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Original poster

Retirement location - unrealistic wish list?

102 replies

SenoritaFajita · 10/04/2023 16:18

My parents currently live overseas, and are hoping to move back within the next year or so. They’ve asked me to find somewhere which meets the following criteria:

  • Village or small town
  • Within 50 miles of Central London
  • Transport links to larger cities (bus or train)
  • New build estate, or max 5 years old.
  • Within walking distance (10 mins tops) to amenities. Not just one village shop, must have eg supermarket, butchers, GP/dentist, library, leisure centre would be great? They don’t want to drive unless absolutely necessary.
  • Open views from property

We live in the South West so ideally it would be somewhere our end rather than towards the East. Their budget is up to 1.5m. Can anyone suggest anywhere that meets all these requirements?

OP posts:
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15
HappyHolidai · 10/04/2023 16:23

Didcot meets most of them but is hardly a dream retirement destination.

Think they may need to prioritise. Also worth noting that new estates tend to be on the edge of places and unless massive enough to have their own shops etc (which the Didcot developments do) this will make them more than 10 mins walk from local amenities.

LaurieFairyCake · 10/04/2023 16:36

Burford

Totally beautiful

BadGranny · 10/04/2023 16:37

The villages around Banbury might work?

HappyHolidai · 10/04/2023 16:41

LaurieFairyCake · 10/04/2023 16:36

Burford

Totally beautiful

Yes - beautiful. And open views.

But more than 50 miles from London, not (thankfully) overrun with new estates and doesn't have brilliant transport links. Every 2hrs to Cheltenham (bus), a bit better to Witney.

This is why I think the parents need to prioritise! Some of their criteria are unlikely to be found together.

JustLikeJasper · 10/04/2023 16:44

Knebworth

AnnaMagnani · 10/04/2023 16:45

Thing is, if you have:

Within walking distance (10 mins tops) to amenities. Not just one village shop, must have eg supermarket, butchers, GP/dentist, library, leisure centre would be great? They don’t want to drive unless absolutely necessary.

You probably don't have:

Open views from property

I'd also give a strong caution that if you are 50 miles from London, on a new build estate with open views, then in the next few years someone is going to buld a new estate on your view.

MojoMoon · 10/04/2023 16:46

A village is not going to have a leisure centre, GP, range of shops, train station etc.

Realistically you need a small town. So it's going to be hard to mesh that with ten minutes walk and open views.

What's the priority? Bear in mind you don't own a view so it can be built on.

New builds tend to be on the outskirts - and a lot of British new builds are really pretty shoddily built so I wouldn't assume that new equals problem free.

Haslemere? Billingshurst?

jellybeanteaparty · 10/04/2023 16:48

Henley but not sure many new builds

AnnaMagnani · 10/04/2023 16:49

I live in a village. We don't even have a shop.

The neighbouring village has a shop, and a pub plus a GP surgery. But only those on the edge have open views - and they are being built on.

If you go to the next biggest village then you have shops, greengrocer, butcher, pubs, takeaways etc. But definitely no leisure centre! And again all the edges are being built on. Bus comes once in a blue moon.

For all the facilities you need a biggest town. And it won't be 10 minutes walk to anywhere.

MojoMoon · 10/04/2023 16:51

In terms of prioritizing, hard as it may be to face it, if would be sensible go consider what they would do as they get older and possibly more infirm.

Not having to drive in order to reach amenities, doctors and shops is a very sensible choice as they get older so I would prioritize that and public transport access to larger cities with hospitals etc.

Original poster
SenoritaFajita · 10/04/2023 16:54

Yes I completely agree that there’s no guarantee that any views would still be there in a few years’ time - I’ve also explained that supermarkets aren’t normally built near rolling hills (!) but I wanted to show them some examples of places which ticked a few, if not all, of their boxes, and hopefully lower their expectations. Am off to do some Googling now, thank you to everyone for your suggestions!

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 10/04/2023 16:56

Yes, Burford is 57 miles and the best way to travel to London is get a bus/taxi to Oxford and then get an 80 minute train journey to London

MintJulia · 10/04/2023 17:00

50 miles of central London, and towards you, OP........

Hungerford? Small town. train station, easy travel to London, Bristol etc

Or Wantage? Or Andover? Or Winchester?

Further west is Westbury, Corsham, Frome,

MojoMoon · 10/04/2023 17:01

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130912031#/?channel=RES_BUY

Decent views as it's on a hillside.

Walking distance to Waitrose, station on good line to London, amenities like doctors, leisure centre.

Downside: not a new build. However I would say that is an upside given the quality of many new builds.

Check out this 3 bedroom semi-detached house for sale on Rightmove

3 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Half Moon Hill, Haslemere, Surrey, GU27 for £895,000. Marketed by Strutt and Parker, Haslemere

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130912031#/?channel=RES_BUY

LivelyBlake · 10/04/2023 17:07

Thame, in Oxfordshire, or Tring, in Bedfordshire.

Crikeyalmighty · 10/04/2023 17:10

Witney, Wokingham, Abingdon, Godalming, marlow, Woodstock, haslemere , weybridge- You are going to be talking a small town not a village to get all those facilities these days.

Pythonesque · 10/04/2023 17:13

If "new build" is really something they care strongly about, then possibly looking at retirement developments could tick more of their boxes. Totally unsuitable location (too far from London and far too far from you!), but North Walsham in north Norfolk ticks some of the others!

I hope you can find some places to show them what's on offer, and then hopefully they will clarify their expectations and you can know what to prioritise. Good luck!

sunshinesupermum · 10/04/2023 17:16

We live in the South West so ideally it would be somewhere our end rather than towards the East. And they want to be no further than 50 miles from London???

Crikeyalmighty · 10/04/2023 17:31

Something like this OP?? In budget, pretty modern and in Godalming. Attractive town, good train links to Guildford and London. Nice interior- personally I think it might be a bit big but hey they may like space!!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131251520#/?channel=RES_BUY

Crikeyalmighty · 10/04/2023 17:38

Or this in Wokingham (brand new ) rather lovely

Blip · 10/04/2023 17:38

Surrey seems like the most likely county, plenty of places with good amenities.

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 10/04/2023 17:42

Godalming/Farnham - lots of new builds, close to A3, good transport to London. It does depend a bit on if they think this is going to be their last ever home, or their lovely retirement home before moving somewhere more accessible later on.

They are seriously going to struggle to get the open views but also 10 mins walking distance to that level of amenities.