Where to live in South/East Devon?

[Snowcookie]

I'm planning a move within the next year or two, and I'm currently looking at Devon. I'd appreciate any advice on which areas I should consider.

My budget is 550-600,000. I'm looking for a three bedroom house(Could live with two bedrooms) with a small garden for the dogs. I have no children at present so they aren't a factor. I work from home so don't have to commute. I'm favouring the South but considering East too.

I'd like a suburban or semi rural area. Small town or village would be fine. Coastal would be preferable, but so long as I'm within 20-30 minutes drive of a nice beach I'm fine with that.

A town or village with some independent shops and a few nice restaurants would be ideal. I love gentle coastal and country walks, reading and anything involving museums, stately homes or animals. I like a quiet life.

I've been looking at Totnes, Teignmouth, Salcombe and Dartington. Possibly Newton Abbot, but it'd be helpful to hear from people with much greater knowledge of the area.

Thank you in advance and apologies if it seems like I'm looking for the moon on a stick.

Waitrose might be a consideration.{grin} I'm no supermarket snob, and happily shop in all of them, but I have been using our local Waitrose more and more, and I'd miss my free coffee and newspaper. Also the range of items they sell that can be difficult to find elsewhere.(Although I'm not impressed by their balsamic onions)

The red trouser brigade don't bother me. I'm looking for a 'nice' area so long as it isn't 'stuck up' or ' very rough'' I don't care which class my neighbours are, and I'm far from 'posh'.

Newton Abbot is definitely out, as is Torquay centre, with apologies to those who live there. I'm sure they have their charms but I live in a very quiet cul de sac and I'm hoping for similar. I don't want to make a move and find myself in a rowdy area. I lived near a pub once. Never again.

Thank you so much to everyone who has replied so far. It's helpful to have new towns and villages to consider.

It's interesting that people seem to favour Dartmouth over Salcombe. What makes people prefer it if I may ask? I'm not disagreeing. Dartmouth has just moved up my list. I'm just curious.

How lovely to be relocating to such a gorgeous region. We've holidayed in Salcombe for many years. All our family love Totnes, Dartmouth and Kingsbridge but our absolute favourite is Hope Cove but obviously I've only ever been on holiday there!
I'm very envious, enjoy your exciting move.

Nobody has mentioned Sidmouth. It's a proper seaside town, convenient for Exeter. I don't know it well, but a friend of mine is moving there soon. She wanted somewhere where she could walk the dog and walk into town etc. Things to do but nothing too raucous. No doubt others who know it better can comment.

Modbury

Sidmouth is a lovely town - fairly isolated though compared to others mentioned.

Torquay has some very nice bits too. The centre itself is a dive but Maidencombe, Babbacombe and Ilsham are great. Brilliant grammars in Torquay too. There’s even a Waitrose (which is oddly placed in Hele which is an absolute dive).

I moved our family back down here from SE last year (we’re both originally from the area) and haven’t regretted it for a minute.

You’ll get much more for your money in Modbury than Totnes or Salcombe and it’s much more of a ‘real’ place than Salcombe.

I like Totnes but it is very worthy.

Also agree with Cali about Ashburton & Tavistock. All those much more liveable than the more touristy places.

Tavistock if you like Dartmoor (bit of a trek to the sea, but you can get to north or south coast fairly easily). Modbury if you like the sea. Ashburton if you want to be able to escape up the A38 quickly.

Given the ones you have suggested I would say Modbury. It has a real sense of community as well (all 3 do).

Damn you Devon! Must you have so many wonderful places? It makes it very hard to choose. That said I'd rather have too much choice as too little, and I appreciate hearing about other recommendations I hadn't considered as it gives me more options and I'd hate to miss out on a place that might tick all the right boxes for me.

I adored St Marychurch while I was there(Not that I'm likely to have a chance of getting a home there) Any opinions on there? Babbacombe did seem very nice too.

Apologies for the incessant questions, but are there any areas which are more likely to have relatively mild Winters?

