Love where you live? Please recommend me somewhere in England!

[shouldHAVE]

We're a forces family who've been on the move for 20 years. We're not planning to settle anywhere for a while yet, but would quite like to buy somewhere that we could move into if we decided to. The trouble is, we have absolutely no idea where to settle! We're both from completely different places and have no ties to either.

Our perfect place would be Bath, but we just can't afford it. We want somewhere with a country feel, but not far from facilities like decent shops/restaurants/cinema etc. We've lived in: Wiltshire, Dorset. Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, NI, Yorkshire and Germany. We also like York/Harrogate, but ideally I'd rather be south.

Our budget is up to £350k, but having looked all over, we're lucky to get a small 3 bed for that, which is devastating.

If you think you live somewhere or know somewhere that may fit the bill please help.

converted chapel
Ryde
quirky

I love where I live, but you have dismissed it already! You are missing out.
But I can offer you the very pretty Beverley.

We have a lovely 5 bed detached extended house in a nice village near Derby, not much above your budget. Derby is a fab, vibrant city, and you have the Peak District on your doorstep. London and the South within easy reach on the train. I'm from Oxford, we wouldn't get a crack den in a rough area for what our house is worth.

IOW is cheap for a reason - lovely but expensive to live there owing to the island state! We are just outside of Portsmouth, on the Hampshire/Sussex border and it's stunning. We can walk in the countryside from outside our house and yet we can be in the city in 25 minutes. (Right in!)
Fantastic schools, beautiful villages, excellent transport links and 1.5 hours max on the train to London. We wouldn't be anywhere else now

£350k would get you a beautiful house like this with change www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-61374683.html

namechangedtoday15 - it was described like that in the guardian, but you're right a bit of a stretch! Lots of expensive cafes (lovely) and nice shops selling nice unnecessary things (also lovely)!

Pocklington is lovely and only 20 minutes out of York. Access to the Wolds, and about an hour to the Yorkshire Moors or Peak District. And just over an hour to the coast.

www.rightmove.co.uk/new-homes-for-sale/property-58313888.html This one is brand new. A bit overdressed but you can see the potential.

benjerrys I agree. Met my H on Bishopthorpe Road so will always have a special place in my heart

I am another who loves Devizes, small town feel but easy reach of soo many places!! Chippenham is always more expensive due to main line train...but suddenly more coming o to the market - there is new estate in Melksham - lots of housing in that area, and Trowbridge/Hilperton? Calne always has good value housing....all within reach of Bath easily, the M4 and the south coast - We are lucky around here with no 'bad schools' which helps!! I agree I'm afraid 350 isn't enough for Bath really, or Bradford-on-Avon...if only it was...!!! Hope that helps, happy right-moving!!

I'd second (third?) Worcestershire.

We were in exactly the same situation - Forces looking to settle having moved every couple of years.

We had an area we wanted to be within 90 minutes of, so I pretty much drew a circle on a map and went from there!

Originally we wanted Shrewsbury, but it was too far out sadly - I still think it's a beautiful area and loved Shrewsbury, Bomere Heath, Baschurch - all of which would get you something good for your budget.

We ended up in Worcestershire - in a village between Worcester and Kidderminster. Lovely areas around here are Bewdley, Ombersley, Hartlebury, Great/Little Witley, Droitwich, Chaddesley Corbett.

For your money I would go for Bewdley (still my fave) although traffic can be a nightmare. But all around here are great schools, easy to reach small and large towns, great access to the M5, beautiful countryside and a lovey pace of life

Bristol! You won't be far from the countryside and you'll get a 3-bed somewhere like St George. Or look at South Gloucestershire.

What about Stroud? A small town in the Cotswolds. You could probably find a house there or one of the surrounding villages. It's a beautiful place, I grew up there.

York could be ideal. Plenty of housing choice and you don't have to go far out of the city for village locations. Fulford is university territory but could be good for you with a young family. Driving past Leeds can be a pain at rush hour but the train is easy, 30 mins to Leeds, @1.10 to Manchester and 2hrs to London.

