I’m sick and tired of stupidly expensive commuter belt living. Opportunity for DH to work from home 4days. Where can we get much more space for our money but still be close to good schools?

[Lookingforspace]

We live in Snooty Mc Snootville yummy mummy suburban paradise apparently. I’ve grown to hate it. It depresses the hell out of me and we simply can’t afford it. House is worth a stupid amount (I feel) but it needs work and it’s too small for us. We can’t afford anything bigger.

DH has been offered a role primarily based at home. It’s been on the cards for 2yrs but only just been confirmed. We long for space; proper space both inside and out. Trouble is schools. We have 3 children, two of whom are already at seniors (Y7&8) They are at grammar school, Y7 DD at a very highly selective one.

Where can we go and can get what we want for maximum budget of 750k? I was thinking Lincolnshire as cheaper but still a grammar system but I don’t know.

Marple? You could keep them at school but it is right on the edge of the peak district, much prettier and everyone has a more outdoorsy, relaxed vibe. If I'm honest, I miss your side of Cheshire a bit as we made the move this way BUT I think it sounds to be everything you're looking for

Good luck OP. I must admit it took me 3 years of unfocused pondering before I put it all in a proper order and found the right(ish) answer for us.

I think naice areas are what I’m trying to avoid. We currently live in a very desirable area.

If you are willing to think about Scotland then have a look at this village www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42648888.html

We looked there but a change at work make us move elsewhere but it is lovely, rural feel but still has amenties and close to things. Great school and close to the airport for a London commute. Was gutted we couldn't move there!

There’s naice and naice

Morningside in Edinburgh is LOVELY but not that kind of stifling Chelsea tractor and nails kind of thing. It’s just, very genuinely, nice. Very understated. Riddled with millionaires who wear twenty year old cords and drive ageing volvos and who wouldn’t dream of flashing it. Lovely little shops, a Waitrose, good charity shops to rummage in, great schools, easy walk or bus to town, few nice places to eat, good cafes, a good chippy. It’s genuinely the nicest place I’ve ever lived and I miss it horribly.

If you want Acres Of Land then I’d suggest Yorkshire. Some of the nicest bits have shit transport but there are some gorgeous little villages on the east side of the urban areas which have better ECL access. Look at the band of villages that goes to the east of the line, from N Yorks down to Peterborough way.

I live near by and find this a bit 😮

Just move to Lymm or out near Handforth - somewhere like Woodford and let your DC's stay at their schools. You could get something like this. The garden is fine and a new build type place like this should be fairly maintenance free I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/51272421

If you dont like new builds then you will be stuck in a victorian place like the rest of us but the pay off is they do need maintenance.

Our DC's are much younger than yours but I find the thought of yanking them out of schools to live in a random area just because you dont like the current area a bit of a sledgehammer to crack a nut

I don't think that your older children will necessary get into another GS though - ours is full and always oversubscribed, people who move into catchment after Yr 7 have an opportunity to sit the test in Yr 9 but there are only a dozen places available and lots apply.

My sister and cousin live in Morningside and you wont get much that is differrent to what you are in now for 750k; particularly if you are trying to get into decent state schools - they and everyone else I know there educate their children privately. Plus the traffic in Morningside and central Edinburgh is awful

I lived and worked in Edinburgh for 3 years (grew up and was educated in Scotland) The private school mafia is fierce in Edinburgh - where your children go to school is very important and I personally find it much more intense than in Trafford. Plus remember that you will now pay more income tax in Edinburgh as that is now devolved to the Scottish Parliament so it will cost you more to live there. In addition, Scottish coucil tax is very high generally in comparison to England. My sister pays over £300 a month

Thing is, you won't find very strong schools elsewhere that will take the older two. The grammars we know (super selective) just don't admit children other than at 11 and 16. So unless you're prepared to send them all private...

Maybe stay where you are (geographically), keep the two eldest in their schools, but move somewhere cheaper for more space, and perhaps independent for the youngest?

I'm confused about where you live. You've said 2 different places - Trafford and Hale. Which is it?

Cheshire is a big county and there are some lovely places. I really don't know why people are suggesting places like Edinburgh, as theyre just as expensive as parts of Cheshire. Holmes chapel is nice. More rural, nice but less competitive than wilmslow and hale. Train station there and a few shops.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70666613.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70666700.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63718994.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67810400.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72327989.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67357733.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71986178.html

Hale is Trafford!

I’m surprised you couldn’t get something nice within reasonable commuting distance from your children’s schools for under 750k tbh. I went to AGGS (obviously a million years ago ) and commuted from the Heatons where a huge nice house wouldn’t cost more than £600k and a decent detached can be 400k. Cheadle is also very affordable. Alternatively you could buy something on the Chester train route further into Cheshire with more green space. I wouldn’t move teenage children settled in excellent schools unless I really had to.

Thanks, Bowl
Gobbolin, I don’t mind new builds but that one isn’t for me. No garden for a start and I’m really keen to get more space. I don’t think moving to Bramhall or Handforth would help as they’re both still very Cheshire like. And I know Morningside very well having lived there previously and it’s very similar to Hale in terms of price etc but there’s less white jeans and gold!

I know we could move just a few miles and get a bigger house but not the land and the absence of competitive parents.

I wouldn’t discount Lincoln, contrary to a pp. There are three outstanding secondaries and all but one in the city are rated as good. It isn’t a grammar area but I feel all the richer for that.

I can do my house to our office in Mayfair in under 2.5 hours but I get to work on the train too.

I see what you’re saying about areas close to where you are but the culture is much more down to earth just outside that bubble. But I suppose it would be difficult to change your social circle enough unless you make a clean break.

The other benefit of some of the Lincoln schools is there can be a higher turnover of pupils due to RAF families being posted regularly.

Are you a SAHM? I think a good way to get away from the competitive parents would be to get a job (paid or voluntary) and then you’ll meet other more ‘normal’ people.

This is beautiful with half an acre and a few stops on train line from Altrincham.

Dorset? Bournemouth and Poole have grammar schools. Seaside, countryside but quite a lot going on. Obviously its miles away from where you are now, so that might be a problem! I enjoyed growing up there very much.

@Surpriseeggsforbreakfast that would be my dream house

2.5 times the value of ours though...

Haven't rtft but some grammar schools have a 13 plus exam to take in pupils that have been in the 'middle school' system.

@Lapdancd I live in London so this looks positively a bargain!

Wiltshire. Not grammar but certainly where we are isn't too yummy mummy. Secondaries are good. Easy commute to London (just over an hour) and if you like UK holidays equidistant between Cornwall and West Wales. Close to Bath and Bristol.

www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/54129600

Also, Cardiff? I have heard more than a few people move that way for schools and in my experience of living in Wales it's very friendly.

Not sure I’ve come across a thread where the OP is complaining about living in too posh an area - usually people are stressing because addicts are shooting up under their front window or next door’s Rottweilers are terrorising their children!