A budget of £250k to live anywhere in UK

[cunningplan101]

If you had this budget and were looking for a really lovely part of the UK to relocate, where would you choose?

No kids and can telecommute.

Looking for a lovely 1-2 bedroom house, so that obviously counts out London.

Where would be your dream place to live, if you didn't have to worry about schools or your job?

Looking for ideas for a friend who is desperate to downsize her London mortgage for a better quality of life. She's open to all suggestions.

If she likes city living, then she should go to Newcastle, it's a great city, there is so much going on, it's affordable and vibrant, with access to stunning countryside and the sea. Perfect.

Bumping for you but wanted to suggest Perth in Scotland. It has a small city feel, reasonably cultured, close (about an hour or so) from both Glasgow and Edinburgh but easy to get to some stunning scenic countryside.

Rather than look on Rightmove, PSPC (perthshire solicitors property centre) is a better website.

for example

Oops just tried the same parameters on Rightmove and that house is now under offer.

I was also going to suggest Perthshire

York. She could buy city centre for that and walk everywhere, loads of culture and stuff to do, beautiful countryside on doorstep, 2 hours direct line back to London.

I was also going to suggest the north east.

I'm laughing at £250k and thinking only 1-2 bedrooms. Here is a brand new 3 beds in market town regularly voted in best places to live in UK for quality of life or 3 bed conversion with clock tower rural but only 3 miles from Waitrose !

try the Moray Firth or Black Isle areas in Scotland, plenty of choices of small village, larger town or city and for that budget could get a 4 bed + house in a very nice area

Oh how I would love to not have to be near London for work!!

Norfolk coast (burnham market), Devon, Cornwall or Dorset coasts... A cottage in the Cotswolds... So many options for 2 beds at that budget! Once you are out of the south east anyway....!!!

Agree york or newcastle, I live between the 2 and for that price she could get a beautiful home in either.

Southwest? Would buy somewhere nice in Exeter, really quite nice in Plymouth and nice in most parts of Cornwall (if you discount the holiday destinations). You could have lovely waterfront views in Saltash or somewhere like that.

If your friend considers York, make sure that she gets somewhere within walking distance of the city centre - the traffic is horrendous.

Broadbank in rural Norfolk can be dire, I wouldn't suggest there for anyone planning to telecommute!

Isle of Wight.. she will be spoilt for choice at £250k (a 3 bed easily) ... Lovely countryside, surrounded by sea. 2.5 hours to London, inc the boat trip if she uses the fast cat.

I love it here..

Canterbury

Or Bristol

What would £250k buy in Canterbury or Bristol ?

South or West Wales. £250k is a good budget for Cardiff a v friendly city with great amenities/ culture. You could also get something lovely in the Gower. Gorgeous scenery and nice coastal villages like Mumbles.

If your friend likes city living, central Edinburgh would be great. This is flat very close to the city centre, in a great area with lots of small arty shops, bistros and cafes.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55377458.html?premiumA=true

iseenodust we viewed the clock tower house last week! It was very very lovely but too small for us (we have 2 kids, not sure why we even viewed it!)

IMO she needs to balance where she'd get best value for money with where else she might need/want to travel to.

I live in a lovely part of Lancashire, where property is very reasonable, but it takes about an hour just to get to a motorway sometimes, & then grinding hours & hours after that to get to eg London or the S coast or France (500 miles to Paris from here)

iseenodust we viewed the clock tower one last week! Was very very lovely but too small for us (we have 2 kids, not sure why even viewed it!).

York, Harrogate, Wetherby or one of the villages around Wetherby

Newcastle if you want a small city vibe or rural co.Durham/Darlington/North Yorkshire if something more bucolic suits.
Good transport links to other places, if you pick wisely some areas of the countryside are very well connected by broadband, generally cheap by UK property standard, beautiful countryside, fab culture and generally nice people.

curlybrunette I think it must be a lovely spot to live but not with children I agree. The cakes next door would be my downfall. Hope you find something soon that's right for you.

Wow thank you! I just revisited this thread and saw all your great suggestions. I'll pass these on (and have a Google myself and dream of an escape from London too)