Relocating, the fox the hen or the chicken? Job, schools, house - caravan? How does anyone do it?!

[Dangit]

We're seriously considering relocating to be nearer the sea. But I'm bamboozled by the number of things that need to come together. I'm thinking my partner needs to find a job first (I am an equal earner but self employed freelancer) as thats going to be hardest in where we want to move. But think i can only think he would need to find temporary digs like a caravan whilst we sell the house and then maybe rent for six months in order to find a house to buy in the new location. Has anyone got any experience of this?I can't imagine us living apart would go down well with the kids as they are certainly not keen on this move. I also am scared of finding three primary school places in a school at the same time.

I would:

• Find a job for your DH near the see
• Rent your existing house out for a while
• Rent a place in the seaside town. Get used to the area, see which parts you like or don't like.
• Then, once probationary periods are up, and once you are certain this is a good idea, sell your existing house and move to the seaside.

*SEA not see! Bloody phone!

We keep thinking about doing this and are in a very similar situation. I’m self employed, DH is a teacher (so in theory could work anywhere) but we have four kids and would have to find four places at the same school (they are close in age). All that seems really difficult! We also still love our current community and leaving friends most of the time seems too hard.
I’d love to see what other people think on here. Hope you get some good advice.

thank you whiskyowl,
Have you got experience of renting out your house? I looked into changing the mortgage but it made me feel overwhelmed. I guess over christmas my house has been so difficult to keep in order I don't know how I'd ever get it straight enough to seem appealing to other people! Its a good idea though. In theory we could give it two years in new location and move back in time for eldest (KS4) to start secondary with his friends if its all a terrible mistake.
But it does seem like renting the house out would be throwing another ball into the juggle...

How would you get the ball started. Would you get an estate agent round I guess to talk it over? or talk with mortgage peeps?

It's really a bit of an insurance policy. If you don't like the seaside after renting, you can move back and you have a house already set up. You're not taking a foot off the ladder. (If you hate the house, though, it's another matter!)

I am super-cautious though. Plus, I have a couple of friends who moved abroad 2 years ago to start a new life in a European capital. They sold up here, bought there. Only it hasn't worked out as hoped, so now they are coming back. They've had to pay three times - to sell their house, to buy a place abroad, and now to buy a place here again. Prices have risen in their old street in the 2 years since they left too. So sometimes it can be good to have an insurance policy.

On the other hand, however, you could gamble on Brexit causing a house price crash, sell up now and sit in rented for a bit, then pounce!!

I am sure someone will want to rent your house!

Hmmm, we cannot know the outcome of the descisions we make. And a mistake they may be indeed! But we cannot know!! It’s all this ‘you only have one life to live’ pressure. I think it’s messing people up!

I feel it may well not be all it’s cracked up to be relocating. And it’s at the cost of leaving my dad and kids friends. But. I hate being landlocked in the middle of the country, a few miles from my birthplace. This is our chance to move, before secondary, otherwise it’s signing up for another 15 years here as I’d hate to move the kids then. We’ve decided that we are just going to push on with fantasy relocation until it gets to the point of no return and hope it helps us make a decision.
Sorry, getting all mind bendy.
To be able to give it a go for a couple of years and return does sound logical...what we’re the reasons for the return of your friends? It’s not the first story I’ve heard like that. Why, why do we all need to be living our dreams now!!