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Original poster

Can anyone please recommend a nice-ish town/large village to buy on a low budget (under 150K)?

69 replies

CatAndHisKit · 21/02/2019 21:30

Would be very grateful for suggestions, if such a place exists!

Needs to have:
good public transport (essential), can be either a train station or a GOOD frequent bus service to a nice town and/or a major train station;
access to London under 2hrs, ideally about an hour;
some shops if it's a large village or suburb, and some eateries, also not miles away from a proper supermarket;
low crime rate;
either a picturesque location or not far from a nice town with old architecture - something attractive about the area rather than totally modern estates or dull landscape with no parks;
a nice park or area for walks/fresh air nearby.

Schools not important, but prefer it not to be a retiremen location, or at least have a bit of mix of ages there.

Must have 2 beds and ideally 2 bathrooms (or bathroom + cloakroom) if it's a usual sized house, but extra storage (i.e. loft or outbuilding) needed if it's on a smaller side. Small garden fine.

I've travelled around quite a bit but it tends to be cities and towns and don't know / impossible to visit all the large villages!

If anyone wants to DM me instead of advertising their location, please do!

OP posts:
Redorangeyellowgreen · 21/02/2019 21:32

Stowmarket? I mean...it's definitely not naice. But it's quite nice. Sort of. And meets all your other criteria.

Original poster
CatAndHisKit · 21/02/2019 21:40

thanks Red that was quick! is that Suffolk? (E.Anglia/suffolk are the only areas I don't know at all).
What sort of transport (and timing to London) does it have?

OP posts:
Redorangeyellowgreen · 21/02/2019 21:49

Yes it's Suffolk - 90 mins to Liverpool Street. Trains roughly every half an hour I think.

Original poster
CatAndHisKit · 21/02/2019 21:58

thank you - I'll have a look on rightmove.
I prefer King's cross/euston/paddington/victoria/waterloo, but have to compromise somewhere!

OP posts:
Shmithecat2 · 21/02/2019 22:54

Newark on Trent. 1hr 12 into kings cross. Loads within your budget.

flirtygirl · 22/02/2019 10:38

Bedfordshire for a 2 bed flat, a little bit of a stretch but bargains do come up and 50 mins to St Pancras.

You would be better off deciding on a area and do lots of visits to decide, then stalk the auctions and estate agents in that area.

flirtygirl · 22/02/2019 10:41

If you don't mind 2 hours to London then midland and Leicestershire, parts of Staffordshire have villages and towns that meet your requirements.

Higham Ferrers and the Rushden area and some of the other towns and villages outside Northampton also fit your criteria. Prices are rapidly rising due to new shopping complex, leisure facilities and train journeys.

Beebumble2 · 22/02/2019 16:13

Leicester and Market Harborough stations are just under an hour to London, but unless you want to live in Leicester City you’d be hard pushed to get a 2 bed house for under £150K.
The area around MH is getting very popular with folks wanting to move out of London, but still commute.

Original poster
CatAndHisKit · 22/02/2019 21:09

Bee I had a lok previously at MH and Leicester - both have gone in price (unless it's really rundown streets in Leicester), and yes I"m no fan of Leicester, ok to visit but not to live in anywhere close to the station. MH a bit boring but I wouldn't have minded if prices were low.

flirty thank you -I'd definitely look around NOrthampton, I know people who live in a village and it's nice, plus good train to London from Northampton - my question is, which if any villages/suburbs have a really good bus link to the station? It's near impossible to find that out without traipsing for hours on google maps and bus sites. If you know of any specific places, please let me know.
Northapmton itself is considered rough, would you agree - but I think the centre with shops is ok, been through it.
Stafford is out for me, just don't like it and a slow train to london (plus a hike from villages to station), so is Bedford. I've travelled through all of these so I've seen enough towns, just not villages/suburbs.

How about Worcs? Are Kidderminster or Redditch any good - prices are quite low. I think Worcester has improved hugely - but prices went up.
I also think Warwickshire's nice but don't know it much at all.

Shmithecat thanks, I know of Newark but isn't it UKIP central? I'm not keen on town either tbh, but possibly could consider if anything was nice close to the station - I suspect it's maibnly rentals there though. Sorry to sound negative - I do need to find somewhere quite nice.

