Please tell me about your cross country/area moves?

[GreenBanana8]

We're hoping to move closer to OH's family in the next few years, it's about 2 hours away. We currently own our house with a mortgage and I would be the only one looking for a job as oh is self employed and would have to rebuild his business.

I just don't know where to begin? Job first? Then sell house, move in with his family or rent and then buy a house? Can you sell and buy at the same time if you're moving areas?

Please inspire me by telling me about your moves, how did you do it? Any major pitfalls? Something you'd do differently?

We’ve recently done this but moved to my family, similar distance. I found a job first as DH could commute temporarily. House was ready to go on the market as soon as I handed my notice in and we moved to rented.
It was definitely much easier not buying and selling at the same time (although that’s perfectly possible). We were lucky that we found good buyers who were committed to moving at the same time as us, but we had also gone with a good local agent and made it very clear what our position was - ie ready to move quickly and that we would be moving on x date regardless which I guess appealed to serious buyers.
Once we’d moved we were then in a much better position to view properties and again were chain free so appealing to vendors.
It is all a bit of a faff though! Good luck.

Job first. Then you know how much you have to spend on a mortgage. You know where to look for property and how far away is too far.

It's the same as moving anywhere else - the bigger difficulty tends to be in viewing properties if you don't live/rent in the area.

We moved from USA back to UK about 10 years ago. Job was first, then sell house, we looked at areas (job was work from home) and found a house to rent. Once we were back and settled we started looking for houses to buy and bought 7 months after moving back.

If you’re not familiar with the area you’re moving to then I’d rent first so you get an idea of what’s important to you in the local area (schools etc).

In-country move I'd find a job first.

We have just moved countries. Landed with no jobs or home and stayed with my parents for 3 months. I found a job after a month.

Have now just bought a home, and sorted dd's new school 3.5 months in.

We relocated by choice and DP was able to move with the same organisation, just changed geographical area. We sold our house and rented for a year to get a better feel for the place. I left my job and got a new one after moving. We were really lucky though...

Hello Greenbannana
We are in the middle of trying to move out of London to Yorkshire. The original plan was to sell our house, and rent to do exactly as the others posers have suggested. Get to know an area etc, avoid timing problems. We got our house ready in the summer, put it on the market and had an offer in a couple of weeks. All looked great and I decided to look at new places to buy - 'just to see whats on the market'. Of course we fell in love with great place, made an offer and patted ourselves on the back. Our London buyer messed us around a lot. Survey, legal all sorted out and we were discussing moving dates, but they have not been about to get a mortgage offer. I feel let down by our expensive fancy EAs for not checking more carefully and by the time we relisted with another agent the market has changed. (Dont mention the B word)

If we hadn't set our heart on the place in Yorkshire I hope I would have been more philosophical about the time it is taking to find a new buyer. I'm hoping for some New Year interest and our house is in a good location for schools etc. Weve dropped the price, a bit, and with following wind we should be off soon. There will be other places to buy just as nice, and probably cheaper but we keep thinking about that lovely property.
On the work side, OH is retired and I do contract work so very flexible. I turned down work in the Autumn term thinking I couldn;t commit and have now just said yes to work between now and Feb half term. Hard to plan when you dont have a move date - So in line with the others I would rent a new place and slot everything else in behind that once you have dates.
Good Luck with it all,
Oh and heres our house. Still on the market.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-77412869.html

Thank you all for your replies, it's so obvious now that I'll find a job sell the house and move into rented or in with OH's parents and then buy a house.

Furzedowner I'm so sorry it hasn't worked out and you have loved and lost, that's exactly what I would've done too, I know I'll get too excited. I really hope you find a buyer soon, your house is absolutely gorgeous.

Thanks Green Banana. It will get sorted Im sure. Hope all goes well.