littleport) now and its driving me crazy lol :-)

Without a car then I think Eastleigh would be better than Southampton as Soton is quite big and it might be a fair walk to a train station. Eastleigh is a bit of a hub with good train (to Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Winchester), bus (ditto) and car links - M27 & M3.

There aren't any studenty areas and the prices are pretty similar. Has a multiplex, bowling place, Poundland type places, 2 supermarkets (Tesco & Sainsbury) plus a Lidl. A couple of parks - 1 with a paddling pool and close enough to get almost anywhere with ease. Plus Southampton airport is on the outskirts of Eastleigh which might be handy.

Famously known as beastly Eastleigh but actually it's fine.
Good luck

If you are going to be around in the daytime I would say don't move to Eastleigh - it is fine at weekends etc but depressing in the weekdays. (Unless you wear tracksuits all the time and smoke while pushing a buggy one handed. Or are over 70. Part of the problem may be it has the only job centre for miles around so it attracts lots of understandably depressed people loitering waiting for their appointments.)

As people have said above - If I were you I would look at Bitterne Park or Shirley in Southampton. Both have good schools, big parks and are near the city centre. If you can I would look at flats, which are much cheaper as there was a big run on building flats just before the recession and many of them struggled to sell. But you are living in a city so in some ways not that child friendly. Busy and lots to do though.