OP posts:
Original poster
CatAndHisKit · 22/02/2019 21:12

sorry for typos, Bee, gone up in price.

OP posts:
Frouby · 22/02/2019 21:17

Fastest train from Sheffield is a midges willy under 2 hours. And we are supposed to be getting the new HS2 eventually when they decide.

LurksNoLonger · 22/02/2019 21:17

Love living in Folkestone and it definitely ticks all your boxes. The budget might be bit tight for down here these days as huge investment means the prices are rising rapidly, but you certainly do get more for you money than most places. This one is in a pretty good spot 😁 www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-79015856.html

MrsPnut · 22/02/2019 21:33

Newark is definitely diverse and is also in the small town category. It’s about a three minute drive from there to country.
I think areas in herts, beds and bucks are much more UKIP.

Shmithecat2 · 23/02/2019 11:05

@CatAndHisKit, not UKIP central at all, it's been thoroughly Conservative without break since 2001. The villages surrounding are nice. Farndon, the Muskhams etc.

Happeee · 23/02/2019 13:29

Crewe - you could get a nice 3 bedroom property in walking distance of both the town centre and train station for £150k, it’s 1 1/2 hours to London (will be on HS2) and there’s some lovely countryside nearby.

Or you could get a nice 2 bed terrace in Nantwich or sandbach, both really pretty little market towns not far from Crewe.

The trains go into Euston.

Missmarplesknitting · 23/02/2019 13:35

Redditch is basically Milton Keynes in Warwickshire. So think roundabouts, bit soulless. It's a fair bit rougher than most of Warwickshire. Schools hit & miss. Choose your area very carefully. Bits like Astwood Bank are nicer.

Most of Warwickshire you won't get a 2 bed for that. You might get a nice wee terrace near the stations in Warwick or Leamington. Have a look.

Missmarplesknitting · 23/02/2019 13:37

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-59595768.html

£220k.....

Happeee · 23/02/2019 14:21

Added bonus is the M6 is about 5 minutes away if you need good links for travelling by car.

E20mom · 23/02/2019 14:37

@Missmarplesknitting Redditch is in Worcestershire

Original poster
CatAndHisKit · 23/02/2019 23:52

some interesting ideas, thank you!

Happee wow Crewe is good value! choice of modern and older houses, proper spacious ones! What's Crewe town centre like as I haven't been? Nantwich sounds nice but prob would add too much of a chunk to london journeys - and more expensive, I take it as you haven't posted the links, but will have a look. Would you say it's similar to Birmingham at all?

Miss yeah Redditch doesn't sound right. Recently been to Warwick and thought it would be very expensive! It's a nice little house you posted but well over budget and that's the smallest size possible for a 2bed.

Interesting that Newark isn't ukip - did I confuse it with Nottingham (parts of)? I'd say Herts is liberal overall, Bucks conservative - Kent on the other hand can be very UKIP in places!
Shmi what are the better parts of Newark on terms of safety - I've heard that crime rate is high. Or do any of the villages you mention have an easy bus to the rail station?

Lurks interesting - I've heard that Folkestone is becoming trendy, could you tell me more (amenities, people)? Are thefast trains to Lon very expensive - say how mmuch would a day retutrn be?

Frouby 'midges will' haha! I HAVE looked at Sheffield a few yrs ago, even at a specific house but been put off by how far the nice areas are from the station, never a walking distance (it being 2hrs which is a bit more than ideal) so really it's more like 2.5hrs - also put off by huge hills and it being spread out - so really need to rake buses/car everywhere.
But did like the botanical gardens area and the High st there, I know it has great access to countryside, just not so practical for me overall as I don't drive currently.

OP posts:
Original poster
CatAndHisKit · 23/02/2019 23:54

Happee, I meant is Crewe similar to Birm (not Nantwich)?

OP posts:
wigglypiggly · 23/02/2019 23:56

March near Cambridge

JRMisOdious · 23/02/2019 23:58

Old Harwich is nice, convenient and really cheap.

Ribbonsonabox · 24/02/2019 00:02

Ely?

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