Challenge! Suggest a place to live?

[WhereDoIStartLooking]

Have £150K to spend.
Always lived in South West or South East.

Can be anywhere.
Need a place for me.
Pref 2 + beds.

Cash buyer.
Prefer house to flat.
Doesn't need to be fancy. Would like somewhere that isn't terrible, can put up a window box without it being nicked.

Would like anywhere in UK.
Have family in Scotland and Wales, both are as viable as anywhere.
All ideas appreciated.

Look at Fletton or Woodston in Peterborough.

I like Perth. Check 5 miles around. Plenty of homes for <= £150K

@MinnieMountain this is not your fault. I nearly married a man from Peterborough once. It does not hold fond memories!

@XVGN Perth is an excellent idea, I'll get looking.

Fair enough OP. I married one of the good ones from Peterborough 😁

This looks nice:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/138107372?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Congratulations @MinnieMountain 😊

It's very lovely @WilbursWinnie, G2 listed. The unlisted version of that with more parking would be perfect.

The North West of England is still pretty affordable. That said, I live there now, and the weather over the last year has made me get borderline S.A.D. Stay as far away from the coast as you can!

(It was absolutely fine in 2022)

I'd go to the North East (and I'm surprised what your money can still buy you by doing a 40mile radius search on County Durham) - good transport links (main east coast train line at Durham and Newcastle), international airport (Newcastle), coast on one side and hills on the other, and drier than the west of the country!

I'm surprised they were able to put that nasty replacement flooring in the sitting room given it's grade II listed.

A spirited entry in the sub-150K category though.

Watching with interest because my budget's not much bigger.

Following as I am in a similar position, but also not able to go "anywhere" due to an elderly parent. Lincs seems my best bet at the minute. It's terrifying making this decision as a single parent. However, needs must unfortunately.

What do you count as Southwest?

Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall are all possible on your budget - Ilfracombe, Barnstaple and Bideford, Torrington, Seaton, Minehead, Burnham on sea and Bridport may all fit the bill and have different characters, depending on what you want.
(Teignmouth/ Dawlish, Wells, Yeovil too but would be flats. Plymouth, Chard, Torquay are in budget , but you need local advice to choose a good area -the window box issue!)..

What facilities are important to you- friendly safe neighbourhood, shops, sea, transport to the rest of the country, hospitals?

@Meezer I would prefer not to say where I have lived or where I am now. I don't want to stay in the South West. Elderly parent, always been vile to me. As the only woman I will be expected to care for her. It is time for my brothers to pick up the slack.
It is a great list for anyone who does want to live in the SW.

It was an excellent house @WilbursWinnie. I didn't mean to sound churlish. Apologies, it is a stressful time.

Where in Wales OP?

Swansea? Definitely properties there for 2 beds for that price… not sure on specific areas, have friends who live near the uni and really like the city….

I'd move to the Wirral (but avoiding Birkenhead and Ellesmere Port) and still have money left over: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/142054811

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86383203#/?channel=RES_BUY

this would be my pick local ish. Lovely village, M&S food, lots of restaurants, couple of pubs, close to Glasgow

South Aberdeenshire.

Somewhere like Laurencekirk which is on the train line to Aberdeen and Dundee, Glasgow/Edinburgh.

Decent health centre and sense of community.

https://www.aspc.co.uk/search/property/419087/66-High-Street/Laurencekirk/

I love a bit of Anglesey, so I’m submitting these entries

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Or a house

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140644478#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141005675

Lynemouth is on the coast and really on the up.

Haltwhistle is lovely and this is a great house. Below your budget and needs damp work done. Great size rooms and a garden.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/138957128

My granny's sister lived in this street for about 50 years. They are great houses and face onto farmed fields. Is 5 minutes from Seaton Delaval Hall and 5 minutes drive from the beach.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136223204

Look in newcastle upon Tyne

That first house is nice but the third one gives me the heebie jeebies, especially photo 7. I like old properties usually but not that one.

If I really, really could go anywhere, I'd go to either the Northumberland coast, or the Nairnshire/Morayshire coast in Scotland.

Just beautiful. Reasonable amenities. Decent connections if you want them. Depending on where you want to go, yes travel times can be lengthy, but very do-able.