Nice affordable areas to live around Brighton

[Rose429]

We’re a couple with a baby on the way and is currently living in Brighton. We’re looking to buy a 2 bedroom place at around 300k next year as first time buyers. My husband works in Brighton so ideally somewhere within 5-10 miles that is family friendly with some shops/supermarkets.

We’ve looked into Burgess Hill and Worthing so far and it seems we can only afford apartments. Ideally we would like to be a house, but apartments with private garden is fine. Any recommendation where else we should look?

Have you looked at Hassocks, just outside Brighton? I think it's a lovely family friendly area. Brighton is so expensive now and I personally don't think it's worth it.

@notanothernamechangemother Thank you for your quick reply! We did look into Hassocks but there’s literally only 2 apartments within our budget on sale at the moment and they don’t look great. I don’t think there’re many available properties in Hassocks.

We were in a similar position as i got a job in Brighton and needed to move relatively near by. We looked at lancing, seaford, newhaven, and worthing. But ended up settling on Hailsham as it was more affordable and we needed a 3 bed. It is quite a long commute though. I wouldnt recommend newhaven as its quite industrial and not very nice. Seaford, worthing and burgess Hill are nice.

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/62633226/?search_identifier=4418bbfb65ab7a2e1d9aebe0a9c19a25

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/62392914/?search_identifier=4418bbfb65ab7a2e1d9aebe0a9c19a25

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/62550937/?search_identifier=4418bbfb65ab7a2e1d9aebe0a9c19a25

@Whenwillitstop1 Thank you for the recommendations! We also found the second one you sent on Rightmove and quite like it. It’s just that there’re apartments at that price range but offer bigger space so we’re still debating.

Such a shame about Newhaven though, because there’re a lot of options there but what I have heard so far about the area isn’t great.

Depends how much he’d like to use train for commute? There’s a lot cheaper places that don’t have stations (Heathfield) or have stations but not trains to brighton (Uckfield). Seaford is nice, you might just get a house there.
Hassocks is so expensive because of easy London commute. The area between Hove and Worthing seems cheaper (Portslade, Lancing). It really depends if location is top priority then get a nice apartment (sometimes they actually have more space!) and you can always move in the future.

Have you looked at Peacehaven? My friend moved out there, it's quiet and seems cheap.

@PaperDoves Yes we have looked but my husband isn’t keen. He said it’s a bit dull and “rough”.

Is Horsham too far?

@Lcb123 He drives to work so stations don’t matter, it’s just need to be a reasonable distance. We’ll look at Seaford but anything further than that it’s too far away.

@NCFT0922 Yeah Horsham is a bit too far. Haywards Health is the furthest we can do really…

Peacehaven or Saltdean are ok. Not Newhaven or Seaford, nor Burgess Hill.

you y might find somewhere cheaper moving along the coast, but if Peacehaven is too rough, other options are unlikely to be attractive to you. Burgess Hill is the cheapest option coming north, unless you'd consider Crawley? Lots of people commute between Brighton and Crawley and it can be cheap. Some of the areas are okay, but it's a bit hit or Miss.

Whereabouts in Brighton? Brighton itself can take a long tim to drive through so you’d want to be coming from the right direction.

I've lived in Brighton for years and quite a few old friends have moved to nearby areas where you get more for your money. I think if you're going to buy a two bedroom property you should try and be nearer to Brighton.

Shoreham has done lovely cottages just off the seafront high street and some modern apartment buildings too - I love any excuse to go there as it's lovely.

Also nearby Southwick is lovely too - nearer to Brighton and, like Shoreham, it has a great old world feel to it - very cosy.

Hangleton/West Blatchington is also largely fine and easy to get on the bypass or to the seafront.

I live just outside Newhaven, and there are some lovely villages on the outskirts

I was the same I didn't want to live in Newhaven, but close is ok.

I grew up in Crawley and I wouldn't say it's close to Brighton and it's a shitty drive

I second southwick. I live there, lovely little square, Good preschools and nursery's, lovely green and playground, great shops and coffee shops and cafes and right on the downs if you live up the top but on the sea if you live down the bottom! We bought a 3 bed semi (needed work) for 275 a few years ago.

www.onthemarket.com/details/12465770/

quite a few nice apartments

I live in Shoreham and it's great. You could get a 2 bed flat for your budget but possibly not a house. Southwick is nice too. Lancing is cheap and nicer than the 'havens imo.

@Flitter123 He works in Westdene so it’s quite easy to commute to other towns nearby

@Ticksallboxes @mamamalt Thank you! We’ll look into Southwick and Shoreham. At the moment it seems to be just flats on sale but we’ll keep an eye on for a house. My husband lives in Brighton for years as well so he would like to be as close as possible.

@Hoolihan You would say Lancing is nice? I looked at the crime rate and it says Lancing is in Top 5 most dangerous small towns in West Sussex so I was imagining the Wild West there 😂

Lancing definitely has had a reputation for being a bit rough, but over the past decade I've heard of so many people moving there as it has more affordable houses.

It's quite burby and full of bungalows, but looked really nice I thought when I drove through there last year.