Where the heck should we move to?!

[Paisleypatch]

So we currently live in London and are trying to work out whether to sell up or rent up but either way we're done and we haven't quite settled on where yet.
I know, I know, 'Tired of London, tired of life!' but I'm tired of our immediate area as the schools are rubbish and it really doesn't feel safe anymore. We've looked elsewhere in London but our budget doesn't stretch.

I am hoping that someone might be able to suggest a place that we either haven't thought of yet or give me hope for the places that we are seriously considering. If you are able to help, thank you!! I know, I am pretty much looking for perfection which I won't find but I'm trying to find as close as possible.

We are a small family with a 11 Month DS. Mid 30's and a small doggo. I work as a birth doula and hubby works for an American tech firm so we aren't confined by commutes atm, though DH might need to get to London on occasion so no 4 hour train journeys. We also don't want to be more than 2.30 hours from north Essex where my aging parents are!

So what do we want, well everything! But I'll start with the must haves - access to coast or lovely countryside. We would also like good pubs/restaurants for when we can maybe use them. Good schools, things to do for small babies as I don't work full time so want to be able to take DS out and about and have found groups and classes so wonderful for him. We've obvs been spoilt where we are but a good young family community would be amazing as I wouldn't be against setting up my own groups.

Now to the affordability bit which is essentially what holds us back from most 'perfect' places! We are looking for a 3-4 bed and we have a budget of max £550.

Places we are seriously considering (and there are probs no surprises here)

Ramsgate
Broadstairs
The Dedham Vale area North of Colchester, but really seems to spenny
Cambridge - again seems to spenny but maybe surrounding villages?
Suffolk coastal - again too spenny and maybe too full of holiday lets
Rye - might just work

Basically I would LOVE your insights and experience of any or all of this! Thanks so much in advance. Xxxx

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141255470
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140760908

Bury St Edmonds is lovely

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141247247

Winchester and surrounding villages - great schools and countryside! Also very easy to commute into London as and when needed.

550k may get you a house in a less fashionable part of London or outer London/London borders. Where are you now?

I know a few people who have gone Thanet way & like it. Not sure re schools though.

What about Southend on Sea or SE London

Given your line of work do you not need to be close to certain hospitals or birthing units?

I admit to being quite ignorant about this but am guessing you get rather more clients having babies in the likes of the Lido wing than Colchester general.

I don't know of anyone who has ever used a doula. I cannot imagine the demand is as high in areas with lower house prices and while transport links can be good, they are not as 24/7 as London (which presumably babies are).

Just wondering if you need to work backwards and work out where the good (private?) birthing units are that will enable you to start a decent business elsewhere rather than a scattergun across the south east??

I think if you are a private doula then that is a luxury service (plus short notice situation) and you need to be near areas with wealth and reasonably high population density. And excellent transport links for the midnight dashes. Some of the suggestions don't meet those criteria.

I admit to being quite ignorant about this but am guessing you get rather more clients having babies in the likes of the Lido wing than Colchester general.

Doula isn’t really a wealthy thing, defo be a market for it in Ramsgate, Margate

I'm struggling to imagine a lot of demand for doulas in most of Suffolk. BuryStE could work if OP is happy to commute to Cambridge from there.

Cross post with @Calmdown14!

I used an independent midwife because my local NHS Trust was in a diabolical state at the time and I felt unsafe.

I was fully aware it was a massive luxury to do that and I also don't know anyone else who did. It also didn't solve all the issues but the fact she knew people in all the local hospitals definitely helped It's a very niche thing, unlike housing and schools.

Bishops Stortford.

Bishops Stortford has Great schools, beautiful surrounding villages and countryside. Hour to the coast and your parents, fast train into London, nice town centre and lots of nice restaurants and bars, easy to get to Cambridge, good for stansted for holidays. Affordable still. Bosh.

Kirsty & phil are needed here! Give them a shout and then we all get to see where you end up.

I came on to say Hampshire, Winchester but then read your budget and needs, so I'm no help sorry.

Another vote for Bishops Stortford. Good friends of ours live there and have a flat in Frinton - they’re there pretty much every weekend and find the journey really straightforward (some of their local friends/neighbours do the same - seems to be a bit of a ‘thing’ in BS).

They have two DC at school in BS and have been really happy with their education (schools were the main reason they moved there - previously they were based on NE London outskirts and were unsettled there for what sounds like similar reasons to you).

Just to add that a house in Bishops Stortford would be doable for £550K but would probably be on an estate. (We also vaguely looked at BS but were put off for this reason, as we’re not keen on but estates and would want to live more centrally - we’re also looking to potentially move away from our London suburb, which feels like it’s slowly deteriorating).

Our friends in BS have a lovely house but it’s on a huge estate - feels a bit soulless (you never see anyone around) and they have to drive literally everywhere.

Bishops Stortford’s a good shout. You are only 25 min to Cambridge really from there too up the m11.

doula.org.uk/find-a-doula/ so I would perhaps use this to create a map of where to look for housing.

So you get 24 hits for CM23 (Bishops Stortford) which could suggest healthy demand, or I suppose that the market is saturated.

You get 7 hits for CT10 (Thanet).

That website says typical cost is £500 to £2000 so definitely you need an area where mums have cash and there are plenty of them (presumably it's a very recommendation based type of business?)

I always thought 'too spenny' evolved from 'too spendy' (too expensive) - is this the case? I've only ever heard it spoken so thought it was an accent/pronunciation thing.

Sorry - no use at all to the op!

Ramsgate is lovely, have you considered Folkestone, it has a high speed into London. I moved to East Kent for 4 years, it was beautiful. Sadly my partner wanted to move back closer to home but I would happily have stayed. Also had a bit of a micro climate which was a bonus.

That website says typical cost is £500 to £2000

whereas Lindo wing starts at 7k, different markets

Rye is lovely but very expensive and either the train journey is awkward or no train station. DB worked filming in Ramsgate and hated it there. A friend lives in Broadstairs, not retired but not far off it.

Tunbridge Wells is lovely.

Hastings is either lovely or a shithole. Maybe Battle? I only know Lewes visiting but very nice.

Folkestone, I’ve got friends who moved here over lockdown and are now in Canterbury. They really disliked Folkestone. Town/city centre is very rundown.

Friend of mine moved a few years ago and now with DC in Stortford. Maybe look at Sawbridgeworth?

Is Bristol too far? It would be a good city for a doula and tech worker to move to.