Where would you live in Devon?

[PastaFasool]

Me, DH and DS are currently living in Bristol, but considering a move further west into Devon. DH is from Plymouth and he has family in various parts of Devon and we'd love DS to grow up closer to his family, as unfortunately it looks like we won't be able to have more DC.

Does anyone have anywhere they'd recommend looking with:

• A train station - that's a must for us, so rules out quite a lot of places in Devon!
• Decent primary and secondary schools
• Some buzz / life - obviously nothing as busy as Bristol, but not a sleepy village feel
• Near-ish to the coast - doesn't have to be right on the sea though, just so long as we can get there within about 30 minutes

Anyone like living in Exeter or area around there? Any other nice towns people recommend? Thanks in advance for the help!

Tavistock or Exmouth

not Ivybridge.
not Callington.

@emmetgirl and @thesunwillout yes yes, that's what I understood! The Janner family learned me that grockles is Devonian.

exmouth is okay, but only has one secondary school with 2000 students and not a great reputation. Beach is great, but town centre is not great imo
Ilfracombe is quite depressing out of season

the comment about ‘incomers’ does have the effect of making people on the west county sound very closed minded. It’s a bit ‘league of gentlemen.’

we are all free to live wherever we choose. ‘Born and bred’ doesn’t give anyone special rights.

I see comments all the time about incomers ‘denying local families a home.’ I’m always puzzled in what way they’ve directly denied them a home unless they bid marginally more for the same house.

We moved to Bideford. Looked at ilfracombe because you get a lot of house for your money but tbh I didn't fancy living there. Dead out of season and busy in season.

No, not Callington. The Tamar Valley villages are lovely, but sleepy. Calstock might be good though?

If I had the dosh, I'd buy in Tavistock, Yelverton or thereabouts. Preferably a big house in Watts Road in Tavi, or something lovely in Whitchurch.

South hams resident small towns ashburton kingsbridge Tavistock maybe totnes but it’s gone a bit competitive now. Definitely not ivybridge
personally I’d go for Exeter exmouth broadclyst area

@Dobbysgotthesocks unfortunately that's just life, I had to leave where I grew up and move to somewhere I could afford because there is no way I could afford rent or to buy. Everyone can move and live wherever they want.

Im sure lots of the now holiday homes and Airbnb' were sold by locals to people not from Devon.

Totnes is hippy central and miles from anywhere, I wouldn’t live there

I think Exeter sounds right for you, especially coming from Bristol. It’s got a station, the university, plenty going on

@HouseofHolbein Bideford is also lovely 😊

I’m the same - quite woo and lentily - but wouldn’t live in Totnes.

Plus is no Waitrose.

Exeter has Waitrose, M&S and sushi.

Plus there is no Waitrose I meant.

No Waitrose is not a plus 😮

You could afford Topsham OP (as in foodie South Devon tow) there are some new build houses there for around 550k.

Ok not the main old bit but there’s no parking there anyway.

Topsham 565k

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123792110

Topsham house

Actually @disneylover367 we can all just up and move!!!
I have a business that I worked damned hard to set up and make profitable here.
I am also going through cancer treatment and upping and leaving would be massively detrimental to my care.
So live in my car I will have to do

@Dobbysgotthesocks I am really sorry to hear you are going through cancer treatment, that must be incredibly tough. I didn't mean to sound flippant, I just wanted to point out that it is not a problem unique to Devon. By people moving into the area I do think it also benefits local business'.

Housing has been in crisis in the SE for the last 30 years.

No-one in London can afford to live in the area they grew up unless they’re in finance.

I can’t really afford to live in London but I need to work here. But you don’t hear Londoners telling people to stop moving here. (As if that would make any difference).

Why not Ivybridge?

Why not Ivybridge?

Suggest you start a new tread @FrancescaSwan. This one is two years old. I don't know Ivybridge apart from driving through it, but Topsham, Totnes and Tavistock are all pleasant and very different. Ashburton is easy and just off the A38 and the edge of Dartmoor, but no station. Honiton, Axminster, Budleigh Salterton towards the eastern edge of the county.

Ivybridge is a small town totally killed by the giant Tesco on the outskirts.
I can’t think of anything in its favour.
No decent shops, nothing for teens to do, nada.