Where to move in the UK?

[deathofastrawberry]

DH, baby and I currently live in Bristol where we grew up. We bought our house in august 2021 and it's a lovely 4 bed house in a nice family area good for schools, transport etc but it's just so boring, no real buzz or anything going on. We used to rent a flat in Clifton near the city centre and would absolutely love to live there again, it's just so ridiculously expensive for what you get. We also have a Labrador that needs a decent sized garden which is impossible to find in Clifton or nearby areas.

Anyway we can move anywhere in the UK as we run our own business from home so we thought why limit our options to just one place.. preferably we'd like to live no more than 2.5-3 hours away from our families. So really what we're looking for is that urban buzz but in a relatively low crime family area with good schools, doesn't have to be too close to a major city, could be a small town with charm with independent shops, cafes, restaurants, markets, parks.. bonus points if there's a beach nearby. Nothing too out the way or rural, we are city people and don't want to feel cut off from the rest of the world

We've looked at Cornwall, Falmouth looks really nice but there aren't many houses on the market at the moment.. we'd live near London but prices are crazy in the sort of area we'd move to.. we also like Liverpool but it's maybe a bit too far.. Surrey could be another option but don't know much about the different areas. Just as an example of areas we've looked at so far.

Our absolute maximum budget is 950k and looking to move in next 2-3 years before our son starts school.

Any recommendations? TIA

well, my gut feeling is that from Bristol you need to go south/north.
If you go east it will be as expensive if not more so, especially places like Surrey.

Liverpool is too far.

So anywhere in the UK but not the north of England, Scotland or Northern Ireland then?

@FryingpanintoFire

Liverpool is too far.

So anywhere in the UK but not the north of England, Scotland or Northern Ireland then?

Sorry I probably shouldn't have put UK haha, what I mean is anywhere in the UK within 2.5-3 hrs from where we are now.. so that could include Wales too.

What about Cardif?
I have heard that has a good urban vibe.
But don't know about house prices.

How about Southsea in Hampshire? Its part of Portsmouth but has a distinct identity

Its on the coast about 2-2.5 hours train/drive from Bristol and has loads of good things for families - lovely Common, pier, harbour, beach etc etc and good restaurants/bars on hand and an urban 'buzz' plus is very compact so easy to walk/cycle around. And its near to Chichester/ Southampton/ the South Downs and witin and hoiur and half train to London.

You would be able to get a nice 4/5 bedroom terraced house for your money and whilst the gardens arent very big you will be within five minutes walk of the Common and the beach for dog walking purposes

With that budget I would look at Cheltenham.

@hilsea

How about Southsea in Hampshire? Its part of Portsmouth but has a distinct identity

Its on the coast about 2-2.5 hours train/drive from Bristol and has loads of good things for families - lovely Common, pier, harbour, beach etc etc and good restaurants/bars on hand and an urban 'buzz' plus is very compact so easy to walk/cycle around. And its near to Chichester/ Southampton/ the South Downs and witin and hoiur and half train to London.

You would be able to get a nice 4/5 bedroom terraced house for your money and whilst the gardens arent very big you will be within five minutes walk of the Common and the beach for dog walking purposes

Exactly the sort of place we're looking for thank you! I'll add it to our list

I've moved from Hampshire now but it does fit your criteria

I moved from Bristol to South Wales.
Look at SA3 in Swansea -Mumbles, Langland, Newton. Nice buzz, good inde shops, restaurants. Great schools - look at bishopston comprehensive. Swansea is a small compact city. Like Bristol it has rougher areas but not SA3. They are building a new arena and lots of works going on in the city centre, new library etc. There are two universities, colleges, a great pool with flumes and wave machine, and dozens of amazing beaches. Langland, Caswell, Bracelet and Limeslade are all walking distance from Mumbles and Three Cliffs is just one of the beaches a short drive away.

The houses in Newton and Langland have better gardens, Mumbles itself is mainly Victorian terraces with small gardens.

Swansea is full of people priced out of Bristol and London and it really is a city on the up.

Oh and you’d get a fab house for your budget.

