Been asked to move for work...but where (in UK)? Ideas very welcome!!

[MovingHousePenguin]

Title says it all, really! I've been offered a new job which is a significant step up but it means a move away from my current office which is small and fairly rural. The options are Birmingham, London, Leeds or Aberdeen at the moment, though there are potentially other places too.
We're currently leaning towards Birmingham but know little about residential areas - have had a google and it looks like Bournville or Edgbaston may be the best places? Haven't entirely ruled out London but I know from colleagues that there is a very different working culture there (even though it's the same firm!), and we'd probably have to live, and rent rather than buy, in a not so pleasant area which wouldn't be great for the DCs. I know nothing about Leeds. Ditto Aberdeen.
I'm hoping some of you will have handy local knowledge? I'm currently trawling findaproperty.com, google maps, and googling mad stuff!!

I work for a big firm which has office locations all over the country (and overseas). At the moment I work in a small office, in a lovely rural location which has been great BUT now that I've been promoted within my specialism I've been asked to move to a bigger office. So my options so far are:x. I can't say I'm thrilled about having to move but we're willing to give it a go.

What do you like and not like about where you are at the moment? What are your preferences for a place? Do you like being rural, or near rural, or prefer the city? Big city? Small city?

Also will pay be scaled according to area . Your £ will go less far in London than other areas.

Unless you really want to live in London, then I wouldn't move here. House prices are truly ludicrous. I live in quite a nice area (but definitely not posh or upmarket) where you cannot buy a 3 bed terrace for less than £600,000.

I like having access to a city, and we live just outside a small city now, so while we look out onto open fields etc it's only about 10 or 15 minutes to get into the city. DH puts it well when he says we like rural but not so rural there isn't a Tesco on hand for emergency chocolate!

You'll probably like Birmingham then but research schools and housing as traffic can be bad. Leeds is lovely too, lots of villages around and excellent transport.
I don't know anything about Aberdeen although I did have a holiday there as a kid and recall lots of sandy beaches. Plus point of Scotland is free university for your kids!

I've just realised I posted the bottom part of my message in the original post by mistake - sorry I was editing that bit to try and make it make sense!!

Aberdeen! Sounds like it would be similar to where you are now, lots of nice towns/villages within commuting distance. People very friendly!

Birmingham centre is easily commutable by train from some nice outlying areas which would give you a semi rural with access to big shops location.

How old are your DC? Birmingham has some excellent schools (if you aren't ideologically against selectives). Edgbaston and Bournville are nice - expensive due to proximity to the city centre. Sutton Coldfield might be a good option. Sutton Park is vast and beautiful. The town centre is a little tired shops-wise. Houses are big and good value. Solihull also nice.

If London, proper towns but commuter-land such St Albans, Harpenden, Berkhamsted, Guildford, Chelmsford are great if you can afford to live there.

I've never been to Aberdeen so can't comment on what it's like but it's a long way from anywhere else. That might matter to you. I'd avoid London unless the pay meant I would have real choices about where to live. Between Leeds and Birmingham, I'd choose Leeds

I had one of the best years of my life in Aberdeen, but a friend was there for a few years and hated it. The grey takes a couple of months to get used to, the days are very short in winter, but you are close to amazing scenery.

Birmingham is a big city, transport isn't great compared to other places, very car dominated. Bourneville and Edgbaston are nice, amazing curries, pleasant countryside; good culture.

Leeds has good countryside and the motorways have improved.

London may give you more opportunities, but most people commute, and people tend to want to be there.

if you work in London, and have a commute journey of less than an hour each way, you can consider yourself lucky. Don't be misled by the nominal station-to-station times unless you live and work in the station. There will not be much point in trying to use a car to get to work.

It can be more dynamic, and harder work, as well, and you may be very pleased with the buzz if central.

Leeds and live in Harrogate within walking distance of a train station if your office is near the station in Leeds.

Aberdeen is just about THE most expensive place to rent proerpty outside of London - strange but true. It is a small place, dominated by the oil industry, miles from anywhere else, and there is precious little choice in the housing rental market there. Unless the company will pay all of your rent on top of your salary then be very, very careful about going to Aberdeen.

I would plump for Leeds. A very up and coming city, with lovely countryside and nice villages and suburbs around it, and much cheaper than London.

Don't know much about B'ham so can't really comment but you could live somewhere lovely like Leamington or Kenilworth and commute to B'ham maybe?

Leeds is a great city (IMO) with lots going on. It is also accessible from lots of other great places, including many rural spots. I would seriously consider Leeds as I think it gives you lots of options for the type of place you can live.

I believe Aberdeen can be bloody freezing quite cool.

From what I saw of Leeds, parts of it seem very pleasant, and some of the centre is quite grand. join the Crossgates Bowling Club and I'll tell you a story.

I think it would depend on where else you need to get to - family ? holidays ? Visits to friends ? Do you like/want to be able to get to anywhere on a semi-regular basis for a weekend away ? etc.
Birmingham is very good for travel, being in the middle of the country and therefore not too far from anywhere.
I think London is somewhere you have to really want to live - the expense is just ridiculous (not just housing, but every haircut or meal out), and Aberdeen is a long way from everywhere, (apart from Scotland!! ), so I reckon your real decision is between Leeds and Birmingham.

I don't have much knowledge of most of the other places as never lived there.london is great while you are young and child free, most of my group of friends lived there fora time but all migrated to more child friendly cities over time. I would definitely give Leeds the vote. Huge choice of rural ares all within easy reach of city centre by car, bus or train. Excellent motorway links. London only 2 hours by train. Close to York and Harrogate as well as the Dales. You would never run out of days out, fab destinations. Lots of good schools. Variety of house prices depending on your requirements.
I just love Leeds.

Aberdeen is a great place to live. But as pointed out it is expensive. For outdoors types and children, it couldn't be better as there's access to so much natural beauty and history. There is also a very low level of unemployment as the economy is a little different in the oil bubble.

I'd opt for Aberdeen or Leeds as I love the coast and bumpy countryside. London and Birmingham are very flat.

Leeds would be my top choice though and I'd look at areas like Hebden Bridge with great school, great community and a direct train to Leeds. Close to Leeds there are some lovely cities/towns including Harrogate (v posh) and York (tourist attraction). Great coast also in the form of Whitby.

I'd also say Leeds. Smallish city so you can be in a ruralish location whilst not far from the city. North you have access to dales, north york moors and lakes a bit further.

My experience of birmingham is its a bigger city and more conurbations around so you can't be as rural and still near to city.

I wouldn't do London unless you really know you want to.

another one for leeds - been to both birmingham and leeds quite a lot - and know people bringing up families - provided your office is in the centre of leeds - loads of really nice places with good school are in easey reach by train - countryside is amazing, north yorks coast is lovely, brum has lots going for it but is huge and in my view housing is expensive in "naice" areas

There are loads of lovely villages and country towns around Leeds in the most gorgeous countryside, many easily 20-30 mins commute by train (e.g. villages on the Ilkley line, Harrogate, York, etc) . Aberdeen is nearly as expensive as London because of the oil industry, and Birmingham is sprawling and much of it ugly.

Leeds hands down IMO

Dh used to work in Aberdeen. He flew up there weekly, we looked at moving but property prices were nearly comparable with London. Bloody cold as well.

I'd pick Leeds out of those choices. Though if cost of living wasn't an issue I'd pick London. Leeds is very nice, fab countryside on the doorstep, good shopping, nice things to see and do. I understand some parts of Yorkshire have grammar schools if that's of interest.

Leeds is also very easy access to other places. Close to Manchester, Sheffield. Good rail access to London.