I live in Bath and would highly recommend it!

I've lived here most of my life and have 3 DC who all go to school here.

We've lived it various areas of Bath and last week actually moved just outside Bath where we could get a lot more for our money.

Our small-ish 3 bed 30's terrace sold for £325k. We've just bought a 5 bed Victorian detached house for £330, needs a fair bit of work though. It's about 10 minutes drive into Bath.

If you'd like any info or advice, I'm happy to help!

You've ruled out north Wales but what about the South? You'd get something lovely in the Vale of Glamorgan e.g. market towns like Cowbridge or Ogmore/ Llantwit by the sea. 350k would get you something amazing!

Sorry, lovefromhull, I'll have a look at Beverley .

I've looked up some of the areas mentioned and am only finding modern housing... Unless it was an individually designed house, I wouldn't really consider modern. Somewhere with lots of period properties is what I'm after.

exLtEve glad to hear we're not the only forces people not returning 'home', seems like most do... when I joined up I had no intention of ever returning to live there. I've found some lovely houses in the areas you mentioned, so will be looking more into that area.

indieblack South Wales not ruled out, but would probably only venture slightly over the border. Monmouth has looked nice when I've driven by.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, definitely seem to be echoing the places I already had in mind.

kirinm is Stroud quite nice then? I've had a couple of [posh] friends turn their noses up when it's been mentioned, saying it's rough?!

I think areas of Stroud are nice and the villages surrounding it are lovely. I've not been back there for years but still have family that live there.

Ooh I love this one in Bewdley www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54979057.html

And this one which is just outside of Hartlebury www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41555151.html

I hope I'm not getting itchy feet - we've only lived up here for 2 years!

Eve those are the 2 that I've saved on myrightmove! Love them.

Frome, it's Bath-light
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-61390424.html up & coming and much cheaper.

I second S. Wales. Grew up here. Lived in England for ten years. Moved back. Fab place to raise a family. Now live on the very edge of Cardiff. Great countryside, hills, beaches and city on the doorstep. Loads of free, interesting museums etc for the kids too.

romanvilla I was focused on buying something in Frome about 5 years ago. Wish I had - prices have increased a lot since then! It worried me how cheap it was - seemed too good to be true. It only took someone telling me that it was a town with a lot of social problems, to put me off. Don't even know if that's true, but it may go back on the list, thanks.

Hey OP, are you me? Forces family too, currently living in Portsmouth in SFA but have owned and lived in Corsham, Bath and Malvern plus SFA in London, Exeter, North Devon and Gibraltar. I have relentlessly itchy feet but we need to find somewhere to put roots down as the dreaded end-of-service beckons for us both.

I loved, loved Bath and bitterly regret selling our pre-DC flat - couldn't afford now to buy the period family house there we would like but I so miss living there. Our requirements sound very similar to yours. Top of our favourites list are Ludlow, Shrewsbury, Corsham, Malvern, Ledbury, Exeter, Thirsk, Ilkley, Truro, Ross-on-Wye. Agree with all those who have commended Shrewsbury, and Exeter has changed and improved exponentially over the last few years. Ross-on-Wye is magical with some stunning properties and in easy reach of Hereford, South Wales, Worcester and the M5 corridor.

It might be worth your renting initially, just 'in case'. I can't imagine staying put but DH is now desperate to do so and all the places I listed tick your boxes, including affordability although Corsham will have to be a do-upper if you want period.

Keep us updated and best of luck.

Salisbury? Plenty going on in the city centre, easy access to countryside, direct trains to Bath/Southampton/London.

Dancing thanks for sharing your list, I'll have a look at any on it that I don't already have... I do like Shrewsbury, but I think in my heart I really want south-west. Just realised I missed London off my list of places I've lived , how I'd love to live in Chelsea again!

PlayatMidnight Salisbury is firmly on the list, I've already tried to buy a couple there this year, but by the time I've gone down for viewings, they've already been snapped up .