Buying in Suffolk

[user1499695642]

Hi there

So I'm thinking of buying in Suffolk (first time buyer) in the next 18 months or so.

I'd like some advice as to where to live. I'll be on my own (with no dependants).

I really want to experience living 'in the country'. I spend too much time pouring over magazines like Countryliving, visiting NT sites, villages etc. I currently live in a commuter town in Herts (10K population?). It's far too built up here - too much traffic and concrete. It also feels like there's little history or character which is something I appreciate in a place.

Criteria:

I'd prefer a house with character but pref not thatched. (I literally could not in something horrendously ugly). I'm happy petrifying a house though.
2 beds - house, not flat
garden
good public transport connections (I would like to be near cambridge/norwich/ipswich). I literally hate driving so only want to do small journeys.
Near to cultural and landscape sites.
I don't want somewhere too isolated - somewhere good for a 'first trial' of country life

I ideally don't want to be more than an hour away from ipswich (work).

BUDGET: £175K MAX (pref under). I know it's not a lot. This is why I need help!!

You really need to be in a small town if you need public transport to Ipswich. Woodbridge ? Wickham Market ?
Villages near Cambridge would be out of your budget and not a good commute. Put 15 mile radius of Ipswich into rightmove. Your budget is small for a house rather than a flat but some come up.

If you work in Ipswich and don't want to drive long journeys then you either need to look at villages around Ipswich at a distance you are happy driving or look along the train line and catch the train to work.

Is this any good OP? I did a Travel Time search on Zoopla for

I think Woodbridge and towards Stowmarket/Bury St Edmunds/Cambridge is too expensive. Wickham Market is miles from its railway station, so not that great for transport but Saxmundham might work. It's small, fair number of shops (including Waitrose) and has hourly trains to Ipswich/Lowestoft and some buses. What about this?

Aha, missed that flash had already found it!

Westerfield has a railway station and is close to Ipswich. Could you look at a village near there? Not sure about property prices, I moved away from Suffolk twenty years ago!

You do seem to want a lot there OP.
A village but not a small village. Good public transport. Not isolated.
Do you think that a small town might be better?
Where are you living now or are you moving for the job?

Aww, it's sweet that you two actually looked for me! That sort of house would be ideal for me (obviously with a bit of modernising!!!), I hadn't considered Saxmundham.... I'll have to take a look around the area!

Thanks guys :) Obviously Woodbridge or Bury St Edmunds would be lovely one day - unfortunately it's not within my budget atm. I also love Norwich.

By the way, does anyone hear know about Lowestoft as an area? I'm curious about the area as the house prices are a lot cheaper than the rest of the county... There's some lovely period buildings...!

Lowestoft is not where I would choose to live to be honest.
Also its a long way to Ipswich for work.

Westerfield would be a bit too expensive I fear. Lowestoft is a bit deprived and rather remote. To be fair, the same could be said of Sax, but I think less so than further east and it has a nice market town feel about it.

We are in a small village outside BSE but transport links are terrible ..one bus twice per day !
Village is lovely though and country life is definitely for me!!

Beccles? Closer to Ipswich and Norwich, and smaller and much nicer than Lowestoft.

Where abouts in Ipswich will you be working? I honestly wouldn't consider commuting from Lowestoft or Norwich.

Ipswich - very central near the main station, just off of Princess Street.

What about Diss?
The train to Ipswich is frequent and not too long a journey.

My goodness, Diss looks idyllic! Thank you. I'll take a look there too.

Saxmundham is a lovely little town. Lived there for 12 years, rail station, supermarkets, bus service etc.
Moved to Carlton Colville recently. Bought a 3 bed house for £180k, quiet and lovely estate-wouldn't live right in Lowestoft as I don't like it (rough) but Carlton Colville is lovely.
Ipswich-Big no, seems to be getting more and more dangerous.
Wangford?
Worlingham?
Framlingham?
Wickham Market?

Thanks RebeccaJane,

Crime is obviously something I want to avoid at all costs, even if it means missing out on a 'good investment'. I guess Lowestoft is similar then on what's been said...

I'll take a look at the places you suggested. I have heard of the last two but nor the former two. The names are lovely! .

Coming from Hertfordshire - development in e v e r y s i n g l e d i r e c t i o n you look - it's nice to hear of so many little towns and villages that are quaint and affordable!

Ipswich-Big no, seems to be getting more and more dangerous.

No more than any other town of the same size in my opinion.

Gosh, I went to Ipswich for the interview and didn't think it was bad?! I went from the station pretty much straight to the town centre (shops) and back. I would never have thought it was dangerous/suffered from crime?!

It really isn't 'that bad' at all Jas.
Lots of people think it is though because our local paper lives to over blow things all the time.
There are some areas that are best avoided but much of it is lovely.
For example, this was my view when I had breakfast the other day.

Beccles has a direct train line to Ipswich and you could easily buy a cottage within walking distance to the station within your budget that meets your requirements. I would love to live there. I'll stop promoting it now

I love the sound of Beccles - what a twee name. It looks beautiful (as does that view of the docks!).

Oh OP can you please buy this in Beccles?!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55248832.html

Hahaha, Flashinthepan why are you asking me to buy that house?

Btw, logistically I have been checking season tickets with Greater Anglia and it's really odd. They seem to have arbitrary cut offs for season tickets meaning I can by a season ticket between Wickham Market and Ipswich but no between Beccles and Ipswich?

Why? I don't get it? Where I live now, I can buy a season ticket between my nearest station and any other station on the network?