Where would you live (and why) out of Greenwich/Cambridge/Cotswold town/Brighton/Bath

[LaurieFairyCake]

I'm moving next year but since some horrible crime has been committed on the road I was planning to move to so Im re-evaluating. Possibly an overreaction but this is Property and not AIBU

So that list is where we've considered and is now back up for discussion.

Help please. Jobs will be fine, there's always plenty of jobs in our sector (schools)

[AalyaSecura]

I think Stroud and to a lesser extent Cirencester are the only two Cotswolds towns I'd consider living in, the others I know are too rural/twee/insular for my liking.

[TheFairyCaravan]

I wouldn't want to live in Stroud. The surrounding villages, like Rodborough, Michinhampton, Painswick, France Lynch, Bisley, Oakridge, Chalford, are beautiful.

You could live out towards Nailsworth which is really nice, or half way between there and Bath and have the best of both places!

[MegBusset]

Norwich!
Much cheaper than Cambridge.
Beautiful and well maintained city centre.
Beaches are much much better than Sussex's :)

[grumbleina]

I thought it might be. Awful story.

It is a weird black spot, sandwiched in between bonkers-money on all sides and yet still quite rough. I don't think I'd wander around there in the wee hours alone - and I live in London's favourite 'poverty borough', Tower Hamlets, so I'm not exactly unfamiliar with dinginess.

That said, it's still massively unlikely that anything will happen to you, and with the Kings X regeneration thing it does seem that it'll have to get better.

Check out Whitechapel/Shadwell? Cheap for Zone 2, famously worrisome schools (though there are actually very good ones, just a lot of publicity for the bad ones), and fab transport. But Greenwich would probably be nicer...

[Madcats]

It probably comes down to budget too and your attitude to driving. I live in Bath and grew up near Brighton; it sounds to me as if you might want to consider Bristol too?

Also figure out the logistics of getting to where your family and friends are. I'm always conscious that I don't visit elderly relatives nearly as often as we should because it is at least a 7 hour round trip and are often the wrong side of the M25.

For me:

• Cambridge always seem too flat and windy, but has nice villages I like to moan about hills (and then enjoy the views, so I think that's important to me)
  
• Brighton (used to be quite run down in my day) I quite like coming back but I'd need to spend a lot of time figuring out where to live. I think I'd move out a bit to get a few square m of beach in the summer.
  
• Cotswolds - you would need to use a car a lot (check mobile/internet coverage because it isn't fab). Most of it is quite high, so it can get a bit chilly/icy/snowy when nobody notices down in Bath.
  
• Bath (well I am going to be biased). A punch-bowl of a city, so you might be able to cycle/walk to work (we use train and walk; we get the car out once a week!). Countryside is always a short walk away. Yes, it is quite small and conservative and the house prices are going a bit crazy because of all the Londoners grabbing their equity and moving. It has a large number of outstanding schools and a big indie offering.
  

The one thing that struck me many many years ago when I headed west was how much rainier it is (hence grey skies for a lot of the year).

I think you need to visit a few B&B's close to areas you like and talk to owners to get an initial feel.

Personally, I like being able to walk to a convenience store/walk to the train/walk to decent bars and restaurants.

[PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom]

If you don't have kids it depends on your interests I guess.

I would love Greenwich without kids. Can do London stuff. Space. River. But getting less individual.

Bath is lovely but a bit bland. Ditto Cambridge.

Cotswolds if you are outdoorsy?

[NameChange30]

Brighton or Cambridge. Great cities and not far from London either.
To the PP who said Cambridge is BLAND: :o! how can you say that?! It's a beautiful city with the river, colleges and lots of interesting places to visit.
Brighton is cool because it's lefty and on the sea!
Why don't you whittle your shortlist down to three and spend a weekend in each place, see which one you most imagine feeling at home in?

[NameChange30]

Meant not

[LaurieFairyCake]

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33492750.html/svr/3108

This flat is my favourite in Greenwich as it's close to the clipper service and shops.

I'm really hearing what you're all saying about checking out the block if I pick a local
Authority one. Nothing worse than living in a flat with dodgy neighbours you can hear all the time.

I don't think I'm prepared for the possible noise in a flat. I've lived in a detached or semi detached for nearly 20 years.

I don't think I'm outdoorsy enough for the Cotswolds - I like walking but I've been doing that for 13 years til my dog died at christmas - ive no plans to get another dog and I find walking a bit pointless now.

So I might not be cool enough/young enough for Brighton, too lazy for the Cotswolds, I don't like the rain or traffic so maybe a No to Bath. Probably also too lazy to walk the hills in Bath. So either Cambridge or Greenwich. No to Norwich by the way, lovely suggestion but too far away from family for me.

[eurochick]

I love Greenwich. And there is a lot of development where that flat is to the west of the town centre, towards Deptford. It's right by a lovely new waitrose and there is a sports centre a bit further down the road. I do think going to a flat after a house would be hard though.

[SaltySeaBird]

Brighton - or at least one of the nearby villages on The Downs would get my recommendation on personal experience.

[NameChange30]

If you move to Cambridge you might have to get a bike or moped, as the traffic is terrible! That's the only bad point though, I live here and love everything else about it.

[SwedeDreams]

Look a little further out in Greenwich and there are some nice bargains to be had Hillend on shooters hill, 3 bed semi

[Wadingthroughsoup]

I live near Brighton, and I'm not keen on it. But that may be because I am not very good with noise and crowds- I prefer a more boring town. (Which is handy, 'cause I live in one

In the summer, Brighton is mobbed. The beach is always jam-packed (and not particularly clean). The traffic in the town is insane, the parking is eye-wateringly expensive, and the property is extortionate.

But lots of people love it, so what do I know? :)

[SwedeDreams]

Try again... www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33762348.html

[MagpieCursedTea]

I used to live in Cambridge, I never thought of it as particularly cold/windy (but I'm from the North East...)
I'd love to live in somewhere like Granchester if I went back to Cambridge. So beautiful but stupidly expensive.

[Mintyy]

I would choose Greenwich because living in London is great.

[BlackbirdOnTheWire]

If you can stretch to a little more, this one would be better to live in, IMO www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32416974.html

Quiet street, very close to shops (useful ones like the grocer, deli, etc), station and Greenwich park, 5 min walk to clipper service but nicer area to be in.

If you don't like traffic, though, maybe Greenwich isn't for you. It's London traffic, I.e. Faster to walk most days.

[LaurieFairyCake]

I don't like sitting in traffic in the car like I have done when visiting Bath. Happy to walk round london or to the tube.

I do like that flat Blackbird, it's been on the market as long as ive been looking - probably a year, wonder if there's something wrong with it

[LaurieFairyCake]

And you're a fast walker

I'd have said that flat is 20 minutes walk from the Clipper

[LaurieFairyCake]

Swede - forgive me if I give offense but isn't Eltham/Shooters Hill/Woolwich as rough as a badgers?

Lovely house though.

[SwedeDreams]

shooters hill is very desirable. Yes woolwich is rough but we don't go there darling. Eltham is ok- I wouldn't say rough.

Shooters hill has the woods and views. 15 mins on a bus to blackheath. It's not Greenwich central but its a lot cheaper.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Yes, it's insanely cheap. There are 3 houses in that area I can afford.

No tube though - I guess that's why? Looks about a 30 minute walk to Eltham? Falcon wood tube?

[SwedeDreams]

here's compatibl on shooters hill

[SwedeDreams]

Yes, no tube- bus to north Greenwich if you are commuting or train from eltham/ blackheath. That's the real drawback of living here!