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I want to move south and live near woods, where can I afford?

279 replies

Neednewwellies · 22/01/2020 14:07

We live in the North. It’s cold and damp and I’ve come to hate it when I used to love it. We have 3 children, one in senior school (y10) and two in junior school (Y3&Y1). Our eldest is very academic but also easy going so would happily move somewhere else for Alevels. So my biggest issue would be looking for catchment for an excellent senior school for all 3. We are very urban here with not much greenery and for health reasons I want to take a step back from work and get a dog. I’d really love to be walking distance to woodland or if not then maybe some coast but not a commercially built up seaside town. Ideally I’d like to be in Hampshire or Sussex but open to ideas. We need 4 bedrooms and DH would need to get to London 2days a week. I don’t want to be somewhere too build up so just what we have here but further south if that makes sense. I crave more space around me but I also know with a teenager, we can’t be in the middle of nowhere. Our absolute max budget would be 700k but ideally no more than 675k. Is any of this doable? Is my head in the clouds? Where we live is expensive and that gets us a good size 4 bed but I know it’s far more expensive in the SE. Any help appreciated and we’d be looking to move when my daughter finishes GCSEs so next summer.

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applespearsbears · 25/01/2020 17:41

Surrey Hills, your budget might not get you a mansion but still something lovely and good schools and trains straight into London

Tenpintonpin · 25/01/2020 17:50

Chandlers Ford? Not the prettiest of centres but excellent schools, good rail links into London (from Eastleigh), quite woody... This place is a bit over your budget but comes with it's own little bit of woodland: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-66078444.html

Neednewwellies · 25/01/2020 18:50

Thanks @vdbfamily. Looks like we could get a house in budget. Not sure if it’s too rural though. I think my ideal is large village with woodland walk access.
@longcoffee, can I get a house in budget where I could walk into woodland?

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Neednewwellies · 25/01/2020 18:53

@Tenpintonpin, thanks. Schools look good in Chandlers Ford but can I actually walk to woodland do you know? What I really want is to be able to walk out the door and maybe across the road or through the village and directly into woodland without needing to get in the car. But I really don’t want to live on a main road or need to walk along a road that doesn’t have pavement as I have 3 children.

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longcoffee · 25/01/2020 18:55

Yeah, east grinstead is a drive to the forest, out but some of the villages are right on top of it:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-75713128.html

Neednewwellies · 25/01/2020 18:59

@11MrsLuther, I know those areas are fairly green but can I actually walk to woodland? It’s difficult to tell that from Rightmove.
@fjreflycaramel, thanks. I don’t think we can afford the good school catchments in Winchester plus as a city I’m guessing I can’t walk into woods but maybe I’m wrong.
@butmumineedit, thanks. I’ll have a look at Stamford and Bourne.

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vdbfamily · 25/01/2020 19:03

Large villages around here would be Lindfield and Cuckfield. Cuckfield would definitely have woodland walks and has good primary and secondary school. A levels you would have to go to Haywards Heath ( opening sixth form this year) or Colliers in Horsham. Or At Paul's in Burgess Hill.

actiongirl1978 · 25/01/2020 19:06

We live just outside Winchester. I walk to woods daily though I live in a village.

I haven't RTFT but have you thought andover? MUCH cheaper, 10 mins to Winchester, mainline to london and absolutely you can walk to woods really easily or 2 min drive. Surrounded by woodland.

Or whitchurch up the road, more rural but still mainline train and woods everywhere.

Neednewwellies · 25/01/2020 19:06

Thanks. My ideal would be bustling village or edge of town. Excellent/good schools in easy reach but woodland on my doorstep. Not much to ask! Grin Wink

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actiongirl1978 · 25/01/2020 19:07

Or near Micheldever? Though would have to drive for schools I think. Surrounded by woods!

Herringbone31 · 25/01/2020 19:09

I’ve lived in all the places in Sussex and Hampshire. Horsham is getting incredibly expensive. Due to links to London

The new forest is lovely. You’ll be pushed for 700k though. Especially Brockenhurst. Which someone suggested.

More Southampton side. Or north Hampshire.

Neednewwellies · 25/01/2020 19:10

@actiongirl1978, can I get 4 bed under 700k in your village? If so can you pm it to me? I really want a village and community rather than properly rural. DH only needs to get to London twice a week so we don’t need the top commuting area.

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lampplease · 25/01/2020 19:10

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-87727496.html

Three beds but stunning!

Billingshurst is a lovely area in West Sussex, near Horsham/Arundel rural with lots of woods but with good train links etc & good houses for your budget -

lampplease · 25/01/2020 19:12

32 houses - your max budget and below with min 4 bedrooms - your search/move sounds really exciting.

Good luck

actiongirl1978 · 25/01/2020 19:12

Romsey? Also lots of green spaces, 10 mins to new forest border. Bustling town, good secondary schools, great transport links, London train from Southampton.

Abbots Ann/Clatford near andover are lovely villages and surrounded by walks and v close to andover for the train.

Sutton scotney - good transport links

Chandlers Ford, but not so woody

Neednewwellies · 25/01/2020 19:13

@Herringbone31, thanks. Just a 2 day a week commute needed so no point paying for excellent rail links. Is North Hampshire cheaper then? I looked at some areas mentioned above a few minutes ago (hook, odiham and Hartley Witney) and they seemed fairly expensive although Hook has some houses in budget.

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Herringbone31 · 25/01/2020 19:14

Burley. Bransgore. There’s loads of little towns around Lyndhurst Lymington way.

I was an estate agent for the area.

Herringbone31 · 25/01/2020 19:16

Sussex way. There’s arundel (though you’ll be pushed for woodlands). Billingshurst. Warnham. Look for the little villages.

Herringbone31 · 25/01/2020 19:16

There’s no woodlands or forest in Romsey....

Sunshinegirl82 · 25/01/2020 19:18

Alton and surrounding area is definitely worth a look. Alice Holt is accessible from some of the villages and the schools are great. Alton college is outstanding.