Teeny house in Brighton vs big house on Kent coast

[ataloss8]

Myself, DH and our 3 year old son are looking to move to the coast and are torn between buying a very small property in our favourite location (Brighton) or going for a bigger place with more space somewhere like Folkestone or Margate.

Our budget is £400k, which having looked at Rightmove, would just about get us a teeny tiny house with a courtyard garden in our preferred part of Brighton (Hanover/Kemptown), or a much bigger place (three bed with a larger garden) in Kent. We definitely want a house, not a flat and aren't prepared to compromise on that.

I'm a bit concerned about Folkestone as having looked on FB, it seems there's quite a divide between the locals and newbies. I also worry about the lack of diversity and the right wing element, which obviously isn't an issue in Brighton. We really want to be somewhere with a close-knit and accepting community.

Does anyone have any experience of living in these places and what they're like for kids?

What would you do?

Agree about Littlehampton but Hastings again has always had a DSS reputation IME

I wouldn’t chose an area now based on secondary schools when your child is so young. State schools can change a lot in a relatively short space of time (for better or worse!). But right to make sure you are happy with the primaries.

What about Deal in Kent?

Birchington or Whitstable in Kent.
I went to Sussex and wasn't keen on Brighton but it was a v long time ago and the station is not conveniently situated. 30 mins from Kemptown.

Margate is utterly ghastly as is Folkestone nowadays.

Brighton is wonderful but I don’t think £400k will stretch very far. It’s not just that houses for that price are tiny, they’re also all weirdly laid out – tall and narrow, lots of bathrooms in basements, bedrooms on different floors so you can’t sleep on the same floor as the children, gardens accessible only via steep stairs, etc, no front garden/drive and jam-packed with the neighbours so it can feel quite claustrophobic. I do love it there though (we moved out in Feb 2020 and are now priced out, even though with wfh we could go back).

I’d look at Worthing – minutes away on the train for all that Brighton offers, but without the crowd problem on big tourist days, and loads more space for your money. There’s not a lot for small kids to do on rainy weekends in Brighton: pavilion is expensive, seafront too windy, the Downs too cold, Hove Children’s museum is fine but not day in day out in winter, so you’d be cooped up in your small house with patio garden. Go elsewhere and go bigger.

This might be useful, from a few years back though:

Is Hanover /queens park a good area in Brighton to live? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/563133-is-hanover-queens-park-a-good-area-in-brighton-to

Actually I don't agree about there being little to do with kids in Brighton. During lockdown we've been driving a lot to the Downs and Devils Dyke for long walks. It's just a 15 minute drive - you just have to wrap up!

I'm not sure a close knit AND accepting community is a thing tbh.

If you have experience of living/staying a long time in rather than visiting Brighton I would pick that if that's the kind of atmosphere you want. Many people move there from London and have been doing for ages so I would expect a gulf between locals and newbies to have softened by now.

May have improved but the train from Margate to London used to be very slow, certainly compared against Brighton.

I’d also suggest Worthing as a good compromise.

ok, so i live in Whitstable on kent coast and its lovely but pricey. personally knowing the area, I wouldnt move to margate at all, and there are parts of Folkestone which I wouldn't want to live in (although i have firends who live there and parts are great). Broadstairs is nice, and my parents live in Eastbourne which is affordable and nice- and close to Brighton for day sout etc if you really wanted to. Hastings and St Leonards are quite run down imo but I've heard it has improved recently. Definitely do your research and go and visit the towns and explore properly- get to know the areas and then when you are househunting you know which areas you prefer etc as its not all about cheapest places.

Brighton is wonderful but I don’t think £400k will stretch very far. It’s not just that houses for that price are tiny, they’re also all weirdly laid out – tall and narrow, lots of bathrooms in basements, bedrooms on different floors so you can’t sleep on the same floor as the children, gardens accessible only via steep stairs, etc, no front garden/drive and jam-packed with the neighbours so it can feel quite claustrophobic.

Yes, with our budget we’d be compromising a LOT in terms of house/space for the great location. It’s just deciding whether it’s worth it!

Thanks for the insights and suggestions everyone, I will look into them all.

It’s so hard to choose somewhere!

If you want Brighton then you won't be happy with alternatives. Nowhere is quite like it in my opinion. I'd go for the smaller place.
I live in north Brighton, Patcham, it's a lovely area but with Brighton on your doorstep, my back garden backs onto the downs so country walks as well as the seaside. I think if you could stretch to £450000 you'd get a lovey three bed here. Schools great, my children are very happy, all there friends live nearby because everyone goes to the local school.
The best thing about Brighton is that anything goes and everyone is accepted

Also, sorry to say but Hastings is horrible IMO

Also, sorry to say but Hastings is horrible IMO

Do you think so? I’ve visited the Old Town area a few times and thought it was beautiful!

Okay well maybe it's just that I work in substance misuse so I see the bad areas lol

If you want Brighton then you won't be happy with alternatives. Nowhere is quite like it in my opinion.

Yes, it really is unique!

Hastings Old Town is lovely, but it's also tiny, cramped and busy a lot of the time. (I also find it twee but that's a personal opinion.) It's a comparatively small part of Hastings town overall, if you see what I mean.

Whereabouts are you moving from? What do you like about it? (Might help to pinpoint suitable alternatives to Brighton, you see.)

For what you can afford in Brighton, I think you'll be in a pretty noisy part of the city which may be a bit miserable.
Hastings certainly has lots of DFL, I like it but dh discounted it as he finds it grotty.
Kent has grammar schools which I see as a bonus but you may not.

Have you spent much time in any of your preferred areas OP? Before you move it may be worth staying in each one for a weekend or two to get a feel for each place.

What about St Margarets-At-Cliff? Probably not what you want but I thought it was lovely when I went years ago. Easy to get train from Dover to London plus easy to get to France.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85050001#/

Friends with younger children in Brighton in a smaller terrace with courtyard garden moved further out as couldn't let the kids play out outside. Didn't feel safe.

I’m from Folkestone (but moved away as found it really quite miserable despite stunning positioning). Hythe is just up the road and far nicer while still on the beach. Sellinge, saltwood and lympne are also nice villages.

400k is just not enough to have a good quality of life in Brighton as after all you will spend a lot of the time in your house- especially if that budget is a stretch leaving you not much to spend on a month to month basis. Honestly try Worthing or Eastbourne/Hastings

Brighton houses prices are comparable London unfortunately

Debated a similar move over the last few years (and actually decided to stay closer to London anyway), but my choice would have been Sussex over Kent, because of the grammar school system / limited options at secondary school level. Kent does have some lovely beaches, though. And house prices certainly more favourable.

I have lived in Brighton and wouldn’t be my first choice to raise a family in central Brighton. Hove is good, though, and maybe the areas around Preston Park. I would much prefer to raise a family in Worthing rather than busy Brighton. Worthing would be my first choice, you’d hopefully get a bit more space for your budget, too.

I don't think you'll get a three bed in Patcham for £450,000 mandragora
Maybe in Hollingbury but that's not as nice.