ADVICE want to move to coastal town/village ... Dorset, Devon, Devon, south Wales,

[CB1988]

OK so dh work from home, we have an 8 month old and I will be wfh.
We are stuck on where to move to as so much choice , any recommendations greatly appreciated !!!!

Our budget is 500k£ we want a min 4 bed house with decent garden.

Nice town shops cafe ideally if weekly market
Must be on the coast, with njce sandy beach on doorstep
Good primary school
Great community
Ideally swimming pool
Safe nice area not a drug problem please!

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/135267494#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136720211#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136821983#/?channel=RES_BUY

love the last one

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/128193020
I've always loved Nottage and Newton in Porthcawl, but you do have to be wary of some areas around there.

Port Talbot, South Wales?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134828765#/?channel=RES_NEW

literally on a beautiful beach. Sandfields is a large estate but the people are friendly and there’s a sense of a good community. Lots of decent schools now and amenities close by.

https://www.propertypal.com/49-queens-parade-bangor/870703

If you fancy a move to NI, excellent schools, not terrible on the drugs front and a lot more for your money

https://www.propertypal.com/184-seacliff-road-bangor/862882
Needs updating but fab views

If you're interested in those areas, check out Ogmore-by-Sea, which is a lovely upmarket little town. You'd be using some of the amenities (such as swimming pools) of larger towns in the area, Porthcawl and Bridgend - both towns I'd advise you not to go for.

@HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas me too loving the last house. Excellent price
Although it's a bit too far out
It might be worth exploring a bit before writing it off.

Llantwit Major.

@Badlands1 wow love the houses but NI a step too far from fam ! X

@ThisIsACoolUserName thank you ! Will look into this area

**

We're in South Wales. Penarth is lovely town with great schools and facilities but the beach isn't sandy. Close to Barry to get to one though. Essentially a suburb if Cardiff so access to most things easy
Mumbles has it all (can't comment in school in that area). Essentially a suburb of Swansea. Have also heard bad things about traffic - main thing that puts me off visiting Gower more is summer traffic. Further into the Gower is much more rural so wouldn't have the facilities you mentioned.

Porthcawl and ogmore areas also worth a look - lovely beaches. Porthcawl more of a town, ogmore and southerndown are villages. Rest Bay and dunraven are our favourites. Not so sure what schools are like. Not sure in swimming pool either but close to bridgend which will have that sort of thing. Porthcawl always seems a bit run down in some places but other bits seem nice.

Same for Barry. - rough reputation but seems to be improving every time I go there and I think there are some lovely bits.. I have heard one of the secondary schools had a terrible report recently though.

Not sure on the drug issue. As you say they are everywhere and I'm not aware any of these places have a particular reputation. Certainly don't see as many issues as I do in Cardiff when visiting. But maybe different to live there.

I wouldn't personally go for port Talbot. Aberavon beach there is a nicer area then I expected, but you can see the steelworks from the beach and lots of deprivation issues. I forgot about Llantwit Major as I don't think of it as a sandy beach but it is picturesque (and sandy at low tide) and a decent small town I think with train into Cardiff. My colleague lives there and loves it.

I've lived in West Wales for over 20 years (my husband is Welsh). Houses are relatively cheap and the people lovely, but our NHS isn't good. I think you'd also need check out the schools if you were to move here as well.

You'll struggle to find a 4 bed in Swanage with a decent garden in that price bracket.

The only 4 bed houses in around £500k have limited parking, courtyard gardens or are bungalows needing work.

Teignmouth might be worth a look - or Exmouth as also suggested.

Excellent advice from @MissLucyEyelesbarrow about visiting in winter. I grew up in a seaside town and boy was it bleak in January (+ awful for teenagers)

Your budget is realistic for a sandy beach ... my town has everything else though £500k is tight, you'll get a 4 bed or a detached 3 bed but both may mean a less desirable location in town. I'm 2 mins walk to swimming pool plus we have a lovely outdoor pool ... beach umm well there's rocks and stones and ... mud at low tide. Be realistic, you won't be on the beach daily so don't make that criteria as important. I just can't see you affording anything close to the sea in most those locations, s wales is your only chance, or Somerset but the nice places to live don't have the better beaches (apparently weston super mare is the place to move to, very popular with Bristolians but major drugs problem I'm told and I don't like it more generally, many resort towns have drug issues)

What about Saint Ives in Cornwall? We bought our 4 bed home there for around 450k. It’s not detached but we have sea views.

Christchurch?

Porthcawl school is excellent, Ogmore by Sea is stunning but no pub, supermarket and teens would have no local facilities, taxi of mum and dad, Mumbles is beautiful but summer traffic is indeed horrendous. Penarth schools are outstanding. Swansea itself is worth a look as the beach is huge and goes all the way to mumbles. Gower schools are great but again quite rural. I personally want to retire to Porthcawl. Fab beaches, on M4 corridor, a lovely buzz all year round and one of the best park runs in the UK. Lots of cafes, bistros and it's very friendly and has lots of coffee shops on the 'promenade'.

Is North Cornwall too far? This is local to me. Lovely town, great community, sports centre, sandy beaches 15 minutes by car, local park, two primary schools and one secondary.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/135630053#/?channel=RES_BUY

Whatever you decide, make sure you check the Internet and WiFi options, speed, and reliability, especially since your other half works from home. I'd rule out the north west on train links alone which are diabolically bad now, but the north east might suit you. Sadly most (coastal) towns have a drugs issue these days though.

Or this one
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/133416482#/?channel=RES_BUY

Maybe Dawlish, although it is expensive. But it has less problems with drugs than Teignmouth or Exmouth in my opinion

Tried North Devon?

Ilfracombe you can get the property you want within your budget - there are a few on rightmove right now well within your price range. Nice area to live too and next to the sea. Woolacombe less than a 10 min drive.

Barnstaple - some nicer areas and whilst central ground - you’re 15 mins away in a car from Westward Ho! and 25/30 mins away from Woolacombe/Saunton/Ilfracombe etc.

Bideford - again, depends what part. Has a Quay - next to WWHO! There’s so much choice for you to get within your budget!

Weymouth does have a drug problem, yes, but it’s easy to avoid the worst areas. You just need to choose your area carefully.

Somewhere like this ought to be fine: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/137712203

I would have said Swanage or Bridport but I think you’ll find it harder to get as much house for your money.