St Mary church is one of the better areas of Torquay as is babbacombe, you also have oddicombe beach close by which you take the cliff railway too, or if you're feeling like a walk, the woods down and along to it.

I personally love Newton Abbot, great schools, transport connections, everything is here. I can be by the sea in 15 mins, on the moors in 20 mins and in Exeter/Plymouth I'm under an hour. I live in the apparent rough area and it's honestly fine, in fact a lovely sense of community and affordability in terms of housing. I don't find the pubs an issue in town, but then I don't drink so I don't tend to venture into town in the event unless going for a meal of to the cinema. There are some beautiful parks in Newton, Decoy and Bakers by far the best. Within 10 minutes of leaving my house on foot I can be sat by a beautiful lake.

I've lived in Exeter and wouldn't again. Personally wouldn't live there again as I feel it's losing its charm.

If money was no object I'd live in Teignmouth. Close enough to transport connections, beautiful beach and walks and enough of a town centre to be able to purchase what I need.

Bigbury always seems to have its own microclimate. I think the rain comes in and hits the hills behind.

But most of Devon is mild and damp.

Tavistock has interesting vibe but it’s Dartmoor so not on the coast. Sidmouth fits some of your criteria as well. Topsham - Lympstone commute villages for Exeter on the trainline and cycle path. Totnes & Dartington more “hippie /alt” vibe. Exmouth town by sea.

The only place that has slightly different weather would be up on the moors.

If you’re considering East Devon, how about Beer or Branscombe - both beautiful seaside villages. More going on in Beer. Or Colyton. Excellent grammar there, and beer and branscombe would be in the catchment area anyway.

Exmouth has an M&S food. Good beach too.

Sidmouth isn't on the trainline and is very sedate for want of a better word.

OP could you rent for 6 months whilst looking about? There's lots of lovely places to choose from, but there's a lot of difference between say Beer and Teignmouth. Quiet is subjective, and there can be 'too quiet' (not enough going on).

Exmouth is a bit rank IMHO. Said as someone who grew up there. Absolute nightmare in the summer as well, as there’s a holiday camp up on the cliffs

Thank you to everyone who has replied since my last post. You've given a lot of new areas to consider which is very helpful and a lot to consider. I'm very grateful.

After my last thread I probably would rent first as I'm planning on spending at least the next twenty years there, probably more, so I definitely don't want to rush in to buying in the wrong area.

Good points about living in less touristy areas as there are only so many gift shops and ice cream parlours you need, and I'm sure it's somewhat less frustrating to get around in holiday season.

I've written down all of these areas, and will do some more research on each. I'm hoping to get back down there over the next few months to check out the South outside of the tourist season, and then make another trip to check out the East.

Interesting to hear about microclimates. I'll definitely be avoiding the moors then as I'm hoping for generally milder winters than what I experience here.

Keep us posted Snowcookie - this topic is of huge interest to me (selfish emoji!)!

I would have thought that even on the moors, the winters would be milder than central Scotland.

I'm not sure. I'll have to ask to MN's resident weather expert, but although we do sometimes get severe Winters, just as often I find that they tend to be very wet and with only a few days of snow and ice, at least that's the case in my area.

The milder the better though. In spite of my name I utterly detest snow and due to a disability I often struggle to get out in icy conditions.

Another born and bred Devonian here Snowcookie

Totnes, Topsham and perhaps Teignmouth are the closest that suit your needs

There are so many large villages surrounding Exeter you could check out too.

hasta the winters are obviously a lot warmer than central Scotland. But (apart from last March) on the few occasions there’s a sprinkling of snow then everyone heads up to the moors to try and find enough to sledge on.

Topsham is lovely, I wouldn't choose Newton Abbott it's not the nicest of areas and Totnes although lovely is a bit of a mini Glastonbury now. It also has quite a widespread drug problem. Friend is a police officer in Devon I used to ask him when we were looking to move.

What about Exmouth?