Southport. Although possibly a bit far

Southsea is very nice but having lived in both cities I would not personally move to Portsmouth from Bristol for a more intetesting life, or to Cornwall. £950K is a good budget, surely you can find a non 'boring' area in Bristol for that? Long Ashton? Leaving a convenient urban flat near all the fun is a reality for most people with kids and dogs sadly. I don't think you'll get much of a garden in Southsea either.

Having said that, Highfield in Southampton fits the city plus open green space bill and gardens are a good size.

Stroud? Not that far from Bristol but with its own identity, lots going on, lots of independent shops, cafes, markets etc. Beautiful countryside.

@Outnumbered99

With that budget I would look at Cheltenham.

hmm, I would not consider Cheltenham to have any sort of 'urban vibe'

@EmmaPaella I think if we lived in Bristol we'd only want to live in Clifton or surrounding areas near the downs really (which we obviously can't afford), no other areas in Bristol have that same charm that Clifton does and we know Bristol quite well. We wouldn't mind a fresh start somewhere new though. May I ask the reason you wouldn't consider moving to Cornwall from Bristol?

We would also consider areas in or near Bath but don't know it very well. I'm sure there's so many nice areas within a 3 hour radius that we don't really know where to begin looking!

Winchester or Chichester (neither are cheap though) or Cheltenham?

With that budget I would stay in Bristol if possible! Otherwise I like PP suggestion of Southsea, it's a fab place to live. Personally I don't think Liverpool is too far and you would be miles under budget (half your budget would get you a fantastic house in a nice area). I live in South Liverpool and have friends in Bristol, it's about 3.5 hours drive.

Or what about Birmingham? Or Cardiff? Again your budget would take you really far in those places.

Southampton is not as cool a city as Bristol (though it’s bid for city of culture might help) but might suit. Or near to it - Romsey has lots of things going on, train line to Bristol, it hasn’t got an urban buzz but definitely has a town buzz and is full of former city people.

Chichester definitely doesn't have an urban vibe.

No, neither Southampton nor Romsey have the urban buzz of Bristol (Although I think Southampton is very underrated).

I just mean that I wouldn't move to Cornwall looking for the same urban/fun vibe I might get from Clifton, when I could move to, say, Long Ashton and bike/drive into Clifton for a wander in 15 minutes or get the bus into the waterside (and go on holiday to Cornwall). Also, I don't see Clifton or the Downs as family areas, which becomes unexpectly more important when your kids are older. Friends like e.g. Henleaze for that.

Stroud always sounds nice though.

I don't mean to sound negative, a new start sounds good too (and Bristol is ££) but having moved from Bristol (I am also from there), I suppose I am just aware of what you won't get elsewhere

I'd definitely look over the border at Cardiff. Near to good beaches and walks too. The SE is very busy!

Nottingham is within distance.

Sheffield - but 3.5 hours.

I love this, walking distance of city centre, may not be enough garden for your dog though?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111645263#/?channel=RES_BUY

I agree with EmmaPaella. Maybe look at Cardiff. Cornwall etc all well and good if you want the whole change of lifestyle thing but am struggling with the urban buzz.

We’re south coast and now trying to come back as my Dad died last week and I want to be nearer there for my Stepmother. DD now a student and can’t stand where we live which is actually lovely but I get it’s too quiet for her, She would have fared much better growing up in Bristol and actually my DS too as both quite quirky and struggled to fit in here.

@deathofastrawberry Can I ask which bit of Bristol you live in now? We were thinking of moving there for a while, and thought Bishopston and St Andrews felt reasonably buzzy (it's all relative though!). Bits of Redland felt buzzy too but in a student-y way which wasn't what we were looking for!

@mortgagemusings I don't want to say the exact area, but we live in South Gloucestershire about a 10 minute drive up the m32 from Bristol city centre. It's easy to get to anywhere in Bristol from here but we want somewhere with more of a lively high street or village on our doorstep and not just a corner shop and a hairdressers 😂
Bishopston and St Andrews are lovely areas for housing but IMO too close to Gloucester Road, which don't get me wrong is amazing for independent shops, cafes and restaurants and has such a buzz, it's just a bit dodgy and there's a lot of drug users about. One of those very expensive, up and coming but still a bit dodgy kind of areas though I'm sure a lot of people move round there and love it.